Sooner Softball Practice - Sept 23rd - Pitchers vs Hitters

[OUBeliever56A]

Repost of post from Sept 23 by OUBeliever from old board

Thursday's practice for the Sooners was the one that I was waiting for and hoping to see. I was lucky to be there on the pitchers vs hitters day. I do not know if this was the first such practice to do this, but it certainly did look intense at times. The way that this worked was like this:

First group - Hansen (C), Green (1B), Brito (SS), T Coleman (3B) and Coor (CF) went to the batting cages to hit.

Second group - Elam (C), Boone (1B), Waitman (2B), Lyons (SS) and Johns (3B) took the field with Trautwein moving to the circle.

Third group - Got their bats and their gloves and helmets and prepared to hit. This group had just returned to the field from the batting cages.

The batting order vs Trautwein was; Jennings (2B), Alo (DP), J Coleman (CF), Snow (1B/LF), Nugent (C/1B) and Donihoo (LF). The drill included an umpire behind home plate.

Trautwein looked good against this group of hitters. She gave up a double off the top of the fence in RC to Snow for the only 'big hit' she allowed. Alo had two singles, J Coleman had a single/double and Nugent had a single. It was a timed drill so the hitters got two or three chance to hit against Trautwein. Trautwein had 2 Ks as I recall. I was impressed with Trautwein against this group of hitters. She probably faced 15 or 16 hitters.

The next rotation saw Elam's group move from the field to the batting cages. The first group that just hit (Jennings' group) moved to the field. The group in the cages (Hansen group) moved to the batters group. The pitcher that moved to the circle was Jordy Bahl. I must admit that I was wondering how this would go. The batting order vs Bahl was Hansen, Green, Brito, T Coleman and Coor. Hansen managed to get a single to the right of second base on a ground ball with 2 strikes off of Bahl to start the group. I think that was the last hit that they got off Bahl. Bahl was in control during the session. Bahl does throw harder than Trautwein. She also has more movement and an 'off-speed' pitch that was effective. I think there was only one ball hit in the air off of Bahl. There were only grounders or Ks for the hitters. More on Bahl later. (Late edit) I am pretty sure that Bahl faced 15 batters in her outing.

The next rotation saw the Elam's group move to the hitters and Hansen's group move to the field. The pitcher in the circle was May. the batting order vs May was Elam (C), Johns (3B), Lyons (SS), Waitman (2B) and Boone (1B). May was effective against this group of hitters. I think I saw Elam with a hit, Boone with a double, and Johns or Lyons with a good hit. I need to take notes on paper instead of just my brain. (Late edit) May also faced each hitter 3 times for 15 total batters.

As they broke for the end of the practice talk, I tried to capture what I saw in my brain.

As for the pitchers, I think they are ahead of the hitters right now. All three looked sharp.

Trautwein is similar to a bull that enters an old western bar room looking for a victim. She looks at the plate and she quickly heads towards the batter with a pitch. She pitches on at least three planes to the hitter. I felt the hitters were really off-stride against her for the most part. Snow's double was pitch that was up over the plate that was a bad location for Trautwein. One of Alo's hits to right field was a late defensive swing that Alo hit squarely for a single. I doubt many other hitters can do what Alo did on that pitch.

Bahl is much different. She takes the sign in a way that is confident staring in and leaning over. Her pitching motion is like an explosion. She raises up and then the ball is being released. It gets on the hitter quickly. She attacks the strike zone on every pitch. Not in the center of the plate, but on the edges up and down. She got many called strikes today. She threw the ball by the hitters as well. She was very dominate. Seeing her pitch live for the first time, I see where some people say that she has a bit of a crow hop in her delivery. Her motion is so quick it just surprises you on the first pitch. She will have to work on the 'hop' I believe but it is not a 'Plain leap and plant' move at all. It is much more subtle in motion. Bahl does throw harder than Trautwein. I saw her pitches move just about every direction. Her off-speed pitch was never recognized until it landed in the catchers glove. IF this was Bahl's first action in the circle pitching live to hitters at OU, I would say that everyone was very pleased, except maybe for the 5 hitters that faced her.

May is just a different vibe. She is like a violinist in her motion. She is smooth as her windup starts and completes as she releases the ball. Everything is on plane, May is balanced and she is deceiving. Each of her pitches really spin though. She just serves them up to the hitter just under the hands or just above the swinging bat. Just smooth like molasses flowing out of a jar. Then the next pitch is down and the batter swings over it. She can pitch. And she will be so different to face than than either Trautwein or Bahl.

This three pitcher rotation can be very effective.

I will add this to close. Two men drove down today from Arkansas City (2.5 hours) to watch practice. I would say that they got their money's worth. They were very nice men and big OU softball fans. They were thrilled to be there. They made me feel a little whimpy as I drive only about 2 miles to watch practice. The Sooner Softball footprint and interest is alive and growing. I must admit that the three of us must have gotten louder than I thought as we watched and talked. Coach Gasso asked us very nicely to keep it down a little. We must do better in the future. That last thing we wanted to do is interfere in any way with practice. It is very nice that the Sooner softball program allows us to be in attendance for practice. But it is great time to watch what we watched today. Sooner pitchers vs Sooner hitters.

16 of the 17 players and all 5 pitchers were at practice. Only Lilio was not involved but I did see her with her left leg wrapped up. I hope her injury is not serious and she is back on the field soon.

(Late edit) During the live hitting, Coach Gasso and 'Coach' Fale were hitting ground balls and fly ball to the infield and outfield between pitches. The veteran players handle this 'double-work' with ease. They are alert and ready for the ball when it is hit to them. You can see that younger players like Jennings and J Coleman are used to the pace also. The new players, at times, seemed a little behind the pace. Balls are hit and no one fields it. Words like 'focus' are heard after the grounder leaves the dirt and reaches the grass. Another action i that catchers are expected to make throws to bases based upon 'invisible runners' stealing. Immediately upon 'runner' being heard the fielders move to 2nd or 3rd to receive the throws from the catchers. Most throws are spot on. Some are not.

The practices are designed to get the the maximum out of each hour on the field. The newer players are seeing many things that they have to pick up and perform with high expectations.

Boomer Sooner!