Big 12 Softball Preview: After the Non-Conference Play Review

[OUBeliever56A]

Here are the stats for the 10 Big 12 Softball Tams after their non-conference games.

Texas:
Record = 19-1 - Offense: .407 BA, .481 OB%, .681 Slug%, 8.9 Runs/G, 39 doubles, 9 triples, 30 HRs - Pitching: - 0.68 ERA - Defense: - .958 Field%, 23 errors
Best Players: Joley Mitchell, Mia Scott, Reese Atwood, Mac Morgan, Cindy Gutierrez
Best Freshmen: Victoria Hunter, Katie Stewart, Kayden Henry, Teagan Kavan

Texas has started 2024 very strongly. They have had 4 freshmen step into the lineup and impact the Longhorns very positively. Kavan is a potential top notch pitcher for the Longhorns. I think that Texas will be a solid top 5 all season long in 2024, especially if their freshman keep their current production levels. The Longhorn defense may still be a high hurdle for Texas to clear.

Oklahoma:
Record = 19-1 - Offense: .385 BA, .468 OB%, .668 Slug%, 8.2 Runs/G, 35 doubles, 2 triples, 34 HRs - Pitching: 1.38 ERA - Defense: - .986 Field%, 7 errors
Best Players: Tiare Jennings, Alyssa Brito, Jayda Coleman, Kinzie Hansen, Rylie Boone, Kelly Maxwell, Nicole May
Best Freshmen: Ella Parker, Kasidi Pickering

The Sooners dropped an unexpected game to Louisiana in weekend #4 to end their 71-game winning streak. The pitching staff has not quite reached its expected quality at this point, but the offense is close to doing just that. The Sooners are the defending Big 12 Champs and plan on repeating in 2024. Oklahoma will be a Top 3 team all season in 2024.

Oklahoma State:
Record: 18-2 - Offense: .353 BA, .431 OB%, .630 Slug%, 7.2 Runs/G, 33 doubles, 9 triples, 32 HRs - Pitching: 1.55 ERA - Defense: - .982 Field%, 10 errors
Best Players: Claire Timm, Caroline Wang, Tallen Edwards, Micaela Wark, Lexi Kilfoyl, Ivy Rosenberry
Best Freshmen: Rosie Davis, Tia Warsop, Karli Godwin, Katie Kutz

The Cowgirls have reloaded much better than I expected. Young players like Timm, Edwards and freshmen Davis, Warsop and Godwin have filled open positions very well. The offense and the defense are both better than expected. The pitching staff is about what I thought, But has been a bit shaky at times. The Cowgirls may be in the top 3 teams in the Big 12 after all in 2024.

Baylor:
Record = 13-3 - Offense: .297 BA, .361 OB%, .399 Slug%, 4.25 Runs/G, 25 doubles, 2 triples, 5 HRs - Pitching: 2.11 ERA - Defense: .961 Field%, 18 errors
Best Players: Shaylon Govan, Taylor Stain, Emily Hott, Rylee Crandall, Dariana Orme, Aliyah Binford
Best Freshmen: Leah Cran, Lexie Warncke

The Baylor Bears are winning with timely hitting, better than average pitching and mostly a good defense. The offense needs to improve to be a top team and to challenge in the Big 12 but I am not sure that can happen. They will have to win many low scoring games to be a force in the Big 12.

Texas Tech:
Record = 17-4 - Offense: .296 BA, .361 OB%, .511 Slug%, 6.38 Runs/G, 39 doubles, 7 triples, 22 HRs - Pitching: 2.58 ERA - Defense: .974 Field%, 15 errors
Best Players: Arriana Villa, Riley Love, Kailey Wyckoff, Maddy Wright, Maddie Kuehl, Olivia Rains
Best Freshmen: Logan Halleman, Raegan Jennings

Texas Tech is improved in 2024. But I am not sure how much they can move up in the conference. I think the loss of Sara Hoover from the pitching staff (injury?) is a tough thing for the Red Raiders to overcome. But Wright and Kuehl have picked up the innings so far pretty well. Halleman and Jennings have provided an offensive spark as freshman for Tech. Tech may be in the top of the conference but will be in the middle of the pack (4-7 teams) probably.

Brigham Young:
Record = 14-4 - Offense: .355 BA, .447 OB%, .526 Slug%, 8.0 Runs/G, 27 doubles, 1 triple, 18 HRs - Pitching: 2.89 ERA - Defense: .966 Field%, 16 errors
Best Players: Maddie Bejarano, Lily Owens, Violet Zavodnik, Aliana Agbayani, Chloe Temples,
Best Freshmen: Kaite Dahle

I am not sure how BYU is scoring 8.0 runs a game but they must have an opportunistic offensive attack. I do not see their production continuing. Dahle and Temples have pitched well for the Cougars. The Team ERA is deflated by 21 unearned runs though. I think that the BYU record will decrease in the Big 12 going forward. I think that BYU is a middle of the pack team in the conference.

Houston:
Record = 16-5 - Offense: .344 BA, .444 OB%, .539 Slug%, 7.95 Runs/G, 34 doubles, 4 triples, 21 HRs - Pitching: 3.55 ERA - Defense: .974 Field%, 15 errors
Best Players: Thomas Kennedy, Bree Cantu, Turiya Coleman, Jazzmyn Rollin, Lair Beautae, Shelby Smith, Paris Lehman
Best Freshmen: Mikalah Nitta

I thought the Houston pitching staff which was totally rebuilt could be a problem in 2024. So far they have been better than I expected by quite bit. It will be interesting to see if Smith and Lehman can continue their effectiveness. Offensively, due to several transfers, the Cougar offense is hitting well. They will score some runs in 2024 and their defense is about average. Depending on their pitching and the offense continuing their present pace, the Cougar could claw their way out of the bottom third in the conference. Teams will have to pitch well to win over Houston though.

Kansas:
Record = 13-5-1 - Offense: .310 BA, .399 OB%, .435 Slug%, 5.63 Runs/G, 25 doubles, 8 triples, 8 HRs - Pitching: - 2.22 ERA - Fielding: - .965 Field%, 18 errors
Best Players: Presley Limbaugh, Aynslee Linduff, Campbell Bagshaw, Katie Brooks, Kasey Hamilton
Best Pitchers: Ana Soles

A less than average offense continues to be the issue for Kansas, but it has improved it seems. Limbaugh has been a positive for Kansas in 2024. Bruno's drop-off offensively has hurt the Kansas offense. Hamilton, a LHP, has been working on becoming a strong pitcher for Kansas. Maybe she has reached that point in 2024. Brooks is a surprise with her 1.78 ERA and 6-0 record for Kansas. Kansas is a team that will probably be in the bottom half of the conference, but can surprise any team on some days with the right pitchers in the circle. More power and a little better defense would go a long way.

Central Florida:
Record = 12-7 - Offense: .326 BA, .380 OB%, .458 Slug%, 5.73 Runs/G, 26 doubles, 4 triples, 11 HRs - Pitching: - 2.89 ERA - Defense: .982 Field%, 9 errors
Best Player: Jada Cody, Johneisha Rowe, Chloe Evans, Aubrey Evans, Sarah Willis, Kaitlyn Felton
Best Freshman: Sierra Humphreys, Samantha Rey

I think UCF has the depth an the quality of players that will allow them to be one of the Top 5 teams probably in the conference in 2024. They could use a bit more power in their offense, but they do have a high amount of steals to help. The pitching and defense could carry the Golden Knights a good distance in 2024.

Iowa State:
Record: = 9-10 - Offense: .306 BA, .403 OB%, .504 Slug%, 5.79 Runs/G, 36 doubles, 1 triple, 23 HRs - Pitching: 5.26 ERA - Defense: .958 Field%, 22 errors
Best Players: Angelina Allen, Olivia Wardlow, Milaysia Ochoa, Saya Swain
Best Freshmen: Lauren Schurman, Aziza Rodriguez

Due mainly to the lack of pitching other than Sara Swain, the Cyclones may finish at the bottom of the conference. The defense will not help either as they give up many more hits than innings pitched. The offense is good enough as Allen, especially, has really hit well so far. I doubt her season continues at this level though. Ochoa is a quality hitter for Iowa State though.

= = = = =
Here is the schedule for the first weekend of conference play in the Big 12:

Texas Tech at BYU – Thursday, Friday and Saturday - I think this series will be a 2-1 / 1-2 series as neither team will likely sweep the series.

Kansas at UCF – Friday, Saturday and Sunday - I think that UCF should win 2 games but Kansas can win one game of the series.

Iowa State at Oklahoma – Friday, Saturday and Sunday - Oklahoma should sweep the Cyclones in Love's Field.

Texas at Houston – Friday, Saturday and Sunday - I doubt that Houston can hit their way to one win the series, but maybe they can. Texas should win three games with good pitching.

Oklahoma State at Baylor – Friday, Saturday and Sunday - This will be a probably be a good series. It will probably be a 2-1 / 1-2 series, but I have no idea who wins the second game.

[TN Sooner]

I was drawn immediately to the errors stat. For all the angst in Sooner nation over some errors, we are still the class of the Big 12.

[TropicalSooner]

1st Weekend Conference play results:

Texas Tech won over BYU 2 games to 1

UCF won over Kansas 2 games to 1

Okla ST won over Baylor 2 games to 1

Texas won over Houston 2 games to 1

Okla won over Iowa St 3 games to 0

A couple of surprises to me:

1. I thought Texas would sweep Houston. Were they caught "sleeping" thinking about LSU or other B12 games?

2. I thought Baylor might actually be able to take the series from Okie Lite. There may be more life to the Cowgirls than I thought pre-season.

3. Look at the scores on the Tech/BYU games--10-5, 15-0, 8-10. I guess even those softer balls can sail in that thin mountain air out in Provo! Should we beware of the Taco Tech bats when we go to Lubbock next weekend??

[OUBeliever56A]

Should we beware of the Taco Tech bats when we go to Lubbock next weekend??

With the offense in the series, one could also think that the pitching may not be all that good for both BYU and Texas Tech. But yes, Tech can hit a bit.

I also was surprised that Kansas won over UCF with Hamilton in the circle, the Kansas veteran lefty pitcher. I thought UCF should probably sweep the series.

I do not think Texas respected the hitters for Houston and counted too much on their offense to hit the Houston pitching. Houston can hit. And Texas will still be hurt by the defense, or lack of defense at times. Ten days ago, Texas was on top of the world and had a great offense that was beyond compare. Now, OU's offense has caught up to the Texas offense (or the Texas offense came back down to the ground) and their pitching is suspect except for Kavan, maybe.

Baylor needs to find some offense as they can't win ever close low scoring game. Oklahoma State is cooling of on offense also.