Cal State Fullerton trashes UCLA in softball

[rabidvolfan]

10th-Ranked Bruins Fall to Cal State Fullerton - UCLA Official Athletic Site

We beat CSF pretty good in last weekends tournament then lost the next day to UCLA. The reason I bring this up is because when UCLA beat us they benefitted from some really shady things, such as scheduling. We had to play 3 games in 20 hours leading up to that game, while it was UCLA's first game of the tournament. Then the umpiring was very one sided in UCLA's favor. UCLA also benefitted from Ralph using a very unusual lineup imo, which is something we can control, but honestly I don't think it made a difference. Everyone on the team was wore out that day and the umpiring made it hard on us to get good at bats and easy on UCLA. That game was rigged.

Beating us made UCLA think they were way better than they were and that's why Fullerton blasted them yesterday. I think UCLA is probably down a little in their overall program because we have 4 starters who would normally be in their lineup. Perhaps that is why we got set up to lose to them in that tournament located in California.

 

[CalifLadyVolFan]

My personal opinion is that we are a much better team than both UCLA and Northwestern. Unfortunately, we didn't have our best games.... offensively, defensively and pitching was not up to standard.

I do agree that the team was exhausted after the Utah, Florida and then back out to the west coast for the Palm Springs tournament. The team arrived at LAX late Wednesday evening and took a 2 hour bus ride to palm springs... arriving at the hotel after 2am pacific time... That's 5am eastern..... they then had to be at the fields for a 3pm and a 8:30pm games against Long Beach and Fullerton... It was after midnight that the team got back to their rooms... to turn around and play a double header at 1pm and 3:30pm against Northwestern and UCLA. The kids were exhausted and were flat from the get go.

I thought the officating was terrible for both the Northwestern and UCLA games... same umpires for both games. Not sure that they intentionally called a bad game or it was just how they saw it.

Karen was jawing with the home plate umpire early and often ... and enough to receive a loud vocal warning from the home plate umpire. Ralph had to step in and restrain karen.... thought she was pretty upset.... our pitchers getting balls called and their pitchers getting a generous outside strike zone. It was pretty brutal. Just about every bang bang play went against us and the one horrendous call at second base pushed Ralph over the edge.... The calls were so bad that you either had to laugh or complain loudly!

On Sunday... team traveled back to LAX... had a 12 noon fight....(3 eastern) arrived in Atlanta around 7:30 eastern and took the 10:30 shutle flight from Atlanta to Knoxville.... which was delayed. The team finally arrived in Knoxville, dropped off their gear at the stadium and then home. It was around 2am by the time they got to bed with class in the morning..... the life of a D1 athlete.. it's no wonder these kids are so exhausted.... then you got to squeeze in homework, testing and other class assignments. My kid was up until after 1am Monday night trying to get caught up on assignments.

 

[rabidvolfan]

I'm sure they were on the bus again today riding to Charleson, SC. Not a short drive by any means, I have relatives there. You just wonder how they ever get time for school. I guess they try to do what they can while they are traveling as far as studying, but it has to be so hard to overcome missing so many classes and keeping the grades they make.

 

[rabidvolfan]

By the way. What was the bad call at second that got Ralph tossed? I was returning to my seat with our beer and Ralph was going off on the ump at second base. I missed the play and my friend didn't understand, he's mostly a basketball guy (Lakers) and I've tried to convert him to a Lady Vol softball fan. I haven't had to try hard.

 

[CalifLadyVolFan]

The play that got Ralph ejected was a safe call at second base.

A hitter reached by walk and the next batter sacrifices the runner to second......

Ivy fields the bunted ball and throws to Shipman covering second. Shipman receives the ball and steps back towards CF and decides not to throw to 1st base... umpired ruled the runner at second safe saying that Shipman missed the bag...

Of course this was after Raven was called out for leaving 1st base too soon.... after she advanced to 3rd on the play.... and a few other poor calls which had been previously called!lol:

Yes... the bus ride to Charleston has been a long one.... 5 & 1/2 hours on map quest. They stopped at cracker barrel to eat around 8pm... Mel was texting me at 11:30pm your time and they still had a ways to go.... I just text her and she hasn't answered so she probably there and had to turn her phone in for the night. Last game on Sunday is scheduled for 3pm which means another late night bus ride on the way home.