2024 Mountain West Conference Softball thread

[Bronco7454]

Only 2 teams left now - # 1 seeded San Diego State and # 5 seeded Boise State.

[Bronco7454]

Utah State had only 4 of their softball players who participated in their 2024 Senior Day activities:

RHP - Jessica Stewart - 4th year Senior - 5.14 E.R.A. - 1.76 WHIP - 7-8 W/L record - 34 App. - 11 GS - 77.2 IP

LHP - Katie Zuniga - Grad Student - 4.22 E.R.A. - 1.79 WHIP - 5-6 W/L record - 22 App. - 10 GS - 63 IP

LF - Ali Ashner - 4th year Senior - .302 BA - 50 GP - 50 GS

RF - Hannah Vargas - RS Junior - .143 BA - 33 GP - 1 GS

[Bronco7454]

One of MANY things that I think needs to be abolished is this idiotic Mountain West softball policy of making the MWC softball teams play only 2 games against 2 of their 8 other MWC softball teams rather than the usual 3 game series - often times in the same week.   All they have to do to stop this idiocy is move the first weekend of conference play back one week.   For this 2024 season that would have meant starting the conference play on March 15th rather than waiting till March 22nd to begin conference play.  Why the Mountain West Conference can't see the logic in this is beyond me.  They could have easily done this by have the schools that are located in the more temperate weather areas (San Diego State, U.N.L.V., Fresno State, San Jose State) host games the first two weeks of the season.  Instead the MWC foolishly has been having an uneven playing field created by forcing each team to play two games against 2 of their 8 conference opponents rather than 3.

This creates a very uneven schedule because it depends on who your school's softball team gets tabbed to play in those two 2 game series.  In Boise State's case this year they were scheduled to play those two 2 game series against the two teams that were predicted to finish at the top of the MWC this season, i.e., San Diego State and U.N.L.V. and they were scheduled to play those two 2 game series in the same week - one at home (vs. UNLV) and one on the road (@ SDSU).  Whereas other teams were scheduled to play teams at the bottom of the conference standings.

[Bronco7454]

Because I've been retired for well over a decade (nearly 15 years now) and as a result I have LOTS of time on my hands I took the time to crunch the numbers on my school's softball team as far as who is hitting best from top to bottom at the 2024 MWC softball championships.  This is what I came up with:

1. - 3B - Sydney Groves - SO - 7-11 - .636 B.A.

2. - SS - Hollie Farmer - SO - 5-11 - .455 B.A.

3. - DH - Alycia Flores - RS SR - 6-16 - .375 B.A.

4. - CF - Sophia Knight - True FR - 5-15 - .333 B.A.

5. - C - Brooklyn Pettis - JR - 3-9 - .333 B.A.

6. - 1B - Ashlyn Whalen - SR - 1-3 - .333 B.A.

7. - 2B - Abby Bumcrot - SR - 2-7 - .286 B.A.

8. - LF - Jordyn Hutchins - SR - 3-13 - .231 B.A.

9. - RF - Mykenzie Hanna - JR - 2-13 - .154 B.A.

10. - C - Leah McAnally - True FR - 0-2 - .000 B.A.

[Bronco7454]

And I also crunched the numbers for the Boise State pitchers thru their first four games at the 2024 MWC softball championships:

Brook Thompson - JR - 1.0 IP - 0 ER = 0.00 ERA

Abby Dowell - True FR - 5.2 IP - 3 ER = 4.04 ERA

Taylor Caudill - SR - 13.2 IP - 9 ER = 4.77 ERA

Jenna Bloom - RS SR - 6.2 IP - 6 ER = 6.77 ERA

 

[Spaztecs]

Go Aztecs !

Side note: How is Boise as the five seed hosting the Tourney ? That's a severe advantage for them.

Are they being forced to use the visitors locker room ?

Have they changed the backdrop in CF ?

Come on, everyone complains about UNLV's advantages in the roundball Tourney. Why is Boise being given privilege as a weak assed five seed ?

[Spaztecs]

On 5/11/2024 at 6:45 AM, Bronco7454 said:

One of MANY things that I think needs to be abolished is this idiotic Mountain West softball policy of making the MWC softball teams play only 2 games against 2 of their 8 other MWC softball teams rather than the usual 3 game series - often times in the same week.   All they have to do to stop this idiocy is move the first weekend of conference play back one week.   For this 2024 season that would have meant starting the conference play on March 15th rather than waiting till March 22nd to begin conference play.  Why the Mountain West Conference can't see the logic in this is beyond me.  They could have easily done this by have the schools that are located in the more temperate weather areas (San Diego State, U.N.L.V., Fresno State, San Jose State) host games the first two weeks of the season.  Instead the MWC foolishly has been having an uneven playing field created by forcing each team to play two games against 2 of their 8 conference opponents rather than 3.

This creates a very uneven schedule because it depends on who your school's softball team gets tabbed to play in those two 2 game series.  In Boise State's case this year they were scheduled to play those two 2 game series against the two teams that were predicted to finish at the top of the MWC this season, i.e., San Diego State and U.N.L.V. and they were scheduled to play those two 2 game series in the same week - one at home (vs. UNLV) and one on the road (@ SDSU).  Whereas other teams were scheduled to play teams at the bottom of the conference standings.

See the SDSU complaints about a 20 game Conference Schedule.

[Spaztecs]

On 5/5/2024 at 7:04 AM, Bronco7454 said:

For those who are thinking of attending the 2024 MWC softball tournament this Thursday thru Saturday in Boise, ID., you should be aware of the fact that there is minimal parking available at Dona Larsen Park and if you don't have a parking permit your vehicle could be towed away on Thursday and Friday (not on Saturday).  There are numerous signs in the very small parking lot that indicates this.

Also the businesses located near the Dona Larsen Park have more signs saying parking is for their customers ONLY and violators will be towed away.   Yes - it sucks - but there are alternatives.   You can try to park at the St. Luke's Hospital parking lot located about 1/2 block North of the Park (including underground parking) or try to find a parking spot on or near Warm Springs Avenue (just North of the park) and walk to the park.   There is also parking available to the South off of Front Street.  But it's a bit of a walk back to the park from that parking area.

Best advice would be GET THERE VERY EARLY, i.e., more than an hour before game time.  But again parking at the park itself on a weekday without a permit could result in your vehicle being towed away.

There are are some fast food places (Carl's Jr right next to the park & a Chik fil A next to the Carl's Jr., etc.) near the park and a convenience store about 100 yds NW of the park.  There are some other restaurants directly across the street (Broadway) from the park.

Great info, but maybe, just maybe Boise needs to address this situation.

If you want fans at the games to help subsidize the program. You gotta make it possible for fans and their families to have easy access to the games.

[Bronco7454]

Last season Boise State set a school record for average attendance at the Boise State REGULAR SEASON home softball games.

This season Boise State broke that one year old record:

 

[818SUDSFan]

Great effort, Boise. Good luck next year.

[BoiseDog]

On 5/11/2024 at 11:13 AM, Spaztecs said:

Go Aztecs !

Side note: How is Boise as the five seed hosting the Tourney ? That's a severe advantage for them.

Are they being forced to use the visitors locker room ?

Have they changed the backdrop in CF ?

Come on, everyone complains about UNLV's advantages in the roundball Tourney. Why is Boise being given privilege as a weak assed five seed ?

Last years champion gets to host the next years tournament is how I’ve understood it.

[Bronco7454]

On 5/11/2024 at 2:18 PM, 818SUDSFan said:

Great effort, Boise. Good luck next year.

Congrats to SDSU.  Clearly the better team won in the finals.  Not that it was much of a surprise (to me at least). 

Going into that 8th game of the tournament I thought Boise State had about MAYBE a 5 percent chance of winning that game (at best) and even if they did win the 8th game they would have had to win the 9th game as well.  The words "extremely unlikely" come to mind.

P.S. Thankfully I was spared having to watch most of that 8th game as my internet service went out about midway thru the 3rd inning and remained out for hours.

[Bronco7454]

Out of boredom I put together a positional record of who started at each position this season for my school's softball team with the players who are not expected back next season listed in Bold print:

CATCHER

Leah McAnally - 35

Brooklyn Pettis – 24

 

FIRST BASE

Sydney Groves - 30

Ashlyn Whalen – 22

Karizma Bergesen – 7 - It would appear that Bergesen will return for 2025.  I write that because when she chose to transfer to Boise State (from SJS) last year she wrote on her twitter account that she was transferring to Boise State with TWO years of eligibility remaining.  However she did graduate from Boise State this spring so if she does return for the 2025 season she would be in grad school.

 

SECOND BASE

Abby Bumcrot – 56

Skylar Stroh – 2

Hollie Farmer – 1

 

SHORTSTOP

Keely Gousha - 39

Hollie Farmer – 20

 

THIRD BASE

Hollie Farmer - 37

Sydney Groves – 22

 

RIGHT FIELD

Mykenzie Hanna - 49

Alycia Flores – 9 - She was a RS Senior in 2024 so she DOES have another year of eligibility IF she chooses to use it (as her sister did).

Megan Lake – 1

 

CENTER FIELD

Sophia Knight – 58

Mykenzie Hanna – 1

 

LEFT FIELD

Jordyn Hutchins – 42

Megan Lake – 13

Mykenzie Hanna - 4

 

DESIGNATED HITTER

Alycia Flores – 36

Brooklyn Pettis – 8

Leah McAnally – 6

Karizma Bergesen – 4

Sydney Groves – 3

Sophia Knight – 1

Megan Lake – 1

 

STARTING PITCHER

Taylor Caudill – 32

Jenna Bloom – 19

Abby Dowell – 7

Kasey Aguinaga - 1

[Bronco7454]

BOISE STATE'S PROJECTED SOFTBALL TEAM LINEUP FOR 2025 (prior to the transfer portal opening on 5-19-2024),  Returning starters listed in BOLD print:

CATCHER (Co-starters)

Leah McAnally - 2025 True SO - Started 35 of 59 games at catcher in 2024 - .292 BA in 120 AB in 2024

Brooklyn Pettis - 2025 Senior - Started 24 of 59 games at catcher in 2024 - .291 BA in 103 AB in 2024

 

FIRST BASE

Sydney Groves - 2025 Junior - Started 30 of 59 games at 1B in 2024 - .318 BA in 157 AB in 2024 with 18 Home Runs

 

SECOND BASE

Skylar Stroh - 2025 True SO - Started 2 games at 2B in 2024 - .300 BA in 10 AB in 2024

 

SHORTSTOP

Keely Gousha - 2025 True SO - Started 39 of 59 games @ SS in 2024 - .203 BA in74 AB in 2024

 

THIRD BASE

Hollie Farmer - 2025 Junior - Started 37 of 59 games @ 3B in 2024 - .308 BA in 169 AB in 2024

 

RIGHT FIELD

Hanna Mykenzie - 2025 Senior - Started 49 of 59 games @ RF in 2024 - .270 BA in 174 AB in 2024 with 18 Home Runs

 

CENTER FIELD

Sophia Knight - 2025  True SO - Started 58 of 59 games @ CF in 2024 - .405 BA in 210 AB in 2024

 

LEFT FIELD

Megan Lake - 2025 Senior - Started 13 games @ LF in 2024 - .204 BA in 54 AB in 2024

DESIGNATED HITTER/PLAYER

Brooklyn Pettis - 2025 Senior - Started 8 games @ DH in 2025 - .291 BA in 103 AB in 2024

Leah McAnally - 2025 True SO - Started 6 games @ DH in 2025 - .292 BA in 120 AB in 2024

 

STARTING PITCHERS

Jenna Bloom - 2025 6th year (covid) Senior - 19 starts in 2024 - 5.39 ERA - 1.71 WHIP - 100 IP

Abby Dowell - 2025 True SO - 7 starts in 2024 - 5.54 E.R.A. - 1.88 WHIP - 66 IP

[soupslam1]

I’m not a huge softball fan, but it appears if Boise State or any MWC team for that matter wants to do anything on the national stage they’ve got to get much better pitching. 

Caudill was pretty good for the Broncos this year but also got shelled several times. Their projected pitching next year with ERAs greater than 5 looks terrible. 

[Bronco7454]

On 5/14/2024 at 12:04 PM, soupslam1 said:

I’m not a huge softball fan, but it appears if Boise State or any MWC team for that matter wants to do anything on the national stage they’ve got to get much better pitching. 

Caudill was pretty good for the Broncos this year but also got shelled several times. Their projected pitching next year with ERAs greater than 5 looks terrible. 

You're not wrong but there is this thing called the Transfer Portal.  Maybe you've heard of it.  It re-opens next Sunday and remains open for 30 days.  If Boise State gets any transfers for next season you'll likely hear about it in June.   If any of the current underclassmen players on the team choose to enter the TP you'll likely hear about that in the next two to three weeks.

Also there are three new pitchers in the 2024 recruiting class for Boise State.  One of whom (Shannon Keighran) was the best pitcher on the top ranked H.S. softball team in the State of California in 2023.

And lastly the Boise State pitching coach basically only utilized 3 of the 6 pitchers Boise State has on their roster.  Two of the three other pitchers were used a couple of times this season and one pitcher (who has the best career E.R.A. on the team) was not used at all this season.  That being Morgan Flesland.   Flesland only appeared in 2 games in 2023 and had an E.R.A. of 0.00.  Can't get any better than that.  Yet she was not used at all in 2024.  The pitching coach has done this every year she has been on the Boise State staff.  She fixates on using only two or three pitchers (primarily) and just basically forgets all about the other pitchers.   Speaking of the transfer portal - if I were one of those "ignored" Boise State pitchers I'd be looking at entering the transfer portal.

[Bronco7454]

San Diego State lost their opening game late yesterday against # 10 ranked Virginia Tech by a score of 1-5.  

The Aztecs next scheduled game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET today against Grand Canyon University - which lost 0-9 yesterday vs. the host school # 6 ranked U.C.L.A. (in 5 innings).  The winner of today's game between SDSU and Grand Canyon will then play the loser of the U.C.L.A. vs. Virginia Tech - which is the game scheduled prior to the SDSU vs. GCU game today.

[818SUDSFan]

On 5/18/2024 at 7:23 AM, Bronco7454 said:

San Diego State lost their opening game late yesterday against # 10 ranked Virginia Tech by a score of 1-5.  

The Aztecs next scheduled game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET today against Grand Canyon University in a Loser is OUT game - which lost 0-9 yesterday vs. the host school # 6 ranked U.C.L.A. (in 5 innings).  The winner of today's game between SDSU and Grand Canyon will then play the loser of the U.C.L.A. vs. Virginia Tech - which is the game scheduled prior to the SDSU vs. GCU game today.

Aztecs will beat Grand Canyon then lose to either UCLA or VA Tech.

[soupslam1]

MWC teams don’t seem to stack up well against the Top 25 of women’s softball. You would think being in the warmer west, where there are a ton of good players, the MWC would have better teams, but I think a lot of the better California and Arizona players either go to PAC schools, or go back east. 

Im always surprised when I watch SEC teams how many girls are from California. 

[UNLV2001]

On 5/18/2024 at 3:44 PM, soupslam1 said:

MWC teams don’t seem to stack up well against the Top 25 of women’s softball. You would think being in the warmer west, where there are a ton of good players, the MWC would have better teams, but I think a lot of the better California and Arizona players either go to PAC schools, or go back east. 

Im always surprised when I watch SEC teams how many girls are from California. 

Same with baseball & women's basketball -- MWC is woefully behind 

Would also think in baseball that SDSU, UNLV, Fresno St, SJSU would be able to put together solid teams most years - and Nevada could be added with proximity to Cal recruits 

In women's sports there is a major chasm between the power conferences & the G5