2019 Recruiting - Softball

Update:
Signed: Camille Corona - Dripping Springs
Signed: Grace Greene - Birdville HS, North Richland Hills
Alyssa Popelka - Westwood HS, Austin
Signed: London Marderr - Atascocita
Cait Calland - Katy -> Now LSU
Tori Whillock - Katy -> Now Texas Tech
Alana Vawter -> Flipped to Stanford
 
I thought the phrasing was interesting, "Happy to finally announce". Looks like Mike White was holding a scholarship to see where Alana Vawter decided to go and she was told she would get it if Vawter went elsewhere. So this year (including the transferring pitcher from Oregon) we'll have 4 pitchers and then 2019-2020 we'll have 5 pitchers. Hmmm. I thought Connie was crazy to do it, but if they're all willing to play together and Mike has really expanded the roster size, okay.
 
The #1 thing that Softball needs is a pitch count or innings pitched limit, so that a team must have a staff of pitchers instead of one stud that carries them thru an entire tourney. Make it more like baseball.
 
Phil Elliott said:
The #1 thing that Softball needs is a pitch count or innings pitched limit, so that a team must have a staff of pitchers instead of one stud that carries them thru an entire tourney. Make it more like baseball.
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The only reason those rules are in place in baseball is to prevent injury. Now managers have a pitcher for every situation possible which is absurd. Injury is not an issue with softball pitchers so no reason to limit innings just so they have to play more pitchers. If one pitcher can dominate the game then play her every inning you can.

Quite frankly with pitchers frequently pushing 65-70 mph, maybe the mound should be pushed back 10 feet for not only more competitive at bats but also pitcher safety. A line drive to the face off a 65 mph fast ball will sting a little.
 
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The only reason those rules are in place in baseball is to prevent injury.
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When I said "make it more like baseball" I did not mean in terms of the rules. There are not rules in baseball that limit pitches or innings beyond Little League. In baseball, it is self-limiting, since pitchers cannot physically pitch 2 or 3 games in a row like they do in softball. I am advocating using such rules in softball so that you need more than one really good pitcher. I want building and managing a pitching staff to get rewarded, as it is in baseball.

I also agree about moving the mound back and spreading out the bases. Again, make it more like baseball. Softball will be more successful attracting baseball fans this way IMO.
 
Amazing start to the year. 6 run rule victories so far this year! That's 10 or 11 innings of play. WOW this team is fun to watch!
 
My daughter plays varsity softball (very bad team) in the same (sports) district as Dripping Springs and is excited to see/play-against Camille Corona. She won't be happy to be run-ruled, but I'll report back on Camille's play.

;)
 
Just a Recap of Texas's five Freshmen coming in next year:
Camille Corona - Infield/Utility, Dripping Springs (only player from Connie Clark's original class)
Grace Greene - Pitcher, Birdville HS, North Richland Hills
Alyssa Popelka - Infielder/Utility, Westwood HS, Austin
London Marderr - Catcher/Utility, Atascocita
Courtney Day - Pitcher, Pearland Dawson (was a late signee and former SFA commit)

Softball inks four players to its 2019-20 signing class - University of Texas Athletics
 
Ellis21d said:
Just a Recap of Texas's five Freshmen coming in next year:
Camille Corona - Infield/Utility, Dripping Springs (only player from Connie Clark's original class)
Grace Greene - Pitcher, Birdville HS, North Richland Hills
Alyssa Popelka - Infielder/Utility, Westwood HS, Austin
London Marderr - Catcher/Utility, Atascocita
Courtney Day - Pitcher, Pearland Dawson (was a late signee and former SFA commit)

Softball inks four players to its 2019-20 signing class - University of Texas Athletics
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An interesting tidbit as relates to my family. My daughter plays varsity softball in the district that includes Dripping Springs (which in softball AND volleyball ensures that our H.S. will never come close to sniffing any type of championship).

So she's:
a) played against Corona twice - says that she didn't see any wow factor in the game*
b) our pitcher was a senior transfer from The Woodlands who played club ball with Marderr
c) our shortstop played club ball with Popelka

*D.S. kept run-ruling our team by the 3rd inning (15 runs or more) that she didn't see A LOT of Corona. : )

From the UIL rulebook
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Ellis21d said:
Just a Recap of Texas's five Freshmen coming in next year:
Camille Corona - Infield/Utility, Dripping Springs (only player from Connie Clark's original class)
Grace Greene - Pitcher, Birdville HS, North Richland Hills
Alyssa Popelka - Infielder/Utility, Westwood HS, Austin
London Marderr - Catcher/Utility, Atascocita
Courtney Day - Pitcher, Pearland Dawson (was a late signee and former SFA commit)

Softball inks four players to its 2019-20 signing class - University of Texas Athletics
Click to expand...
Can any of them play SS?
 
Looks like we are getting a good one! Sure could use a good hitting and dependable Short Stop!
 
Is this Mike White's recruiting class?
Camille Corona - Infield/Utility, Dripping Springs
Only player from Connie Clark's original recruiting class
Grace Greene - Pitcher, Birdville HS, North Richland Hills
Originally committed to Oregon. Flipped her commitment after Mike White went to Texas
Alyssa Popelka - Infielder/Utility, Westwood HS, Austin
Originally committed to Boston University (where her sister goes).
Courtney Day - Pitcher, Pearland Dawson, Pearland
Originally committed to SFA.
London Marder - Catcher/Utility, Atascocita HS, Humble
Was not committed to any school. Was holding an offer from U of Houston. Mike White saw her at the Texas camp and offered her after Alana Vawter flipped to Stanford.
Grace Greene could really be the only player you could consider to be a Mike White recruit since he did recruit her at Oregon. She is also the only player in the class ranked, which she is ranked #34 in the 2019 class by Softball America.
Interesting initial class to build on. One thing you can say is that Coach White did clean house on Connie Clark's class (other than Corona who looks like a keeper) and used his own judgement with his class. Now on to the 2020 season to see how they perform!
 
I've been watching "the wires" to see any players transferring out. The thing about softball, compared to the other sports, is that players just drop out of the roster and there's no tweet, no statement from anyone. Players or softball admin. And then when I ask on the forums like this......crickets.

Examples of ghosted players the last couple of years:
2018 - Ciera Schick
2016 - Christina Bardwell
2015 - Alyssa Angel
 
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