softball

[frinq]

Not much talk about softball here, though it's a varsity sport for many schools. The Big Sky doesn't list it, but a pile of BSC teams are in action this year as members of the Pacific Coast Softball Conference - NAU, ISU, WSU, PSU and Sac State. PCSC has been around awhile primarily as the California parochial schools - Loyola Marymount, Santa Clara, St. Marys etc. with the addition of Sac State and PSU. It expanded this year, adding the "mountain" schools and splitting itself into two divisions, Coast and Mountain. Winners of the divisions play each other for the chanpionship and right to go to the NCAAs. As it's constituted now, it's the only competition for the Pac-10 on the West Coast. PCSC teams occasionally beat Pac-10 teams, but they generally aren't up to Pac-10 level yet - the Pac-10 soaks up all the best pitchers in recruiting. Still, the PCSC os challenging, and they might get there in a couple years. Right now LMU and PSU are leading their divisions, just as the coaches pre-season expected, but Sac State and Seattle U. are right behind. It's going to be tighter than expected.

[CatMom]

TXST Softball leads the SLC - tough OOC for them also.

Both our ball teams made regionals last year. Hoping for a repeat.

[frinq]

How's TXST fairing in softball this week? PSU's still on top of the PCSC with two teams left to play.

[CatMom]

Not a good week. They lost to Houston 3-0 in 10 innings, then dropped 2/3 to UTSA. Fortunately UCA swept SFA so they stay in first place by 1 game.

2 series left and the final series is against SFA @ SFA. It will come down to that series, I'm afraid.

This weekend
NWS (10-13) @ TXST (17-7)

SFA (16-8) @ NSU (14-10)

Would love to see NSU take 2/3 from SFA. One can hope.
The conference tourney starts May 13 and is in San Marcos. That's a plus.

[frinq]

Barring the unforseen, it's all over but the dust in the Pacific Coast Softball Conference. In the Coastal Division, St. Mary's has a three game lead over San Diego and four over Sac State, and they're not likely to lose all four of their games this week. The same thing applies over in the Mountain Division. Portland State has a three game lead over Seattle U., and play them for the last four games this weekThese last four are in Portland, and I can't imagine PSU losing all four. In two weeks time, St. Mary's will be playing PSU for the conference and the NCAA position. PSU will have the edge; they have two very good pitchers to SMU's one. Batting's about even, but SMU is error-prone. Will we see Texas State in the NCAAs?

[CatMom]

Overall record this year is not as impressive as it has been in the past (24-22, 19-8) so I see them only making it if they take conference or the tourney (or both). This last series is very crucial and it is at SFA. With a precarious 1 game lead over SFA, they need 2 of 3 to win conference.

SFA is 8-1 at home and TXST is 8-4 away.

The tourney is in our park and the conference losses at home (11-4) have been 1 in each of 4 series. They've only dropped 1 conf series this season 1/3 to UTSA. They did beat Baylor and UT at home though, and that UTSA series was away.

It will be interesting. SFA has been v strong this year in the major sports. Their FB went to the playoffs (we won head to head). Their M Basketball went to the NCAAs and both ball clubs are in second, behind TXST. (baseball won the head to head 2/3)

[bonarae]

Harvard and Cornell are currently playing for the Ivy League's lone spot in the road to Oklahoma City. Game Three of the series is today.

[frinq]

PSU swept a doubleheader from Seattle U. today to wrap up the Mountain Division of the PCSC. Next week they'll play St. Mary of the Coastal Division for the championship and rights to the NCAA.

[CatMom]

SFA swept (double-header) our girls Sat to go ahead in the SLC race, with one game left (today). Both were walkoffs in the 7th (how depressing).The best TXST can do now is win today and share the title. No 3peat for them if they have to share it. I'm not so sure they can pull it out. They've been very hot and cold this year.

SLC championship starts Thurs in San Marcos. 8 teams qualify. TXST has home field advantage. Not sure if softball would get an at-large this year. As I said, our overall record is not impressive.

[CatMom]

Well I'll be damned, they did it. SLC Co-champs. But they'll be the 2 seed in the tourney, having lost the series 2/1 to SFA.

[frinq]

Wow, you have full-scale playoffs in SoCon! Pretty intense. We just have a three game playoff between the winners of the divisions in the PCSC. Which come to think can be just as intense. SoCon's mostly - all? - in-state. PCSC is multi-state, though the majority are California. The Big Sky doesn't sponsor softball, in part certainly because it's raining and snowing for a large part of the season - hard to play. You don't have that issue in San Marcos and Texas. Maybe global warming will take care of that problem. With playoffs like yours I'd guess it would come down to a couple good pitchers. Who has the better pitching staff, SFA or TXST? For that matter, if one of the other teams had one good pitcher - say, Nichols? - they'd have a decent chance. With the PCSC playoffs, it'll take two good pitchers. And some average batting. I'd say PSU and SFA have the edge. But you never know (witness TXST coming through for the 2 spot.

[CatMom]

Double elimination over 3 days, so you had better have more than one good pitcher to get you through. 1 & 2 seeds get a bye the first round.

[CatMom]

Tournament Bracket
http://www.southland.org/fls/18400/pdf/ ... M_ID=18400

The games will be on SLTV. You have to register but it's free

http://www.southland.org/liveEvents/liv ... M_ID=18400

[frinq]

Thanks for the sites, Cat. I'll check in on Thursday.

[CatMom]

I'll be there Friday (unless it rains, which is predicted ) Watch for me.

Plans have changed. A friend of ours, who worked with my husband some 18 years (at Motorola), passed away Tuesday and we are going to Houston for his funeral tomorrow. Just found out today.