All Hokie, All the Time. Period. Presented by First Bank & Trust Company

HolidayInnHokie HolidayInnHokie OP
Mar 13, 2026 at 09:33 PM ET
My only armchair critique is, should we have walked the last batter?
That may sound funny given how many unintentional walks we gave up, but if we walk one of the batters after the double, you have a force out at all the bases (except home). They only need one run to score, so the runner on first doesn’t matter from a score perspective. I believe the #9 hitter was the one who had the game winning hit, so conventional wisdom says you do not walk the #9 hitter to get to the leadoff batter. But, sometimes it works out. I like having force outs at as many bases as possible.

6 Replies

U2Hokie U2Hokie
4mo
You're facing #9 in the order - if you walk her you get back to top - so no
The pitch appeared to catch too much plate from the video I saw - was not her rise or her change - so a third best pitch perhaps - which would be surprising to me in that situation...but she has done great so far and will continue to! Go Hokies!
U2Hokie U2Hokie
4mo
Yup - the pitch was supposed to be another 6-8 in to the outside corner -
she just missed her spot - it happens. Get'em today Ladies! Leave NO DOUBT!
N
nkhooch
4mo
The runner at first would not have hurt us. But, if you are playing the
odds you don’t walk #9. Their lead off hitter is batting .462 although she was 0-3 in the game. Imagine if we had walked #9 and the lead-off hitter wins the game. What would the arm-chair critique be then.
V
VAHokie89
4mo
Armchair: Mazzarone... she needs to throw strikes
Whatever pitching calls or types of pitches, everything she throws is conducive for it to NOT be over the plate. For all her potential to get strikesouts, she has just as equal potential to throw balls. Her strikeouts also seem to be deep in the count situations. So, something has to give with either her motion (that low sling), the calls, the situations, or whatever...
V
VT One
4mo
To me, it depends on who is batting. Also, the opportunity to put someone
on first base had been there since the leadoff double. Bree retired the first two with no advance so I’m sure Pete said go get the third girl. I had just commented to my wife, don’t give her anything to hit because if she walks she sets up a force at any base. The only runner that means anything is on second.
H
HOKIE SEAN
4mo
I like having forces at any base, but you can’t intentionally walk the
#9 hitter. I am positive though that Pete knew she was due for redemption after flubbing Rachel’s moon shot. Even so, can’t intentionally walk her.