WCWS Tonight - Tennessee vs Arizona - Best of Three - Thoughts?

[oldmanTED]

Tennessee has gone undefeated through the Women's College World Series behind the left arm of Player of the Year Monica Abbott including a 1-0 win over the Arizona Wildcats on an error in the bottom of the 6th allowing the only run to score.

Meanwhile, Arizona after losing to Tennessee won the Losers Bracket after beating Washington twice yesterday 2-0 and 8-1. The Wildcats have been riding the right arm of Taryne Mowatt who has pitched 4 straight days and allowed only 1 earned run in 36 innings for a 0.19 ERA in the WCWS.

Arizona was seed #1 in this tournament while Tennessee was seeded a ridiculous #5 while leading the nation most of the season with a 62-6 record too date. Arizona is 48-13-1 but played in the very tough Pac 10 conference.

The Championship is a best of three starting tonight. Can Mowatt continue to pitch day after day not allowing runs or will Abbott keep striking out 16+ batters/game. Which one of these teams will blink tonight? Thoughts?

Current Line

Tennessee -160
Arizona +140

 

[randyrohm]

Line looks about right to me. Tenn -155 now at 5dimes. I give the edge to Tenn. I live in Knoxville and Abbott has had the best career in the history of womens softball and she is zoned in now and is as close to unhittable as you may ever see. They have a chip on their shoulder also being the #1 ranked team most of the year and being given a 5 seed (I think low RPI was the reason). Under 3' is looking like the right side also. Tenn will manufacture a run or two and win 1-0 or 2-0, IMHO.

 

[betedgeonly]

I have been watching these games all week now. I love watching the women play. Tn seem's to be the team to beat. Have you noticed how many girls they have from out west? Also 1 from Hawaii.

 

[randyrohm]

Tenn showed a little more pop than they have had lately. In this arena it is all about pitching and when Abbott goes everyday Tenn always has the edge. By her low strike out total she wasn't at her best tonight, next time out it may be a 16 strike out no-hitter.

 

[VOLTITAN]

So the Lady Vols won despite Abbott's low strikeout count because there bats were hot??? I missed the telecast.
Thanks,
VOL

 

[CalRedwood]

Miss Abbott slides two feet past the rubber before she releases the pitch.With this and her length I would hate to dig in against her. Az coach should talk to ump tomorrow.

 

[oldmanTED]

So the Lady Vols won despite Abbott's low strikeout count because there bats were hot??? I missed the telecast.
Thanks,
VOL

WCWS Final Game 1: Tennessee 3, Arizona 0

June 4, 2007

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Monica Abbott threw her fourth straight shutout, and Tennessee got home runs from Alexia Clay and Shannon Doepking to beat defending champion Arizona 3-0 Monday night in the opening game of the Women's College World Series finals.
Abbott (50-3) pitched a four-hitter to tie her school record for wins in a season and move the fifth-seeded Lady Vols within one victory of their first national championship. Game 2 of the best-of-three series is Tuesday night.
Clay, in only her second at-bat of the World Series, homered to left-center field in the second inning against Taryne Mowatt (40-12). Doepking added a solo shot of her own in the fourth.
Clay was making her first start of the World Series for Tennessee (63-6), which kept injured Southeastern Conference player of the year India Chiles on the bench until she pinch-hit in the sixth inning. Chiles, who has been playing through a torn ACL in her right knee and an injured left shoulder, had a two-out RBI single with the bases loaded to extend the lead to 3-0.
Clay's fourth home run of the season nicked off the mitt of Arizona center fielder Caitlin Lowe, who knocked the yellow padding off the top of the wall. Lowe then spiked her glove into the grass before replacing the padding.
Doepking left no doubt with her sixth home run, a high arcing shot to left field.
Abbott, who holds NCAA records for career wins, strikeouts and shutouts, fanned eight and extended her shutout streak to 33 2-3 innings. She pumped her left, pitching hand in the air after getting K'Lee Arredondo to fly out to end the game.
Arizona (48-14-1), the No. 1 seed, threatened in the third when Sam Banister lined a leadoff single to left field and pinch runner Jill Malina moved to second on a sacrifice. After striking out Adrienne Acton, Abbott intentionally walked Lowe _ who's hitting a team-best .415 _ before getting Chelsie Mesa to fly out to end the inning.
The Wildcats, seeking their eighth national title, also got singles from Jenae Leles in the fourth inning, Kristie Fox in the sixth and Banister in the seventh, but never again got a runner as far as second base.
Mowatt also pitched a complete game, giving up six hits and three walks. She struck out five.

 

[SSI]

one of the most dominating performances on any level that ive seen.... talking about Monica's first 4 games in Okalahoma City....

 

[BetIt]

this abbot is rock solid

tennessee seems to own arizona lately.

 

[Wrigley]

weird play the player bunted the ball and drop her bat in fair terriority, the ball then hit her bat and stopped otherwise if it had not hit the bat it would of rolled foul

The umpire awarded her first base on the play wonder what the MLB rule would be on this play.

 

[BetIt]

vols threatening again

 

[BetIt]

bases loaded...none out

she gets out

 

[crunch99]

Wow..... didn't think it was possible but there IS a sport more boring than soccer!

They may need 20 innings to score a run.

 

[betedgeonly]

I seen earlier that there is 5 starters from cali on tn team.

 

[Wrigley]

Wow..... didn't think it was possible but there IS a sport more boring than soccer!

Just wait for that great WNBA action following the game
uppy:

Maybe womens softball should go to slow pitch be more entertaining
not to many hits or action in fast pitch

 

[betedgeonly]

how can these girls pitch so many games so close together? The same pitchers that pitched last night r pitching again tonite.

 

[crunch99]

wow they scored

 

[BetIt]

i don't think she tagged home on that slide

 

[EveryGamblersDream]

Wow..... didn't think it was possible but there IS a sport more boring than soccer!

They may need 20 innings to score a run.

Do you have anything useful to add ever?

 

[Railbird]

Abbott fastball dropped from 73 to 69 tonight. I dont think she pitches as well Mawatt back to back. Tenn still should win, Posey should have tagged from 3rd on the ball hit to Left field. Maybe Ralph should coach 3rd base instead of his wife, and maybe Ralph should stop playing picaboo in the dugout.