As my Kiwi and Aussie Softball friends always say,
“GaDay Mates”
Lauren Schiek, pitcher at Lourdes Academy in Oshkosh, recorded 20 strike outs in 7 innings to tie a state record. The game was played on April 11 in Markesan.
Holly Brickson may very well be the Comeback Player of the Year in Wisconsin. After wondering whether or not she’d ever be able to play fastpitch again just two years ago she has emerged as one of the state’s current stars for her Stoughton team. A senior and a true shortstop she as assumed the pitching duties for the Vikings. In a game on Tuesday vs Edgewood she fanned 22 batters in a nine-inning, 4-3 Stoughton victory. She has nearly 90 strikeouts through 7 games.
There is a key matchup in the Capitol North Conference tomorrow as Columbus who trails both Poynette and Lakeside Lutheran by one game in the loss column takes on the Warriors in Lake Mills. Poynette meanwhile hosts Belleville today in a rain-out makeup and must win to keep pace with highly regarded Lakeside. Poynette hosts Lake Mills on Friday.
Janesville Craig, who our Fastpitch Chronicle Group had ranked 11th in Division1 in the first rankings got a perfect game on Wednesday from pitcher Jenna Brandt against Madison Memorial, at Jefferson Fields in Madison. Her pitching line was 7 innings with no hits or walks, and 2 strike outs. Craig won, 7-0. Craig has moved up in this week’s Fastpitch Chronicle rankings to #7.
Superior tipped Grantsburg 2-1 on Tuesday to give the Pirates their only loss thus far.
After seeing Thorp in Thorp in a twinbill on Saturday my vote for the top spot in Division 4 went to the Cardinals based upon their pitching and defense and their ability to force teams to make defensive plays make them a tough team in that division. They made the most of our defensive and baserunning mistakes to sweep the twinbill.
Union Grove’s victory and the success of Westosha Central since that loss to UG moves the Broncos to the top spot in the state on the Fastpitch Chronicle Group’s rankings. Coach Rylan Boylen has done a superb job at the helm of the Bronco program as he melds a group of girls who play for a variety of summer travel team into a group that will compete vigorously for a state title. It won’t be easy though as Westosha Central and Janesville Craig along with a few others in that sectional will be their looking to take them down.
Everyone needs to remember that the Wissports Leader Boards are generated automatically from the statistics that are posted on the wissports.net software. That’s the only way a player can have a chance to be listd among the state’s leaders in all those categories. If a school’s coach chooses not to post the stats on that software players from that program will never be on the lists.
After the last bulletin where I wrote about adding players to a lineup card in NFHS games vs NCAA games I got this note from a coaching colleague. Just read your entry from yesterday! I had an umpire tell me I could not add a substitute. I had not added one to that moment. My JV showed up and I wanted to use a girl as a runner. She is FAST! Umpire said, "You already gave me the line-up so it is official." Explained the rule and to no avail. What he forgot is I umpired for 10+ years prior to coaching!
Here is some more clarifiction on the Look Back Rule that can be found and read in the Rules Book. This situation occured on Tuesday in a game north of Highway 29. There was a runner at third base. The batter drew a base on balls and sprinted to first base where she touched first and kept on going, no-stop to second base. Before the batter got to first base the catcher had returned the ball to the pitcher who had the ball in the circle with both feet inside the “lookback circle. The pitcher made no play on either runner, but instead just watched and also checked the runner at third who was off the base on the pitch and never returned until the batter-runner made it second base safely. The umpires did not call the runner at third out for not either going to home or back to third base after the runner had touched first base. Reminder here. A runner must move on to the next base or go back to the one she occupied at the time of the pitch immediately. The general rule of thumb is approximately one second from the time the pitcher gets the ball back within the lookback circle with both feet inside that circle. The coach of the team in the field claimed that the runner from third should have been called out. The umpire disagreed with an explanation that the play was not dead because the batter-runner had not stopped at first therefore the play was not dead.
Rule 8, Section 7 is the Look Back Rule
Article 1 ...The look-back rule will be in effect when the ball is live, the batter-runner has touched first base or has been declared out, and the pitcher has possesion of the ball within the pitcher’s circle (2-45).
Article 2 ...The runner(s) may stop once, but then must immediately return to the base or attempt to advance to the next base.
Thus, in the case, the umpire didn’t understand the rules book ruling on this play, miinterpreted the clearly written rule on a play that happens so often . The coach of the team in the field knew the rule but lost out on the deal.
Coaches and umpires need to remember that in Wisconsin there is no provision for a protest therefore we are told that “we need to get it correct before play resumes. Umpires ought to have a rulebook with them at the game and coaches as well. That’s the only way anybody can “get it right” before play resumes.
Have a great day!
Keep it Rising
Bob
