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Gator Softball 2024

There are 295 D1 softball programs per NCAA.com. As of today, Florida is 4th in the NCAA in team batting average at .379, 3rd in ERA at 1.00 and 1st in Fielding at .987. Also, 2nd in on base % at .489, 2nd in scoring at 9.45 runs per game, 1st in shutouts with 14, 5th in slugging % at .665, 20th in stolen bases per game at 2.18, 11th in doubles per game at 1.95.
The caution is that right now our strength of schedule is only 112, with only 9 games against Quad 1 & 2 opponents (8-1), 2-2 vs. Quad 3 and 11-0 vs. Quad 4. Now into the SEC schedule plus some quality midweek games upcoming, the SOS will steadily improve every week. This team is dramatically better than last year and I expect them to finish much higher in the SEC that the 7th or 8th they were picked pre-season.
 
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If I was a gambler I would like to wager this team finishes in the top five of the conference.
 
If I heard correctly? Nobody has swept bama at home in the last 20 years.

Like every Gator, I wanted the sweep, but I'm still pretty happy with winning the series. Especially since it was in their house....
 
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instaGATOR said:
If I heard correctly? Nobody has swept bama at home in the last 20 years.

Like every Gator, I wanted the sweep, but I'm still pretty happy with winning the series. Especially since it was in their house....
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Correct.
 
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jimbo1313R said:
ocalman, and I bet the Alabama people were saying that exact same thing after the first 2 games with a total of 4 hits
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Just go back and look at our 21-4 record. We've had a soft schedule. We've only faced a handful of really good pitchers and struggled mightily against them all. Some of them against team that aren;t even ranked. We beat Oregon State 1-0, Lost to Michigan 2-1 in 10 innings, Michigan run-ruled us 10-2 and neither of those teams is ranked. We lost yo Oklahoma State 3-0, beat UCLA 1-0, beat Alabama 2-0 and neither run was earned, then lost to them 3-0. That second win vs. Bama was not against quality pitching, plus they made 6 errors. So we're 4-4 against quality pitching. That was my point. Our freshman pitchers have exceeded expectations, no doubt. But Tim Walton said this offense was elite, one of the best in Gator histroy. But they haven't proven it yet against elite pitching. Time will tell if they can
 
ocalaman said:
Just go back and look at our 21-4 record. We've had a soft schedule. We've only faced a handful of really good pitchers and struggled mightily against them all. Some of them against team that aren;t even ranked. We beat Oregon State 1-0, Lost to Michigan 2-1 in 10 innings, Michigan run-ruled us 10-2 and neither of those teams is ranked. We lost yo Oklahoma State 3-0, beat UCLA 1-0, beat Alabama 2-0 and neither run was earned, then lost to them 3-0. That second win vs. Bama was not against quality pitching, plus they made 6 errors. So we're 4-4 against quality pitching. That was my point. Our freshman pitchers have exceeded expectations, no doubt. But Tim Walton said this offense was elite, one of the best in Gator histroy. But they haven't proven it yet against elite pitching. Time will tell if they can
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Your comment on hitting cannot be argued with. However, I believe that most teams cannot hit pitchers like Rothrock , Brown and similar pitchers throw at them. I am interested in seeing how LSU and Georgia hit against our aces. Our hitting is not elite in that on any given date against top pitchers we fail to perform on a consistent basis. Lately, last years best player has not been producing at all like she was earlier this season. if Falby wasn't as fast as she is she would have a hard time holding a .300 BA Otis is not hitting like she was mid pre SEC games. Williams is lost in the batters box right now. What we are missing is CLUTCH hitters like Lorenz and Hannah Adams. In closing, I believe for the rest of the year we are going to live and die with our pitchers and some hitters with a few games hitting streaks. We have some games like the next five but hitting against teams like these is not our problem. Sorry for the length of this, I get to rambling some times early in the AM....jim
 
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I read all the stuff I put in my last, early in the morning note, and it bears more scrutiny. Don't want to delete it but I would really appreciate ocalamans comments. Thanks, jim
 
jimbo1313R said:
Your comment on hitting cannot be argued with. However, I believe that most teams cannot hit pitchers like Rothrock , Brown and similar pitchers throw at them. I am interested in seeing how LSU and Georgia hit against our aces. Our hitting is not elite in that on any given date against top pitchers we fail to perform on a consistent basis. Lately, last years best player has not been producing at all like she was earlier this season. if Falby wasn't as fast as she is she would have a hard time holding a .300 BA Otis is not hitting like she was mid pre SEC games. Williams is lost in the batters box right now. What we are missing is CLUTCH hitters like Lorenz and Hannah Adams. In closing, I believe for the rest of the year we are going to live and die with our pitchers and some hitters with a few games hitting streaks. We have some games like the next five but hitting against teams like these is not our problem. Sorry for the length of this, I get to rambling some times early in the AM....jim
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Good points. It's just hard to gauge how good our team truly is because of the lack of quality competition to this point. Our SOS is #94, RPI ranking #29. Our non-conference SOS is #165. Offensively,, we simply destroy average pitching and our pitchers totally shut down average hitting teams. Our #3 pitcher, Olivia Miller, has 2 perfect games. There's no doubt our 3 freshman pitchers are significantly better than the pitching we've had the last 2 years. Rothrock & Brown have great poise with an assortment of pitches and are just going to get better and better with time. Tim Walton said pre-season that he thought this offense was elite, but so far it hasn't shown that in the few games we've played against quality pitchers. There's a long way to go and time will tell. The SEC is brutal once again and expectations from the "experts" was not very high on the Gators this year - 7th or 8th in the SEC. I love this team and think we'll do better than predicted.
Don't sleep on Indiana this weekend. Indiana is 19-4, ranked 28th by D1 softball and has 2 quality pitchers, team ERA of 1.51. They've beaten Oregon, lost to Clemson 3-2 and played Arizona tight in 2 losses.
 
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ocalaman said:
Good points. It's just hard to gauge how good our team truly is because of the lack of quality competition to this point. Our SOS is #94, RPI ranking #29. Our non-conference SOS is #165. Offensively,, we simply destroy average pitching and our pitchers totally shut down average hitting teams. Our #3 pitcher, Olivia Miller, has 2 perfect games. There's no doubt our 3 freshman pitchers are significantly better than the pitching we've had the last 2 years. Rothrock & Brown have great poise with an assortment of pitches and are just going to get better and better with time. Tim Walton said pre-season that he thought this offense was elite, but so far it hasn't shown that in the few games we've played against quality pitchers. There's a long way to go and time will tell. The SEC is brutal once again and expectations from the "experts" was not very high on the Gators this year - 7th or 8th in the SEC. I love this team and think we'll do better than predicted.
Don't sleep on Indiana this weekend. Indiana is 19-4, ranked 28th by D1 softball and has 2 quality pitchers, team ERA of 1.51. They've beaten Oregon, lost to Clemson 3-2 and played Arizona tight in 2 losses.
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Thanks, you did what I asked you to do. will be interesting to see how we perform against Indiana, both hitting and pitching. By the time we get to the Regionals we should be in a much better position to grade the team. Thanks again for your comments....jim
 
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Shake-up in the lineup tonight vs. Stetson. Korbe Otis (.419) moves up to the 3 hole, behind Falby (.453) and Wallace (.456) & ahead of Erickson (.471). Ava Brown pitching and batting 5th, hitting .346 with a 9-1 record, 1.23 ERA. Reagan Walsh playing 3B tonight, hitting .365 and batting 6th. Freshman Cassidy McLellan getting the start at 2nd base, hitting .389 and batting 7th. Baylee Goddard at DP, hitting .385 and batting 8th. Kistler rounding up the lineup in RF, hitting .372 and batting 9th.
 
Countygator1 said:
Do you like the lineup changes?
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I think Mia Williams needed a day off and re-set. She's been great defensively, but has struggled mightily at the plate. She was the highest rated non-pitcher in our recruiting class and hit exceptionally well in all of her travel ball leagues. As a legacy recruit, she's probably putting a lot of pressure on herself and she's definitely been one of the main leaders on the team from what I've read, even as a freshman. She's probably going to take over the shortstop job next season and I think Coach Walton will stick with her. Just needed a day off to re-focus. Plus Cassidy McLellan has been really good in the few chances she's had to play and even though she's primarily an outfielder, he wanted to put her in a starting role and 2nd base gave her an opportunity last night. I don't think she'll play there in SEC games. And with the way Katie Kistler has been hitting, KK seems to have sewn up the RF position for the time being, where she, McLellan and Baylee Goddard have been competing. At third, Ariel Kowalewski won that job in the pre-season over Walsh & Alyssa Hovermale and she's be great defensively as well. She got off to a hot start at the plate, too, but has cooled off the last couple of weeks. Walsh's bat has to be in the lineup and if she can handle the job on defense, that could be more of a permanent thing. She played 2nd last year and was OK, but not great. I think Ariel will be put back in the lineup eventually, but he may keep Walsh there for the weekend to see how things work out. At least these are my guesses and observations.
 
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JMOHO's of course, but to me, Gator softball is way better and more fun to watch than baseball this season....
 
instaGATOR said:
JMOHO's of course, but to me, Gator softball is way better and more fun to watch than baseball this season....
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I've loved college softball from the time ESPN first started carrying the WCWS - before the Gators got good. I watch every Gator softball and baseball game that I can, but never watch other college baseball games. But I will often watch softball games not involving the Gators. Overall, a more entertaining sport to me.
 
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Keagan Rothrock had an off night in the circle. She only gave up 2 hits, one of them a 2-run HR, but she walked 5 and hit 3. But freshman Ariel Kowalweski had a HR and 5 RBI in leading the Gators to a 10-2 win over Mercer.
floridagators.com

No. 10 Gators Rise Past Bears in Run-Rule Victory - Florida Gators

Freshman Ariel Kowalewski tallied a career-high five RBI thanks to a two-run home run and a two-RBI double.
floridagators.com floridagators.com
 
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The 2 games against Indiana are the best we've hit against quality pitching. Our pitching and defense will keep us in games, but to win in the SEC you've got to be able to scores 3+ runs against really good pitching. Indiana came into the weekend with one of the lwest Team ERA's in D1 and our ladies took it to 'em.
floridagators.com

No. 10 Florida Shuts Out Indiana - Florida Gators

The Gators scored 10 runs for the second-straight game against the Hoosiers.
floridagators.com floridagators.com
 
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ocalaman said:
The 2 games against Indiana are the best we've hit against quality pitching. Our pitching and defense will keep us in games, but to win in the SEC you've got to be able to scores 3+ runs against really good pitching. Indiana came into the weekend with one of the lwest Team ERA's in D1 and our ladies took it to 'em.
floridagators.com

No. 10 Florida Shuts Out Indiana - Florida Gators

The Gators scored 10 runs for the second-straight game against the Hoosiers.
floridagators.com floridagators.com
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Do you think the lineup changes helped?
 
Countygator1 said:
Do you think the lineup changes helped?
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Another player hitting in Mia Williams' spot helped a little, but I just think the ladies are getting more confident hitting against really good pitchers. Different players stepped up at different moments in the 2 Indiana games nad had big hits. Katie Kistler, Jocelyn Erickson, Ava Brown, Korbe Otis. Kistler having solidified RF and not rotating starts with 2 other players has given her more confidence and she's delivering.
 
ocalaman said:
Kayla Beaver is one of the best pitchers in D1. We didn't score an earned run on her in 2 games. But by winning 2 out of 3 in Tuscaloosa, UF moved up to #11 in the D1 softball rankings while Bama dropped to #15.
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I watched her pitch many travel ball games and also watched her pitch in high school. My daughter and Kayla are friends.
 
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I noticed the game commentators are now saying what I've said for a while now....

RHP/1B Ava Brown Fr - Might be Lauren Haeger 2.0
>>> Pitches and hits bombs....
Haeger is currently with the Dallas Charge of the NPF.

RHP/1B Keagan Rothrock Fr - Might be Kelly Barnhill 2.0
>>> Barnhill is who Keagan looked up to as a kid, and both can hit 70 MPH.
Barnhill USA Softball Collegiate PoY, Honda Sports Award and espnW PoY in 2017.
No. 1 overall draft pick in the 2019 NPF draft.
NPF Chicago Bandits, Athletes Unlimited, and Taiwan Professional Softball League.

That gives them both something to aspire to as Gator softball pitchers.....

Having both on the roster at the same time as Fr, is about all any Gator softball fan could hope for imo! Add to that the Gator team is leading the nation in fielding defense.
=====

From the current NCAA Stats Page:

Gator Team Fielding % = #1 at .985

Gator Team Pitching ERA = #3 at 1.17

Gator Team Batting Ave. = #3 at .378

I smell the WCWS just around the corner with at least a shot at unseating Chokelahoma....
 
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instaGATOR said:
I noticed the game commentators are now saying what I've said for a while now....

RHP/1B Ava Brown Fr - Might be Lauren Haeger 2.0
>>> Pitches and hits bombs....
Haeger is currently with the Dallas Charge of the NPF.

RHP/1B Keagan Rothrock Fr - Might be Kelly Barnhill 2.0
>>> Barnhill is who Keagan looked up to as a kid, and both can hit 70 MPH.
Barnhill USA Softball Collegiate PoY, Honda Sports Award and espnW PoY in 2017.
No. 1 overall draft pick in the 2019 NPF draft.
NPF Chicago Bandits, Athletes Unlimited, and Taiwan Professional Softball League.

That gives them both something to aspire to as Gator softball pitchers.....

Having both on the roster at the same time as Fr, is about all any Gator softball fan could hope for imo! Add to that the Gator team is leading the nation in fielding defense.
=====

From the current NCAA Stats Page:

Gator Team Fielding % = #1 at .985

Gator Team Pitching ERA = #3 at 1.17

Gator Team Batting Ave. = #3 at .378

I smell the WCWS just around the corner with at least a shot at unseating Chokelahoma....
Click to expand...
But we were picked to finish 7th in SEC. 😉
 
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