Softball Still Struggling

[UNTLifer]

Loses 4-2 to UTA in extra innings. 

[Tommy Gadberry]

25 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

Loses 4-2 to UTA in extra innings. 

Rodney  has been disappointing 

[Matt from A700]

Kayleigh Smith kept us in it while our batters were getting no hit. We actually took a 1-0 lead before getting a hit, but the next inning Kayleigh let the first two batters get on base and the next hitter was already 2-2 so I can see why he took her out. Unfortunately Anderson was not able to keep them from scoring.

Moffitt smoked a game-tying homer in the bottom of the 7th but Skylar couldn't keep UTA from responding in the top of the 8th. We loaded the bases with I think 1 out in the bottom half but couldn't convert. 

This snaps a three-game winning streak to UTA.

[Side.Show.Joe]

Softball has regressed over the last few seasons. I know we moved up to the American, but aside from Wichita State the addition of those programs isn't much different than playing in C-USA. 

 

Savage's best season was her freshman year. Since then she has regressed. Why haven't the coaches developed her by now? And why don't we have better arms in the pitching rotation? Our batting is okay compared to the past few seasons, but it isn't outstanding. Personally, I saw a lot of potential in Epperson, and hated to watch her hitting on us when we played Wichita State. DeLong should have keep that girl. Maybe DeLong has taken this program as far as he can. I don't see us challenging for the AAC title this year. DeLong just didn't address enough of the issues in the off-season.

Edited Friday at 02:29 PM by Side.Show.Joe

[Matt from A700]

On 3/28/2025 at 9:28 AM, Side.Show.Joe said:

Softball has regressed over the last few seasons. I know we moved up to the American, but aside from Wichita State the addition of those programs isn't much different than playing in C-USA. 

 

Savage's best season was her freshman year. Since then she has regressed. Why haven't the coaches developed her by now? And why don't we have better arms in the pitching rotation? Our batting is okay compared to the past few seasons, but it isn't outstanding. Personally, I saw a lot of potential in Epperson, and hated to watch her hitting on us when we played Wichita State. DeLong should have keep that girl. Maybe DeLong has taken this program as far as he can. I don't see us challenging for the AAC title this year. DeLong just didn't address enough of the issues in the off-season.

Last year our pitching kept us in games, this year our offense is. The pitching performance overall is a regression this year, but I think the team is actually overperforming given the circumstances. We lost the best senior class in program history, the class who helped get us to our only NCAA Tournament appearance. And Bearclaw to me was our only notable offensive transfer. I didn't think Riley McNemar would contribute the way she has.

If we can find a true ace next year, we will stand a better chance in the conference tournament. But this year we are competing with and beating more of the power conference teams. But we getting more hits, scoring more runs, and even knocking more balls out of the park this year already. We lose Cierra, Nicholson, and Bearpaw, but will still have R. McNemar, Tatum, Moffitt, and Conley. And so far freshman Ausha Moore is having a great year, .290 average with 3 homers. 

[SUMG]

13 hours ago, Matt from A700 said:

Last year our pitching kept us in games, this year our offense is. The pitching performance overall is a regression this year, but I think the team is actually overperforming given the circumstances. We lost the best senior class in program history, the class who helped get us to our only NCAA Tournament appearance. And Bearclaw to me was our only notable offensive transfer. I didn't think Riley McNemar would contribute the way she has.

If we can find a true ace next year, we will stand a better chance in the conference tournament. But this year we are competing with and beating more of the power conference teams. But we getting more hits, scoring more runs, and even knocking more balls out of the park this year already. We lose Cierra, Nicholson, and Bearpaw, but will still have R. McNemar, Tatum, Moffitt, and Conley. And so far freshman Ausha Moore is having a great year, .290 average with 3 homers. 

If you told me before the season, that Skyler would be as average as she's been, and that Childers would quit? the team, I wouldn't have thought that we would have as good a record as we have.

What I'm hoping for.....is that Skyler suddenly gets it together. If we had her as a true ace, and could supplement that with Anderson and Smith.....we'd have a shot of winning the league. (in the tournament)

[UNTLifer]

Our pitching has really been frustrating. I second what @SUMG stated about Savage, and am not sure what happened to Childers. She is still in the roster and her social media doesn’t appear to announce any decision to quit or transfer,  it she hasn’t been seen in months. Would be nice if @Brett Vito could find something out in this situation. 
 

[cousin oliver]

Probably time to start thinking about a new coach.  He just isn’t getting the job done like we had hoped.

[SUMG]

8 hours ago, cousin oliver said:

Probably time to start thinking about a new coach.  He just isn’t getting the job done like we had hoped.

Uh....no.

We're still 24-12, 7-5 in league play. Coach Delong is by far, the best thing to ever happen to NT Softball. 

 

So, no. 

[untbowler]

13 hours ago, cousin oliver said:

Probably time to start thinking about a new coach.  He just isn’t getting the job done like we had hoped.

Why did Delong yell at your GF again?

[Side.Show.Joe]

On 3/29/2025 at 10:00 PM, Matt from A700 said:

Last year our pitching kept us in games, this year our offense is. The pitching performance overall is a regression this year, but I think the team is actually overperforming given the circumstances. We lost the best senior class in program history, the class who helped get us to our only NCAA Tournament appearance. And Bearclaw to me was our only notable offensive transfer. I didn't think Riley McNemar would contribute the way she has.

If we can find a true ace next year, we will stand a better chance in the conference tournament. But this year we are competing with and beating more of the power conference teams. But we getting more hits, scoring more runs, and even knocking more balls out of the park this year already. We lose Cierra, Nicholson, and Bearpaw, but will still have R. McNemar, Tatum, Moffitt, and Conley. And so far freshman Ausha Moore is having a great year, .290 average with 3 homers. 

You have rewritten everything I stated but somehow view it as an overall positive. Weird.

Our bats have been better, especially compared to the past few seasons. .313 is a welcomed improvement, but our pitching hasn't been good enough. 

Savage has not improved since having an incredible freshman season. And, our coaches have not been able to find another Ashley Peters type pitcher to help in the rotation. This is DeLong's 7th year at UNT. This program should be in the ranking on a regular basis, but instead we are losing series to the likes of Charlotte and Wichita State. 

[Side.Show.Joe]

On 3/31/2025 at 6:31 AM, SUMG said:

Uh....no.

We're still 24-12, 7-5 in league play. Coach Delong is by far, the best thing to ever happen to NT Softball. 

 

So, no. 

I agree. DeLong has built a real program at North Texas. But now he needs to make it elite. And he is struggling to do that.

[Matt from A700]

Well tonight Anderson took a no-no into the seventh at Abilene Christian. The one hit ended up getting put out in the game-ending double play. Nicholson and Moffitt had homers as we won 7-0.

Interesting note, no return game in Denton against ACU. We have now played ACU in soccer, women's basketball, and softball this school year. All three games in Abilene.

[untbowler]

13 hours ago, Matt from A700 said:

Well tonight Anderson took a no-no into the seventh at Abilene Christian. The one hit ended up getting put out in the game-ending double play. Nicholson and Moffitt had homers as we won 7-0.

Interesting note, no return game in Denton against ACU. We have now played ACU in soccer, women's basketball, and softball this school year. All three games in Abilene.

Tennis plays them in Abilene next week as well.

[Matt from A700]

4 minutes ago, untbowler said:

Tennis plays them in Abilene next week as well.

I guess Mosley thinks we owe ACU.

[UNTLifer]

ACU host TX Tech tonight.  ACU has played 36 games this year with only 7 home games.

[Side.Show.Joe]

15 hours ago, Matt from A700 said:

Well tonight Anderson took a no-no into the seventh at Abilene Christian. The one hit ended up getting put out in the game-ending double play. Nicholson and Moffitt had homers as we won 7-0.

Interesting note, no return game in Denton against ACU. We have now played ACU in soccer, women's basketball, and softball this school year. All three games in Abilene.

I'm glad we can beat ACU, but I need to see more against better competition. I want to win series against our fellow AAC members and ranked teams. We got one against Texas Tech, but have struggled in most opportunities.

[Matt from A700]

16 minutes ago, Side.Show.Joe said:

I'm glad we can beat ACU, but I need to see more against better competition. I want to win series against our fellow AAC members and ranked teams. We got one against Texas Tech, but have struggled in most opportunities.

It is heading in the right direction:

2024: 1-10 against power conference teams
Arizona (neutral) L, 0-8
Arizona (neutral) L, 0-8
#14 Mizzou L, 0-11
#14 Mizzou L, 2-11
Minnesota W, 7-5
Texas Tech L, 7-8
Texas Tech L, 2-5
@ Auburn L, 0-8
@ Texas A&M L, 0-12
#7 OK State L, 1-2
Texas A&M L, 1-11

We did, however, win two of three against FAU who was ranked for parts of last season and was receiving votes when we played them.

2025: 3-4 against power conference teams
#19 Mississippi State L, 5-14
Georgia Tech W, 6-4
#13 Texas Tech W, 6-5
@ Baylor W, 6-5
@ Baylor L, 1-5
#15 OK State L, 2-10
@ #5 Texas A&M L, 4-12

We are scoring more runs which is encouraging. We still have return games at Texas Tech and OK State, and at the moment 32-5 FAU is ranked 23rd.