A couple of noteworthy quotes and my takeaways from today's loss to No. 4 Florida:
Interim head coach Gina Fogue:
On the two costly errors today: “Against any team in the SEC and the top team in the country, you give them errors and freebies, teams like that figure out a way and take advantage of it.”
On leaving runners stranded, especially when you have bases loaded with one out and still can't score: “You have to capitalize on those for sure. The plan there is being more aggressive, getting the first good pitch you have and do something with it. We just couldn’t pull through.”
On Florida pitcher Aleshia Ocasio (7 IP, 5 H, 10 K): “She had some good stuff today. She was moving the ball, spinning it well, and it’s a battle out there when she’s doing it.”
On if she talks to the team about everything riding on tomorrow's game: “They know. They know what’s at stake, so it’s getting back into the moment and focusing on what we can control.”
Right fielder Kolby Romaine:
The most frustrating thing about this game: “Getting hits but not stringing them together. (Florida) didn’t have that many more hits than we did besides the couple of home runs, but if we can string them together, we’ll be fine.”
How does the team learn how to string those hits together? “Everybody just needs to settle in and go up there with your plan. Don’t change your plan going into the box just because there’s a runner on now.”
What the team needs to do tomorrow: “Make Barnhill throw down — the ones that she did throw down, they were out of the park. I think for us, we have to stick to the plan we have.”
Says they're confident that they'll get Kelly Barnhill, who they faced last night, again. And if not... “Then I think they’re getting a little cocky because we’ll be able to hit them.”
My thoughts:
– Pitching struggled late in the game. Lauren Rice started out well, but then she allowed those two homers and walked five in 6.1 innings pitched. Same thing happened last night for Norman, just the opposite direction. She started well then settled into her pitches. Tigers need consistency from their pitchers if they want to win games.
– You can't leave six on base and expect to win a game. This has been an issue for the Tigers all season. But when the bases are loaded and there is only one out, they need to score, not strike out and ground out, which is what happened in the fifth inning with Nash and Sanchez. Florida left even more on base today with seven, but the Gators capitalized on base running other times. Missouri just hasn't found the ability to do that yet.
Mizzou has one more game tomorrow against No. 4 Florida to avoid a sweep.
SEC Tournament outlook:
If Ole Miss wins one more against Georgia this weekend and Mizzou is swept, the Tigers are out of the conference tournament they're hosting next week. If Ole Miss loses two in a row, the Tigers are in no matter what happens tomorrow. If Ole Miss wins one, and the Tigers win tomorrow, then both Ole Miss and Mississippi State need to lose one this weekend for the Tigers to make the tournament.
Interim head coach Gina Fogue:
On the two costly errors today: “Against any team in the SEC and the top team in the country, you give them errors and freebies, teams like that figure out a way and take advantage of it.”
On leaving runners stranded, especially when you have bases loaded with one out and still can't score: “You have to capitalize on those for sure. The plan there is being more aggressive, getting the first good pitch you have and do something with it. We just couldn’t pull through.”
On Florida pitcher Aleshia Ocasio (7 IP, 5 H, 10 K): “She had some good stuff today. She was moving the ball, spinning it well, and it’s a battle out there when she’s doing it.”
On if she talks to the team about everything riding on tomorrow's game: “They know. They know what’s at stake, so it’s getting back into the moment and focusing on what we can control.”
Right fielder Kolby Romaine:
The most frustrating thing about this game: “Getting hits but not stringing them together. (Florida) didn’t have that many more hits than we did besides the couple of home runs, but if we can string them together, we’ll be fine.”
How does the team learn how to string those hits together? “Everybody just needs to settle in and go up there with your plan. Don’t change your plan going into the box just because there’s a runner on now.”
What the team needs to do tomorrow: “Make Barnhill throw down — the ones that she did throw down, they were out of the park. I think for us, we have to stick to the plan we have.”
Says they're confident that they'll get Kelly Barnhill, who they faced last night, again. And if not... “Then I think they’re getting a little cocky because we’ll be able to hit them.”
My thoughts:
– Pitching struggled late in the game. Lauren Rice started out well, but then she allowed those two homers and walked five in 6.1 innings pitched. Same thing happened last night for Norman, just the opposite direction. She started well then settled into her pitches. Tigers need consistency from their pitchers if they want to win games.
– You can't leave six on base and expect to win a game. This has been an issue for the Tigers all season. But when the bases are loaded and there is only one out, they need to score, not strike out and ground out, which is what happened in the fifth inning with Nash and Sanchez. Florida left even more on base today with seven, but the Gators capitalized on base running other times. Missouri just hasn't found the ability to do that yet.
Mizzou has one more game tomorrow against No. 4 Florida to avoid a sweep.
SEC Tournament outlook:
If Ole Miss wins one more against Georgia this weekend and Mizzou is swept, the Tigers are out of the conference tournament they're hosting next week. If Ole Miss loses two in a row, the Tigers are in no matter what happens tomorrow. If Ole Miss wins one, and the Tigers win tomorrow, then both Ole Miss and Mississippi State need to lose one this weekend for the Tigers to make the tournament.
