CORNHUSKER HITTERS A CHALLENGE FOR CARDS
...from the "know the foe" files...
M.J. Knighten has a long distance relationship going on with Mr. Spalding. The junior has sent him on over-the-fence journeys 21 times this season and when she crushes one there is usually no doubt that it's going to be a fence clearer. She is second in the nation in four-baggers.
The stat is impressive when you consider opponents often choose to pitch around her. She's received the free pass 39 times this season...but that doesn't bother her.
"I'm not over analyzing it or making it too big a deal -- like 'Oh, my gosh, their walking me again' I'm just taking it like 'I'm getting on base again for my team.' "In those rare moments when she gets a chance to swing the bat, any thing is fair game.
" Any pitch that's in my wheelhouse, I'm going to take a hack at. I have to trust what I see, what I know and my mechanics at the plate and approach every pitch like that."
* * * * * * *
Showing up early to practice to get extra reps in. Coming back to the indoor facility at night. the work has made a difference in raising her average to .295 after floundering early in the season around the .200 mark. The sophomore explains:
"I kind of think I was too hard on myself at the beginning of the season. I really wanted to make an impact this season so I put a lot of pressure on myself. Then, in the middle of the season I kind of had to step back and I talked a lot to the coaches and we really decided it was in my head."
A move that sent her to batting ninth in the lineup by Husker head coach Rhonda Reville has paid dividends for the Huskers. If Barrow gets on...opponents then have to face leading hitter Kiki Stokes and then Knighten. Nebraska slugged by Purdue 8-0 in six innings to make the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament but fell to Penn State 8-7 on the Nittany Lions home turf in University Park, PA.
Here's hoping the Hit and Pitch Cards can quieten Knighten and bury Barrow today to advance in the winner's bracket portion of the double-elimination format. This one will be on ESPN 2 at 5:30 ET.
(portions of today's article were used from articles in The Lincoln (NE) Journal-Star)
paulie
xxxxx
To clarify, the game today is at 4:30 Central Time, 5:30 Eastern.
ReplyDeleteWhat u sayin bruh? wat time they playin in London?
DeleteWorldwide is taking me to issue again for a typo I had in the article. I originally had 4:30 EDT listed as a start time, which would be incorrect. 5:30 PM ET, 4:30 PM CT or 10:30 PM in London (England) since they are five hours ahead of us. If you're watching in London, KY it's 5:30 PM. And you're probably the only one in London watching...that be bad medicine UK turf down there.
DeletePaulie
Quieten Knighten and bury Barrow? You're on a roll Paulie. The key to this game today, IMHO, is getting base-runners on and home against the Nebraska pitcher(s). Especially if Emily Lockman gets the start for Nebraska. I DO HOPE Pearsall goes with Becker in the circle. If you look back when the two faced earlier this season, Becker had the better outing of the Cards pitchers. Nice article today Paulie, even if it isn't WBB, keep turning people on to the other women's sports at UofL. The Deb Factor
ReplyDeleteThat girl's a beast. "Any pitch that's in my wheelhouse I'm taking a crack at it" Hilarious.
ReplyDeleteSure that's not Barry Bonds?
We tried stopping her by conventional methods (injury, hitting a lot of hard shots at her) but she still found a way to beat us. WE may have to call in an air-strike.
Delete