(SB) Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

Statistics lie when you want. Bama shows 3,851 in the stands last night. No freaking way.

 

I think tickets are cheap or free on the big hill in right field. Maybe it was full out there and just didn’t look full in stands? That’s a whole lot of people out there though

 

It was sparse there too. Official capacity is listed at 3,940 which I assume includes the berm. So they are saying there were only 80 empty seats. There were three times that many behind home plate alone.

 

I have two questions for anyone to answer. First...what is up with Makenna Reid at FSU? When she came in from Oregon she was supposed to be the greatest thing since sliced bread. She is barely pitching. Only 14 innings. Four other pitchers have about 3x as many. Is she hurt or have they given up on her? Second....I don't understand this scoring issue. This happened twice last night. With a runner on first and a short dump into the outfield, the runner has to hold as it might be caught. When it drops she is still forced out at second. The hitter is given a single and I don't understand why it isn't a fielder's choice. If she had grounded to second and there was a 4-6 force at second with the hitter safely reaching first it is always scored as a fielder's choice. I don't understand the difference other than just arbitrarily giving the hitter a single when there is, in fact, absolutely no difference in the outcome of the play. (BTW...those were the only two hits charged against Ava.)

 

Absolutely!!!!! The Official Scorekeeper had no clue.

 

Not sure about that. I have seen the same scoring at other places. Wish someone has a scoring rule that explains it.

 

Just checked softball website…now showing UNF game @ 6pm on ESPN+.

 

The only real issue that Ava had last night was the base on balls?, she had five in four innings.

 

From official scoring rules 9.05 (b) (2). I see no justification for scoring the play I described as a hit:
(b) The Official Scorer shall not credit a base hit when a:

(1) runner is forced out by a batted ball, or would have been forced out except for a fielding error;

(2) batter apparently hits safely and a runner who is forced to advance by reason of the batter becoming a runner fails to touch the first base to which such runner is advancing and is called out on appeal. The Official Scorer shall charge the batter with a time at bat but no hit;

(3) pitcher, the catcher or any infielder handles a batted ball and puts out a preceding runner who is attempting to advance one base or to return to his original base, or would have put out such runner with ordinary effort except for a fielding error. The Official Scorer shall charge the batter with a time at bat but no hit;

(4) fielder fails in an attempt to put out a preceding runner and, in the scorer’s judgment, the batter-runner could have been put out at first base; or

 

yeah , in no universe is that a hit , but not surprised w/ todays scorekeeping

heres one for ya... same scenario, but the throw in for the force out is a bad throw, or dropped, etc. Does that justify it as a hit, or still FC & a E?.

 

Hmmmm.....great question. I would score it a hit and an error on the throw. A hit since it fell fair and nobody was out. Ask it again tomorrow and I might have a different answer. I'm uncertain either way.

The only thing I can think of why the original scenario would be scored a hit is possibly because the ball fell fair and the batter safely made it to first before the force out occurred. But I doubt I can find any rule to confirm that and I'm also not certain that would be the correct ruling.

In all of the thousands upon thousands upon thousands of games I have watched over the years, there is always something that comes up that just sends you for a loop.

 

That’s not statistics that’s wishful thinking lol.

 

I may be an exception but I think interest in softball is on the decline for various reasons.

First, declining because of overexposure. You open up the ESPN app and there are games on from every corner of the country. Yes there are the hardcore fans like the ones on this forum but outside of here, there is not much excitement for softball until it comes down to the playoffs and the CWS.

Second, as it is a spring sport, the top half of the country is still in Winter (till tomorrow) and they have to play down south and if they are home games, it’s still a little cold to sit in an open stadium.

Third, like us, most of the season ticket holders are long term holders and are statistically older. Too cold, Too hot, not a good team, many reasons not to go to the stadium to catch a game.

Fourth, with the advent of HDTV, all sports are struggling to not only get new fans but keep existing attendees. Take the game this past Monday, my seats sold for $ 80.00 a piece, if the two people wanted a hot dog, a popcorn and a beer, you can add another $ 60.00 to the bill. So, $ 220.00 to see softball at Texas at KSP. Now do a family of 4. Football has the same problem and other sports are in the same boat.

As to the earlier post about inflated attendance numbers, I think they quote tickets sold, not butts in the stands. They may claim it’s actual attendance but why would they quote attendance when there are only 1500 fans in the stands but 2600 tickets were sold. 2600 looks better

Lastly, I hate to say it but NIL and the Portal is a factor, i know a lot of long term fans that don’t like it and have stopped supporting and even watching college athletics all together. They consider these student athletes as professionals and resent these athletes that move from school to school for money.

This is just my opinion and like an anus, everyone has one.

 

Idk man I think the sport is still gaining popularity. All the streaming opportunities aren’t overexposure imo (nobody’s being forced to watch games as opposed to insurance commercials lol) the sport is just getting representation across the board, big and small teams and I think that’s great. NIL Is probably driving many college sports fans away but that’s across the board and not softball specific and also something I don’t understand.

 

Off topic but I wonder how tall Taylor will be next week? At the rate she’s growing we don’t need to worry about losing her to the portal, womens basketball is what we should fear.

 

For those that watched the game, did Comia show anything that may lead to more time against meaningful competition down the road? She's fast and seems really relaxed and it's not like anyone is putting a choke hold on that SS position

 

Another six inches and she could pitch for Jacksonville University.

 

I’d wouldn’t be surprised to see her get more playing time in mid-week games as a potential audition for more meaningful weekend series. Interesting stat-she’s batted 43 times with no strikeouts and no walks.

 

Yeap..posted that in ogt pinned at top of forum..

 

Rofl! I looked that pitcher up btw, she’s 6’2”. Taylor will be that height by Monday lol.