Of course, message board posters are never happy after a loss (duh) but this one was interesting: I WAS AT ALL 3 GAMES 9 Apr 8, 2023, 8:17 AM Lonnie Almeda gets far too much deference from the ACC umps. They are terrified of her. I haven’t seen an umpire coach a pitcher on how to throw a legal pitch since my daughters were in mid-level travel ball. I’ve certainly NEVER seen them do so in a D-1 game, let alone 3 times with the same pitcher in the same game. They give her players extra leeway with stoppages in play to chat on the mound for minutes before interceding- all weekend. Allowed her to stop play for 10 minutes to try and keep her injured player in the game while she received treatment in the clubhouse. Not even mentioning the balls and strikes debacle last night. I’d love to see us leave the ACC if for nothing else than the officiating in football and softball is deplorable. The league office seem to do nothing about it.

Back in the day everyone in the ACC use to complain about how Dean and Carolina got all of the calls in basketball etc. Gosh, I'm showing my age here. Clemson wants to leave the ACC and join the SEC I'm assuming because of officiating? LOL That's rich.

if any, that do not believe Almeda is given far more leeway and deference by umps than her opponents are granted. VT witnessed it first hand last year. There are less than 5, maybe even less than 3, coaches in NCAA women's softball who receive similar kid glove treatment like that.

Clemson has been the darling of the ACC for several years so they benefit from that status as well.

In our case last year, it was obvious. So not much the umps could do last year.

pitcher. But even so, we have see umps basically make the call and move on cold-heartedly! MY first thought is no ump went over to Emma Lemley last year to say "well,.." But I hear you.

Cagle of Clemson erases the line and goes outside of the lane at times Keely got called for that once or twice

** Edited by TomTurkey at 4/8/2023, 11:49:52 AM

Lest a small separation from the ground with the power and leverage they use Emma’s improved by not leaving the ground TOO much. She’s still got the tiniest bit of lift but nothing like what was easily seen at times last year

point in their delivery. Most umps let is slide if it's not pronounced (like Emma last season) and if the P is not replanting (that's a so-called 'crow-hop'). NCAA softball is now the only sanctioning body that penalizes leaping. I suspect it will relax that rule soon.

She has definitely reduced her lift, but seems more hittable now. Her velocity seems the same, which provides the power for long balls when barreled up, but that looked harder to do last year. Maybe it’s being in the ace role (teams studying her film instead of Rochard). Jacobsen and Grine are doing as well, but have been unlucky with run support. ** Edited by grosehokie at 4/8/2023, 11:48:18 AM

performance. Kudos to her Dad and whoever else helped her with that. Emma was a #2 last year. This year she's a #1. She's getting tougher innings to pitch and the opposition is focusing on preparing for her. I think the latter accounts for some of her issues. Look what's happened in league play where opposition batters see her 6 to 8 times in a series. They adjust to her velocity and then bad things happen. ** Edited by MidloHokie at 4/8/2023, 12:25:41 PM

Movement. She’s throwing about same velocity but may actually be releasing the ball closer to the plate by a couple inches as she’s used her push to be closer to plate instead of having more vertical motion like last year

Virtually all of them leave the ground to some extent. By necessity it only gets called when its excessive. I guess its a bit like holding in a way. Still seems like a bad rule.

International rules do not penalize for lifting the foot.

they only make rule changes every 2 years I think so could not make a change for this year.