Softball vs. Ole Miss

[Dawg2003]

Can someone enlighten me on why our softball team is always last or near last in the SEC? We are down 10-0 to Ole Miss in the 2nd. The pitching has been god awful all season.

[Tbonewannabe]

I believe Ole Miss got a good coach and has passed us. They used to be as bad as us but not anymore. Pitching is the weird thing because that is supposed to be her specialty and we have some hitters in the lineup now.

[Dawg2003]

It's bad. 13-0 in the 2nd. Good thing softball has a run rule.

[Cooterpoot]

Vann should be fired. OM is proving we can do better.

[ZedFedder]

Yeah, I think Vann is an awesome person and seems to be a decent coach but it’s evident that it isn’t going to happen here. She elevated our softball a little but it’s reached it’s max.

[Dawg2003]

It's 16-0 in the 3rd

[Really Clark?]

Pitching was the question coming in this year. Williams has the best stuff but walks way way too many. She has had some really good games against Bama and LSU. Fagan and Bozeman are freshman and look like it. The transfer hasn’t worked out that well although the hitter we got from Az St has. Didn’t pitch our 2 best today but Loza is getting lit up. Denis is more of a utility player and spot duty pitcher, that’s who started today. OM is pitching their #2.

[DCdawg]

Admittedly, I don't keep up with softball very well, but it certainly appears it's time for Vann to go. The team occasionally pulls off an upset, but there is very little consistency.

[maroonmania]

Whether its baseball or softball, pitching is the first thing you have to have to compete at a high level.

[Really Clark?]

Whether its baseball or softball, pitching is the first thing you have to have to compete at a high level.

Even more so for softball. You can be very competitive with an ace, solid #2 and 1 or 2 spot pitchers to take some innings. We lost a whole lot of pitching from last year from graduation and transfer.

[confucius say]

Why are they playing a double header today? Instead of tomorrow when it will he better weather?

[Ari Gold]

Vann should be fired. OM is proving we can do better.

This should have been JC first decision of his AD career.. She should have been gone years ago..
I don’t even follow softball and know this.

[Really Clark?]

Why are they playing a double header today? Instead of tomorrow when it will he better weather?

Easter weekend. Nobody in the SEC is playing a double tomorrow. Bama and Florida are playing 2 today as well. Kentucky - Auburn is the only game starting late tomorrow everyone else is starting by 2:30 at the latest

[Dawg2003]

21-0. Freaking sad. I don't expect us to win the SEC, but maybe we could be competitive.

[Really Clark?]

I believe Ole Miss got a good coach and has passed us. They used to be as bad as us but not anymore. Pitching is the weird thing because that is supposed to be her specialty and we have some hitters in the lineup now.

Eh...they are up and down. We have finished higher or tied with OM every year except 2016 and this year since 2014. Including Mike Smith’s years. He has had some bad turnover and issues with players from with in the state as well. They supposedly passed us in 2016 as well but we had the same conference record in 2017 and 2018 and we have made the tournament every year except 2016 under Vann.

They are having a good year but they also don’t play Alabama, Auburn or LSU this season. 3 of the 5 best teams in conference. We have to play 6 of the top 7 in conference. Also everyone understands that we are still right out side of the Top 25. Georgia is right above us in the SEC standings and ranked 16th in the country. 10 of 13 teams are ranked with us and Mizzou right outside of the Top 25.

All that being said, I’ve said before I’m not opposed to a change but it does depend on who we can get. Can we pry Rocha away from OU? I would do that in a heart beat. Do we entertain someone like Glenn Moore from Baylor? There are a lot of good coaches at smaller programs but it’s a crap shoot as who will be good in the SEC

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Just treat softball like OM fans treat women's basketball. Act like it doesn't matter or exists & keep it moving.

[Really Clark?]

Just treat softball like OM fans treat women's basketball. Act like it doesn't matter or exists & keep it moving.

Ha. Good idea. And it’s not like it’s ever brought up on here except a bad loss. I’ve probably missed it but we do have 2 girls who are killing it hitting this season. Leading and tied for 4th in home runs with 22 and 20 respectively

[jwells]

I think softball will never really catch on and produce consistent winners here. Similar to how there seems to be a split in attention between men's and women's basketball, fans can't really be dialed in or support two teams that are playing at the same exact time in the same thing. Baseball will always be king and softball support will suffer. That being said, Vann should have been gone a couple of seasons ago. Every season goes the same: great start in non-conference makes it seem like they may be good, only to have a dreadful record in SEC play and lose in the regional, never really threatening to win it.

[Ari Gold]

I think softball will never really catch on and produce consistent winners here. Similar to how there seems to be a split in attention between men's and women's basketball, fans can't really be dialed in or support two teams that are playing at the same exact time in the same thing. Baseball will always be king and softball support will suffer. That being said, Vann should have been gone a couple of seasons ago. Every season goes the same: great start in non-conference makes it seem like they may be good, only to have a dreadful record in SEC play and lose in the regional, never really threatening to win it.

Softball and WBB aren’t even close on a national scale. Women’s hoops are far superior.
WBB is much closer to college baseball on a national scale. Some ( outside the SEC ) would argue it’s even bigger

Saying that, there is zero reason our softball team shouldn’t be competitive. It’s time for Van to be shown the door.

[jwells]

Softball and WBB aren?t even close on a national scale. Women?s hoops are far superior.
WBB is much closer to college baseball on a national scale. Some ( outside the SEC ) would argue it?s even bigger

Saying that, there is zero reason our softball team shouldn?t be competitive. It?s time for Van to be shown the door.

I was just talking about at State.

[IMissJack]

We have not won the series against them since 2013 per SECN.

[Quaoarsking]

As long as she's making the NCAA Tournament (she has in 6 of her 7 seasons here so far and still has a shot to make it 7/8 this year), it's going to be hard to fire her.

[Really Clark?]

We have not won the series against them since 2013 per SECN.

That?s not right. We didn?t play a series with them in 2014 (didn?t play them that year at all) or 2017 (played them for one game in 2017 in the reg season but not a series) and won 2 of 3 in Oxford last year

[Todd4State]

I think softball will never really catch on and produce consistent winners here. Similar to how there seems to be a split in attention between men's and women's basketball, fans can't really be dialed in or support two teams that are playing at the same exact time in the same thing. Baseball will always be king and softball support will suffer. That being said, Vann should have been gone a couple of seasons ago. Every season goes the same: great start in non-conference makes it seem like they may be good, only to have a dreadful record in SEC play and lose in the regional, never really threatening to win it.

I would have said the same thing about women's basketball at MSU 10 years ago. If softball became a powerhouse like women's basketball I think MSU fans would follow it.

[Really Clark?]

BTW, since no one has posted an update. We are up 5-0 after 3 against OM ace pitcher and Williams going for us. Earlier game was an embarrassment but much better start this game.

[Dawg2003]

They responded well. Need 3 more outs

[Really Clark?]

They responded well. Need 3 more outs

Yeah. Williams drives me crazy though like last inning.

[Really Clark?]

Complete game shut out to win second game, strike out to end game

[RocketDawg]

What was the final score in the first game? Last I saw posted was 21-0. Sounds more like a football score.

[Really Clark?]

What was the final score in the first game? Last I saw posted was 21-0. Sounds more like a football score.

21-0 was the final