Who's man enough to admit they've been watching? Softball craze has really taken off where I live. The older farmers I drink coffee with have been surprising me with some excitement about following LSU and UL. To be honest, I haven't followed at all this year and watched some of LSU's game yesterday. It was the first time I'd seen the girls play this year. They were beating Missouri pretty bad so I'm assuming they won. I remember Fico being SO HIGHLY recruited and came with very high expectations. I wasn't overly impressed with her.
I keep up with them but haven't watched any games this year. They did end up beating Missouri 6 - 1 last night. If they can win one out of the two games today, it's off to the WCWS in Okie City. As for Fico, she hasn't got a lot of run support this year. In her 11 losses, she only got maybe one run in a lot of those and still kept the Tigers close. She's like 19 - 11 this year and probably would have won 25 with any type of offense behind her.
My little one plays softball here in Mandeville. That occupies 3 or 4 of my evenings these days. I sure would love a chance to take her team to a game though. I guess I shoulda thought of it earlier since it sounds like the season is almost done.
Kyle, My niece (wife's side of the family) got a full ride to the University of Michigan on a softball scholarship and just graduated. Michigan won the Big 12 title in softball again but was bounced out in the Super Regionals by Alabama. I think Stephanie had a double with an RBI in her last game. If your daughter shows the talent and drive, encourage here every step of the way and provide whatever resources you can. Gas for trips to softball coaching camps is a lot cheaper over the long haul than 4 years tuition at a major university.
I would NOT want to be on the same side of the bracket as your girls. Geez, Cal has been impressive this year and OU is mowing down everyone they see.
Hello Terry. I swear I thought about you when I posted this. I doubt our girls have much chance. I'll seem stupid saying this since UL was sent home and we're still in but I think UL's softball program > than LSU's right now. A lot cheaper than drug rehab, etc. too. I say that only to point out that, minimally, time spent with kids is always a good investment. Assuming a parent is acting "normal", of course. I've seen parents break their kids' spirits in the name of sports. Sad thing is they didn't really mean to come off that way. Still though, being with your kids is a great thing in most cases.
Thanks for sharing. I wasn't sure just how bad it was but I did pick up on that from the announcers in the brief amount of air time they had.
ULL's softball program (which is currently ranked #7 and #10 in the latest polls) is a top-notch program (which is the only team ULL has to cheer for like that). coming into this season, they were 1,306-390 (.770) all-time in Div-1 play. they've won their conference 11 of the last 12 years, and they've been to the CWS five times (93, 95, 96, 03, 08) as for LSU, we aren't ranked and we were 6-13 (5-13 vs SEC) in the last 19 games before the NCAA tournament. then in the NCAA tournament, at the Texas A&M regional, LSU (which had previously been 3-9 vs Top 15 teams), upset #13/#14 Texas A&M in back-to-back games (2-0, 2-1) , and then goes to the Super Regional vs #9/#10 Missouri, and beats them in game one, 6-1 but the LSU softball program is top-notch as well: --from 2001-2011, LSU softball had a .754 winning pct, which was #6 in the nation over that time --coming into this season, LSU had a .777 winning pct in SEC play, which was #2 in the SEC --coming into this season, LSU has been ranked in 128 of 139 of the ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 polls and in 193 of 216 of the USA Today/Coaches Top 25 polls. this season, LSU has been ranked in 25 of the 60 weekly polls LSU is one win away from only their 3rd CWS appearance in history (they also went in 2001 and 2004) our hitting is absolutely atrocious -- .222 team batting avg which is last in the SEC and #265 of the 283 teams in the NCAA. our slugging pct of .290 is also dead last in the SEC (second to last is Ole Miss with .372). we are last in the SEC in runs scored, total hits, RBIs, home runs, etc regarding our pitching, our 1.57 team ERA is #12 in the NCAA and #3 in the SEC behind #6-ranked Florida (1.44, #5 in the NCAA) and #5-ranked Tennessee (1.53, #11 in the NCAA) and our .200 opposing batting avg is #5 in the SEC as for Rachele Fico, her 0.92 ERA is #2 in the NCAA (behind Hofsta's Olivia Galati, 0.91 ERA) and #1 in the SEC. she is also #1 in the SEC with a .175 opposing batting avg as an added bonus, she's not hideously ugly...
the pitcher on the mound for LSU now, Brittany Mack, is #11 in the SEC with a 2.38 ERA and #15 in the SEC with a .234 opposing batting avg
