I took a week or so off from posting anything anywhere on the egriz site as I was deep in spring break. Please forgive me.
I'm not ready to throw the towel in on the season, but it is hard to see a scenario where the Griz can overcome the hole they've dug. They lost two heart breakers in Ogden, and then the last 4 games have been a lot of what we've seen the past two years. Poor pitching in large doses and an offense while much improved over last year can't overcome a team that has a 9.00 ERA through 6 conference games. Teams are hitting .363, have hit 12 doubles, 8 HR's, while hitting or walking 18 players against Grizzly pitching. Just not a good recipe for success. The offense is league average-ish and is getting all conference offensive performances from Presley Jantzi and Riley Peschek.
Rylee Rehbein has hit a wall, and went from Montana's best pitcher during non-conference to last in conference play and has been only able to muster 8 innings over 6 games. Her ERA is 13.13 and teams are hitting near .450 and her nearly 2 to 1 K to walk ratio has inverted. Maybe it is Freshman slump, but she's not getting the same type of results against competition that isn't any better than what she faced in non-conference. Grace Haegele can't find the zone, and when she is in it she's missing her spots. Similar to last year, she can't avoid hard contact with her off-speed. Brinka is has been the only pitcher that has pitched to her season trends, but still sits 13th in conference with a 5 ERA. Reasonable for a #2 pitcher, but not a #1 which she appears to be at this point.
Watching games over both weekends, the Griz are competitive for 5 innings every game but they've been unable to outrun that bad pitching inning where the wheels come off. They looked every much the equal of Weber in Weekend #1 but outside of small doses didn't look at all competitive against NC outside of game 1 on Saturday. There isn't a trend either. Sometimes it is the first, and it is hard contact, and other innings it is walks, and a misplaced ball in the middle of the zone.
The hitting has been good enough to remain competitive, they've been in games, but the pitching has made all the difference. Tarrant, Peschek, and Jantzi all look the part, and have more depth to the lineup than a year ago. They've moved the lineup around. They'll likely four or five players hit at or near .300 by the end of the season (had none last year) and get two or three players into consideration for all conference. All improvements.
I'm not a softball pitching guru in the slightest, but whatever is going on, teams really have a good bead on what UM is trying to do on the mound. There isn't a conspiracy here, but it just doesn't make sense in a larger scheme at this point. If I knew how to fix it, I'd be out there speaking words of wisdom and getting top shelf results out of the pitchers. Obviously this is a coaching and player exeucution issue and if there was a quick solve, I'd offer it up.
I continue to be impressed with the play of Jantzi and Peschek. Peschek is going to be a very talented player by the time she's done and is doing it at a premium defensive position. Jantzi continues to reach base and I think right now she's a 1st team all-conference player. Teams can't get her out all that often, 10th in OPS, 8th in average, 3rd in OBP. Precisely what you want in your leadoff hitter. Peschek is going to get some consideration for Freshman of the Year. She's top 20 in average, top six in OPS through 6 conference games, top 5 in slugging, top 10 in OBP. She's fielding .945 at short and has only 7 errors in 128 chances as a Freshman.
This is an improved squad over last year, but the pitching hasn't held up. Pitching needs to get traction to if they are going to find their way out the hole they've dug. They have ISU (0-3) at home for three, PSU home for another 3 game set before finishing up the season at Sacramento State. If the pitching finds a grove, they have a chance to make up some ground. At this point I just don't know that it can. Really what it comes down to, if Rehbein can regain some confidence that had her well positioned to be a candidate for Conference Freshman/Newcomer of the year they might have a fighting chance to overcome that abysmal 0-6 start.
I'm not ready to throw the towel in on the season, but it is hard to see a scenario where the Griz can overcome the hole they've dug. They lost two heart breakers in Ogden, and then the last 4 games have been a lot of what we've seen the past two years. Poor pitching in large doses and an offense while much improved over last year can't overcome a team that has a 9.00 ERA through 6 conference games. Teams are hitting .363, have hit 12 doubles, 8 HR's, while hitting or walking 18 players against Grizzly pitching. Just not a good recipe for success. The offense is league average-ish and is getting all conference offensive performances from Presley Jantzi and Riley Peschek.
Rylee Rehbein has hit a wall, and went from Montana's best pitcher during non-conference to last in conference play and has been only able to muster 8 innings over 6 games. Her ERA is 13.13 and teams are hitting near .450 and her nearly 2 to 1 K to walk ratio has inverted. Maybe it is Freshman slump, but she's not getting the same type of results against competition that isn't any better than what she faced in non-conference. Grace Haegele can't find the zone, and when she is in it she's missing her spots. Similar to last year, she can't avoid hard contact with her off-speed. Brinka is has been the only pitcher that has pitched to her season trends, but still sits 13th in conference with a 5 ERA. Reasonable for a #2 pitcher, but not a #1 which she appears to be at this point.
Watching games over both weekends, the Griz are competitive for 5 innings every game but they've been unable to outrun that bad pitching inning where the wheels come off. They looked every much the equal of Weber in Weekend #1 but outside of small doses didn't look at all competitive against NC outside of game 1 on Saturday. There isn't a trend either. Sometimes it is the first, and it is hard contact, and other innings it is walks, and a misplaced ball in the middle of the zone.
The hitting has been good enough to remain competitive, they've been in games, but the pitching has made all the difference. Tarrant, Peschek, and Jantzi all look the part, and have more depth to the lineup than a year ago. They've moved the lineup around. They'll likely four or five players hit at or near .300 by the end of the season (had none last year) and get two or three players into consideration for all conference. All improvements.
I'm not a softball pitching guru in the slightest, but whatever is going on, teams really have a good bead on what UM is trying to do on the mound. There isn't a conspiracy here, but it just doesn't make sense in a larger scheme at this point. If I knew how to fix it, I'd be out there speaking words of wisdom and getting top shelf results out of the pitchers. Obviously this is a coaching and player exeucution issue and if there was a quick solve, I'd offer it up.
I continue to be impressed with the play of Jantzi and Peschek. Peschek is going to be a very talented player by the time she's done and is doing it at a premium defensive position. Jantzi continues to reach base and I think right now she's a 1st team all-conference player. Teams can't get her out all that often, 10th in OPS, 8th in average, 3rd in OBP. Precisely what you want in your leadoff hitter. Peschek is going to get some consideration for Freshman of the Year. She's top 20 in average, top six in OPS through 6 conference games, top 5 in slugging, top 10 in OBP. She's fielding .945 at short and has only 7 errors in 128 chances as a Freshman.
This is an improved squad over last year, but the pitching hasn't held up. Pitching needs to get traction to if they are going to find their way out the hole they've dug. They have ISU (0-3) at home for three, PSU home for another 3 game set before finishing up the season at Sacramento State. If the pitching finds a grove, they have a chance to make up some ground. At this point I just don't know that it can. Really what it comes down to, if Rehbein can regain some confidence that had her well positioned to be a candidate for Conference Freshman/Newcomer of the year they might have a fighting chance to overcome that abysmal 0-6 start.
