This is the end of an era. Chamberlain, Pendley and the rest of these seniors

[Raysor]

They made OU the elite softball school in the country. Best winning pct in America the last four year. Chamberlain was special. Have to wonder what might have happened had she not dealt with a bad back and other injuries.

It will be different next season and forever after. We'll not see their likes again.

Truly special doesn't come along very often. These seniors were truly special.

 

[Refdawg]

We will be different. Bama had sixty home runs this year. OU had 107 with 47 of those coming from Shelby and Lauren. In other words, the rest of the OU team had as many home runs as Alabama, and they aren't bad. I do expect a little more production from some returning starters as far as power. But, I think we'll have a lineup that has power from top to bottom, just more evenly distributed.

I expect Romero, Knighten, Aviu, and Lundberg to have at least ten home runs as freshmen. Paige, Kady, and Erin may get up to fifteen. If that happens, we would have 85 home runs just from those seven. With Finney, we'll have that second pitcher.

You don't get a Lauren every year. She is #1, and she probably will be for a while. She could have had 120 without injuries.

 

[Raysor]

Bama pitched to her, because they had great pitching, and she went yard three times. She was hardly pitched to all year.

 

[Refdawg]

Well. There is a reason that she was the #1 draft choice. If memory serves, she will be on the same team with Ricketts, as will Shelby.

 

[Earle36]

I wouldn't say it is the end of an era, but it is the end of a very good class of softball players.

My thought is that OU could possibly be a better team in 2017. By that time Paige will be a Junior and the girls in her class will have grown up and ready. Plus, Patty has what many think is the best class for 2016. That class includes two really strong pitchers that will likely give Patty and her team a very good chance at another NC. Patty retiring will signal the end of an era at OU. A great class leaving is just another opportunity for Patty to reload for another long run at a National Championship.

 

[gtanduga]

The ladies had an outstanding season and have much to be proud of. Patti Gasso has it going on in Norman and replacing the Seniors will be difficult, but she'll manage to put together a first-class team next year and for many years to come.

Great job Lady Sooners.

 

[phillinois]

Yep, I'll admit I'm a little crestfallen about that unfortunate turn of events last night. Shoot!
Like y'all said, Gasso has no peer when it comes to rebuilding championship teams.
Seems like she owns the Cali. connection, which you must agree is a hotbed for softball.

Press on to another day.

 

[KMeyersNC]

Tough loss for the girls last night. Loved watching Lauren play the last four years, I was hoping that she would go out with a National Championship. Watching the world series won't be as much fun this year without the Sooners.

 

[Refdawg]

I won't watch the World Series without the Sooners. That would be offering legitimacy to something that is illegitimate.

With the top-rated class signed in November, OU will bring in so much top-rated talent that we may not miss the seniors. You can't help but miss Lauren, but the following are coming in:

Sydney Romero: her older sister has been twice the Big Ten player of the year, and Sydney is probably better. She has been on the national team. Outstanding shortstop defensively and hits over 600 in highschool with power.
She will replace Shelby.

Shay Knighten: another top-ten recruit who hits with power and consistency and fields well. Will most likely replace Georgia at second or Arnold at third.

Brittany Finney: was more highly-regarded than Paige as a pitcher, probably because she spent more time in summer ball. Superb pitching prospect, one of the top two or three, and she can hit. Help for Paige.

Kylie Lundberg: a left-hand hitting first baseman with superb power. Will probably be our leading home run hitter as a freshman. Will replace Lauren.

We have Fale Aviu coming in, and she may challenge Nicole Pendley for her job as a freshman. Jayden Chestnut is a highly-rated pitcher from Yukon. Caleigh Clifton is a solid infield prospect.

This ought to be an impact group---as freshmen. The following year---we bring in probably the top two pitchers in the country.

We may be in the Series next year, certainly by the year after.

 

[Refdawg]

https://sites.google.com/site/jenkinsavenuebombers/home/page-2

The next era.

 

[NoleGa_rivals170091]

Ditto what syb said; screw the sec sec. I hope they have to play the whole thing in the rain; not specifically tornado or monsoon conditions but most definitely steady drizzle, etc.

 

[Refdawg]

Did you know that when Alabama eliminated OU in the 2012 World Series, Lauren also hit two home runs and had three rbis in that game. We lost 4-5 in that game. So, in two final games against Bama, one person had an rbi other than Lauren.

 

[Refdawg]

How good is good? You would think the best possible measure of how well a college softball pitcher can hit would be the playoffs. The playoffs usually contain pitchers who have pitched their teams into the playoffs. Let's see how good Shelby and Lauren did.

For her three-year career at OU, Shelby hit 382 with 8 home runs and 23 rbis. she also had 4 doubles and a playoff slugging percentage of 750. You would think that those kind of numbers would be the measure of greatness. You hit 382 against the best pitchers you faced all year with a slugging percentage of 750.

OK. Now, give me an adjective for Lauren. Lauren hit 456 in the playoffs. That's not her average against the SE Arkansas' of the world. That is her average against the best pitching she would face all year. She also had 9 doubles, 2 triples, and 16 home runs. This was good for 50 rbis and a career slugging percentage of------are you ready for this-----??----are you ready to belive this ----?----1049. Lauren hit 378, a pretty good average, just in the World Series with a SP of 844. Lauren hit 16 home runs in only 35 playoff games. Shelby, in her two years, played in 25 playoff games.

 

[RumphSquatch]

Those numbers are incredible.

 

[Refdawg]

In addition to passing Nuveman in home runs with 95 as opposed to 90, Lauren ended with a 960 slugging percentage which would surpass Nuveman's 945 for a new NCAA record. Interesting that her playoff slugging percentage is higher than her overall slugging percentage. Is it that they pitch to her, or that she concentrates in big games?

 

[LL Urban Achiever]

one thing this team was missing, were the slappers. We had several on that NC team. I really didnt see many attempts to slap, it seemed we were always trying to hit for power. IMO think we need to go back to putting a slapper at the top of the order.

 

[Raysor]

How good is good? You would think the best possible measure of how well a college softball pitcher can hit would be the playoffs. The playoffs usually contain pitchers who have pitched their teams into the playoffs. Let's see how good Shelby and Lauren did.

For her three-year career at OU, Shelby hit 382 with 8 home runs and 23 rbis. she also had 4 doubles and a playoff slugging percentage of 750. You would think that those kind of numbers would be the measure of greatness. You hit 382 against the best pitchers you faced all year with a slugging percentage of 750.

OK. Now, give me an adjective for Lauren. Lauren hit 456 in the playoffs. That's not her average against the SE Arkansas' of the world. That is her average against the best pitching she would face all year. She also had 9 doubles, 2 triples, and 16 home runs. This was good for 50 rbis and a career slugging percentage of------are you ready for this-----??----are you ready to belive this ----?----1049. Lauren hit 378, a pretty good average, just in the World Series with a SP of 844. Lauren hit 16 home runs in only 35 playoff games. Shelby, in her two years, played in 25 playoff games.

Imagine what she would have done with a good back.