Wren vs Emerald

[uschuff]

Wren beats Emerald 3-2 in 8 innings. 9th grader Haley Lester gets the win for Wren and gets her first career homerun to tie the game in the 6th. 8th grader Emma Collins singled in the winning run in the 8th. For those that haven't seen Emeralds pitcher pitch, she is the real deal.

 

[lakeworld]

Emerald should have beaten Wren the first go around. They let the game get away from them. Emerald's pitcher, Norman is the real deal. She has no defense behind her if a ball is put in play. Games lost to Walhalla, BHP and Wren are because of this. With a good D behind her, they would be a major player in the toughest conference in 3A.

I actually think that Emerald is a playoff caliber team but when 4 of the top 8 teams in the state are in your conference, you are not going to make the playoffs.

 

[cockydavis]

I think it was 3 back to back line drives in first game not letting one get away from you. When you got young ones on the field anything can happen. Tee is a good pitcher and wish her well in college.

Showed some class going to another player from another schools signing earlier this week. Casey Wooten at BHP.

 

[uschuff]

Wren won the first game because an 8th grader came in and got them out of a bases loaded, no outs jam with 3 strikeouts. Then they came in and and started driving the ball to right field and scoring. Not so much a defensive breakdown from Emerald.

 

[lakeworld]

My memory is going bad, but i thought there was pop fly hit to right field that wasn't caught. The player didn't even get a glove on it. Maybe I am thinking about another game. I know it led directly to runs. It could have been Walhalla.

 

[Ragevik]

I have been trying to stay out of this but would like to clarify a few things that have been said in this post and few others. First, I would like to congratulate Wren for being one of scrappiest teams I have ever seen in HS ball. Second, Emerald is a young team and have made some mistakes at critical times. However; the coach at EHS is a really good "teacher of fundamentals and fastpitch softball". The biggest prob that EHS (and the Greenwood area) has is lack of interest in girls softball. Most of the younger girls haven't had good coaching at rec ball level before starting school ball and only a handful of girls (and parents) play or support travel ball where skills and competitive attitudes can be developed much quicker. Its really hard to win close games when there are only three or four girls that are batting over .300 for the year. Now for pitching.... Tee is a really good pitcher and if not for that some games wouldn't have been as close. Her biggest fault is late in games she tends to loose a lil bit steam.... But to her credit she has been working hard in this area also. Unfortunately it has allowed opposing teams to get a few hits late in games. EHS does have a second pitcher; Becca white has been playing and pitching in travel ball since she was 9. She helped pitch her travel ball team to the 2012 14-U ASA state silver bracket championship and a 6th place at the ASA 14-u southern nationals in Fla..... She doesn't get much mound time in HS ball. She has only pitched in two scrimmages this year.

3rd and prob my biggest prob is bashing coaches. Without sitting and watching every practice to evaluate the attitudes, work ethic and overall hustle....it's hard to fairly question why players get placed in their positions. It doesn't matter if coaches are school teachers, travel ball coaches or parents.....without girls willing to listen, work hard and hustle; it's hard to build a competitive team. The one thing that would help HS players more than anything is: parents that get girls the individual help they need from private coaches, encourage girls to improve skills out of season and for those that can afford it.....play travel/summer ball. The other big part of the puzzle is having parents and administration that support the program. EHS is really lacking in administrative support..... Now looks like a few parents aren't giving it a chance.

 

[lakeworld]

I am pretty sure I know who you are ragevik. I agree with your post 1000%. I want to add some things though. At other HS programs, Freshman and 8th graders make the team because they earn it. There are some smaller schools where they have no choice because of numbers. ANY program that is in this situation, is a losing program. EHS has to play young girls because they have no choice. A 3A school with number issues. Lack of interest in the sport is very upsetting.

The coach at EHS is in a no win situation and for that I somewhat feel for him. If Becca is as good as you say she is, she should be closing games out. Tee should not pitch every single inning of every single game. So who is wrong here? You - because you say Becca is that good or the coach, who won't pitch her? Also, there are two very good catchers on the team. Only one catches all the time and the other plays the outfield. Why? Why can't the other girl catch some and let the starting catcher play 2nd - where it is sorely needed. A losing program is a losing program...

 

[cockydavis]

Lakeside, last year all we had at Wren was 7th and 8th graders, with 2 10th graders. We got drummed quite a bit. We didn't have enough girls for a JV team. It has helped make our girls stronger this year. As long as the parents stays behind the kids it will get better.

 

[lakeworld]

It is one thing to take your lumps... been there and done that with a 14u travel team. Talent will rise to the top, once the experience meets up with physical ability. It seems that Wren it stacked for the next 4-5 years. Reason I say that is because they have young quality pitching. The pitcher at EHS is a Senior. If there was ever a year for EHS to make the playoffs, it would have to be this year... next 4 years don't look so good.