15 minutes to first pitch. Going against #2 Belmont. Dawgs took 2 of 3 against them in Nashville in late March.
Playing for a 3-peat Valley tournament championship - the first in program history - and another trip to the NCAAs.
Freshman Emma Gipson getting the start.
Bad top of the 3rd. Gipson gave up back-to-back homers and was pulled.
Dawgs down 0-2.
Too much Maya Johnson. Belmont wins 6 - 2 and gets the autobid. Doubt the Salukis get an at-large with just 33 wins. Exactly why I hate conference tournaments: you were the best team all season but get upset in the championship game so you sit at home.
Johnson is one of the top pitchers in the country and only a junior. Leads the country in wins - 24 - and strikeouts. Held SIU to 4 hits and had 12 strikeouts. Pitched three days in a row and was named the MVP of the tournament. Really bugs me that the MVC website makes a big deal of the tournament championship with a flashy article, when it barely mentions that SIU won the regular season championship!
Gipson and Newcomb weren't at their best today unfortunately.
Good season and MVC Champs though! Lis, Williams, and Carder all made the All-Tournament team.
Now the coaches need to get out there and sign some great pitching talent. Pitching is everything in softball.
Any chance of an at-least bid?
Not likely.
Look for a lot of movement in this program over the next few days.
Saw there was one at-large bid for midmajors. College sports is off the rails.
Another great season for the ladies. Hindsight being 20/20, the early non-conference season turned out to be too beefy. Needed to win close to half of those games.
No doubt that pitching was just not enough to get us any further. That needs to change.
Mya Johnson needs to hit the portal.
I saw that the Groff sisters and Nebraska-Omaha won their conference tournament and are headed to the NCAA’s. Those two were such a loss.
Groff had another outstanding year .. in a weaker league. Not quite as good as Maya Johnson's though, but close. 26-5
With Groff and Newcombe, we are in as an at large if not the autobid.
Really hope the coaches can pick up a commitment from an excellent pitcher because newcomb is gone and our pitching will not be that good next year without an experienced ace.
Let's hope UCLA or Oklahoma grabs Johnson with big money.
https://twitter.com/justfactsmaam/status/1924090627328704647
I hate the portal.
https://twitter.com/justfactsmaam/status/1924090627328704647
I hate the portal.
Although not a huge fan of this portal craziness, I can certainly understand her decision. Your team wins the MVC, you make the tournament championship game, and no invite to the dance. She is going into her senior year, and has played at SIU for three seasons. A terrific player. Nothing surprises me any more (portal) in college athletics. Perhaps a large donation is made and she returns next year. We can only hope!
Money is the root of all evil. Hope she has a terrible year!!
Nebraska Omaha loses 2nd game to Cal and is eliminated. Madia Groff the loser both games. Can't say I'm unhappy about it!
This is pro sports with total free agency! Crazy! Absolutely ruining sports for the mids in my opinion. Not sure how anyone can have loyalty to a team whose roster has enormous changes every year.
I would bet Lis was getting more money than any player on the team. But the big guys have big bucks.
The worthless NCAA needs to change the rules. Problem is the big guys probably love being able to treat the mids as a farm system because they have more money.
Make players sign contracts with penalties for leaving or put part of the NIL money in escrow. Or form a mid-major NCAA with different rules.
