SEC play is in full swing in the world of college softball. For LSU, that means big opponents with even bigger at bats. With even the smallest bit of knowledge on the sport, anyone could look at the Tigers’ roster and see it is filled to the brim with talent. Ranked 22nd in Division 1, though, this talent is seemingly falling short.
Many people recognize the name Shelbi Sunseri. The fifth year senior has become a deadly force in the circle for the Tigers throughout her tenure. Factor in her nine home runs from just this season alone and she is one of the most impressive all-around players.
Or maybe you know Ali Kilponen. The junior has already faced over 300 batters this season and has tallied a notable ERA of 2.05.
Both athletes have been extremely successful in purple and gold, but with at least 20 games left to go in the season, the question of whether these players will be able to remain consistent comes to mind. The lack of notable pitchers outside of LSU’s four in the rotation could pose a few problems in the peak of this season, as well as future ones.
Looking at a breakdown of the top-five Division I softball teams, their ace pitchers have about half of the total innings pitched for the team. The number two in the rotation tends to have a 24-34% share of the work, with the rest being controlled by a third starting pitcher or inning eaters.
The most diversified pitching staff of the top-five is Oklahoma, ranked No. 1 overall, with their three starters throwing 45%, 28% and 26% of their innings. The Sooners have also thrown the fewest innings of the top five, having run ruled opponents 24 times so far this season. With a sub-one ERA, the Sooners have been quite dangerous and deserving of the No. 1 ranking.
The staff that was the most lopsided was Virginia Tech. Keely Rochard has pitched 51% of the team’s innings with their number two, Emma Lemley, throwing 35%. Their third and fourth pitchers have thrown 7% and 6% respectively, but with a team ERA of 1.44, clearly something is working right for the team.
The Tigers tend to be more diversified on their approach to innings worked. Ali Kilponen leads the team with 36%, Shelbi Sunseri commands 31% of the share, freshman Raelin Chaffin 16% and Shelby Wickersham 13%. With a team ERA of 2.25, the Tigers’ pitchers are a strength for this program.
When comparing these pitching staffs, LSU Head Coach Beth Torina has some validity in saying the team has a deep pitching roster. Most softball teams can only reliably count on two pitchers heading into a weekend matchup. LSU has that with Kilponen and Sunseri easily, and will consistently put them in the circle to try and dominate games for the Tigers.
Along with Chaffin starting to secure a larger role on the roster, and Wickersham–who when called on can give you consistent work–LSU has a strong rotation.
Earlier in the season, or during the non-conference mid-week games going forward, it would be alleviating to see some of the back of the bench pitchers on the roster earn some innings. There are three other pitchers on the roster, with two making limited appearances so far this season, totaling four innings of work. Although most teams have a similar approach to pitcher utilization, having more pitchers you could rely on as we approach May would certainly help with arm fatigue later in the season.
The underhand motion of softball pitching means that these pitchers have stamina and durability that is not typically seen from baseball staffs. However, this does not mean that softball pitchers cannot acquire the same injuries that are commonly found in baseball.
Studies have proven that though the motions are polarizing, torques on the arm during underhand pitching are similar to that of overhand. The greatest danger, though, does not come from the motion itself but from the overuse of that arm in that motion.
Repetitiveness of the windmill motion weakens the tendons in the arm, creating microscopic tears in the fibers that they are composed of. The rotator cuff is most at risk, as the four muscles that compose the cuff act as one larger tendon, securing the arm to the shoulder socket. Tears in tendons lead to inflammation, most commonly known as Tendinitis.
With the constant rotation of a pitching staff commonly seen in baseball games, overuse of a pitcher’s arm is not much of an issue. For softball, there are no rules or regulations in the SEC in regards to a pitching limit. That baseball rotation avoids this problem, but with a smaller amount of diversity seen in the circle for softball, overuse is more difficult to avoid. A major component of active recovery for any pitcher, no matter their level, is rest. With such a packed season schedule, though, how much are pitchers actually able to do that?
If the team wants to be sustainable in the postseason there needs to be a buildup of the back-half of the bullpen and more utilization of all pitchers during the midweek games. The Tigers have already had a scare with Sunseri, as she missed games due to a broken nose after taking a ball to the face.
That should have been a wakeup call to the team, and hopefully one they will act on moving forward.
