Considering the performance of this team last year under Hermanek, it was clear that what was most needed was a major influx of talent on the mound. The number of mercy rule games they lost last season was embarrassing and there was not one effective pitcher on the staff.
Looking at the roster, it doesn’t look like Hermanek did much, if anything, to address that situation. Of the 6 freshmen joining the team, only one is listed as a pitcher and she is listed as a 1B/P. The only pitching stat listed in her biography is from her sophomore HS year. Perhaps she is the pitcher Bethlehem John has been talking about who has been lights out on the club team circuit, but if so, Hermanek isn’t advertising it.
In the past few weeks, she did add a graduate transfer who pitched at FIU and then for a year at South Carolina’s Beaufort campus. Based on her statistics, she doesn’t look like she will be successful in the ACC.
The fact is they aren’t going to get to the level of even being competitive in the ACC without a top pitching staff. Clemson, in its first year playing in the ACC, knew that and signed 8 scholarship pitchers in the two years preceding the start of the program. They went to the NCAAs in their first year, largely on the strength of that pitching which included a freshman All-American.
If Kendall Brown, the freshman, turns out to be an ace, they might be decent this year. Otherwise we are in for another year of mercy rule losses.
Next to extending Jeff Capel, letting Holly leave and hiring Hermanek probably has been Lyke’s biggest mistake. While she has been rightfully credited with the success of some of our minor sports programs, let’s not forget that I don’t believe she hired Dan Fisher, Jay Vidovich or Randy Waldrum. Capel, Hermanek and Gavin hardly have been home runs. Her major successes with the minor sports have been improving facilities and funding and keeping Fisher, Vukovich and Waldrum here.
I played fast pitch softball for 15 years and have followed it for more than 40, including the last 25 when Pitt has had a team. I was very excited about the future of the program when Holly was here. Now, I’m more looking forward to watching the new lacrosse team.
Looking at the roster, it doesn’t look like Hermanek did much, if anything, to address that situation. Of the 6 freshmen joining the team, only one is listed as a pitcher and she is listed as a 1B/P. The only pitching stat listed in her biography is from her sophomore HS year. Perhaps she is the pitcher Bethlehem John has been talking about who has been lights out on the club team circuit, but if so, Hermanek isn’t advertising it.
In the past few weeks, she did add a graduate transfer who pitched at FIU and then for a year at South Carolina’s Beaufort campus. Based on her statistics, she doesn’t look like she will be successful in the ACC.
The fact is they aren’t going to get to the level of even being competitive in the ACC without a top pitching staff. Clemson, in its first year playing in the ACC, knew that and signed 8 scholarship pitchers in the two years preceding the start of the program. They went to the NCAAs in their first year, largely on the strength of that pitching which included a freshman All-American.
If Kendall Brown, the freshman, turns out to be an ace, they might be decent this year. Otherwise we are in for another year of mercy rule losses.
Next to extending Jeff Capel, letting Holly leave and hiring Hermanek probably has been Lyke’s biggest mistake. While she has been rightfully credited with the success of some of our minor sports programs, let’s not forget that I don’t believe she hired Dan Fisher, Jay Vidovich or Randy Waldrum. Capel, Hermanek and Gavin hardly have been home runs. Her major successes with the minor sports have been improving facilities and funding and keeping Fisher, Vukovich and Waldrum here.
I played fast pitch softball for 15 years and have followed it for more than 40, including the last 25 when Pitt has had a team. I was very excited about the future of the program when Holly was here. Now, I’m more looking forward to watching the new lacrosse team.
