What wins in high school softball?

[RubberBiscuit]

So here in my state there is HUGE differences in the largest school divisions and the smallest. (that's why they need to exist)

Speaking to just D1 here in my state it can be a wide variety of team make-up that can make it to state. There are teams with solid overall makeup in most all of the positions (even in a case where none of them play more than local TB-C level) and can have a pitcher that maybe can just make it to a D3 college and they can make it to state.

Then in total contrast a true D1 college pitcher-led "not-good-talent" HS team, with a good enough bunt defense, can get to state too.

In my first example there is a HS around me that has such a solid coaching staff, and development program in their part of the community that all they need is a pitcher to throw outside strikes and they go to state every year. It's a great HS empire. (But would this team compete in national TB-A level - no chance in he11....)

 

[starsnuffer]

Good question. Out here in nor-cal, I'd have to say that it's a combination of hitting, defense, and pitching. I mean it when I say combination. All three must be strong. Being strong at just one or two will not cut it.

We have a school that has a phenomenal pitcher. Gatorade athlete of the year, was committed to ASU and now to UCLA after the coaching shakeup at ASU. Two years in a row they couldn't quite win the championship. Two years ago they fell because the left fielder bobbled a routine fly ball that resulted in the only run of the game scoring. Last year they didn't even make the championship because the pitcher I mentioned twisted an ankle shagging BP in warmups.

The team that did win the last two years has a long history, including a few national team players. They had a really good (5'2") pitcher, but not good enough to get a scholarship anywhere. They had strong offense, and strong defense. The school has 150 or so kids tryout for varsity, so they get to pick the team based on chemistry instead of "star" players. With the exception of a pre-season game (on the same day of their prom) that they lost, they were undefeated and untouchable.

It's a no-brainer that the good teams have all high-level travel ball players and that having multiple players on the same TB org helps chemistry, but there are a lot of (DI) high schools that have that. The full package is important, and must include a really great pitcher.

-W

 

[Ajaywill]

I have been a HS umpire here in AZ for about 15 years.

It's a tale of two worlds here....the big schools (mostly Phoenix and Tuscon) and the rest (mostly rural) areas of the state.

For the larger schools that make up the higher classes, you need to have good, if not great pitching with some travel ball players behind it. Most of the championships at this level are won by the schools in the more affluent suburban areas where the players families have the resources to pay for travel ball year round.

In the lower classes, teams from communities where the players start playing together before HS and just continue seem to do well on a consistent basis. Some of these schools have had the same coaching staff for years and I'm sure that contributes as well. There is not often dominant pitching at this level, but the successful teams are very fundamentally sound and play well together.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Most everyone has already hit the high points, what helped us was having more than one good pitcher. We played quite a few pitchers who this year will be mid-D1, but since they were the only pitcher on that team, we knew who would be throwing from the day the schedule came out and "what" she threw. Our ability to choose between 3 pitchers, with 3 different styles and their own best pitches, kept teams guessing. Also if one got in a jam, we had options as relievers that could keep us in the game.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Most everyone has already hit the high points, what helped us was having more than one good pitcher. We played quite a few pitchers who this year will be mid-D1, but since they were the only pitcher on that team, we knew who would be throwing from the day the schedule came out and "what" she threw. Our ability to choose between 3 pitchers, with 3 different styles and their own best pitches, kept teams guessing. Also if one got in a jam, we had options as relievers that could keep us in the game.

That's interesting. Never thought about the value in that. ...

Also, your state's tournament format might be a factor. In NC, I believe it's single elimination until the semis, and then it's best-of-three series. Variety is good when you're playing the same team 3 games. In Georgia, you have a final 8, which then plays a double-elimination tournament over maybe 2 days. For that, it's not so much variety as it is keeping pitchers fresh. All that's theory, btw. I've not been a fan/coach/parent of a state playoff team yet.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

That's interesting. Never thought about the value in that. ...

Also, your state's tournament format might be a factor. In NC, I believe it's single elimination until the semis, and then it's best-of-three series. Variety is good when you're playing the same team 3 games. In Georgia, you have a final 8, which then plays a double-elimination tournament over maybe 2 days. For that, it's not so much variety as it is keeping pitchers fresh. All that's theory, btw. I've not been a fan/coach/parent of a state playoff team yet.

Our district playoffs are double elimination. Top 2 advance to the region. 1st region game is one and done, second region game is seeding for sub-state. Sub-state is one and done, winner advances to state.

Here is the thing, for district we have already played all teams twice in regular season, then again in playoffs. So if you only have 1 pitcher, those teams could see her as many as 5 times to advance to regions.

For the most part TN teams will play another "regional" team during the regular season too, 2 games, one home one away. So to advance to sub-state again a team may see the same pitcher 3 times.

^^^^^^This is the advantage of multiple pitchers in TN's format.