(SB) Official Game Thread - FSU @ UF - Wed. 6 pm SEC+

I think the team hit the freshmen wall. I'm not being negative, just what I think.

 

Flush this one after the 4th inning. Nice homer by Walsh. And good start and double from Brown. Momentum conpletley changed after that Kistler play which I will not come off my take that she completley caught that ball. I still think this twam is going to be just fine. Like that we have rothrock a night off. Tough for Miller though. Not that she looked necessarily great but she made pitches that should've had her out of the inning before it went insane.

 

Kistler today and Skylar hitting into three consecutive DPS last series . Right now is just not going well for us. Nothing lasts forever however. We’re given challenges for a reason, challenges exist so they can be overcome. Problems exist to be solved. It’s only a loss if you don’t learn from it. This team will figure it out. Smash Georgia revenge the criminoles.

 

Who’s paying for them?

 

The POWER of positivity is underrated imo. I wholeheartedly believe a COLLECTIVE positive outlook can make a difference!

 

Don’t we already have a great new pitcher coming in? Obviously need to up the NIL game and an extra arm would always be welcome but.

 

Thankfully we’ve got stellar upperclassmen.

 

Yes, and you’d hope the three from this year are better next year too.

 

They absolutely will be. But the path to a championship is difficult especially for pitchers in this new not so new era softball. I’m not opposed at all to another arm.

 

The arm or player has to fit. Talent isn’t enough. Character, integrity and class matter to Gator softball. I love that about this program. This program and these ladies represent this university so well. Non of us want a repeat of the 2012 regional. Non of us will ever say those three unspeakable names.

 

You suggested our struggles was due to NIL (implying our roster isn't good enough) and I think our roster is probably the best in the SEC, regardless of our NIL spending. We're just hitting a freshman wall right now. But it appears you agree with me that we've got a great bunch and could be headed to OKC.

 

Our roster is phenomenal and full of young talent that will only get better. My comment was in response to somebody else’s post about missing out on a veteran arm in the transfer portal. Not getting that arm had nothing to do with a lack of effort on CTW part. I was defending CTW and blaming NIL. I think we just misunderstood each other but appear to be on the same page now.

 

We didn't get the veteran pitching we needed from the portal due to NIL....the roster as a whole is very good, just too much youth in the circle

 

I get the NIL comment, and there is no doubt this season would have benefitted from (affirmed by CTW) an experienced arm. But let’s keep in mind, we brought some of the best hitters in the SEC (at home), who didn’t have to face Royalty (SR Pitcher), but Wilson who has a 3.73 ERA with a total of 86 innings pitched in her career, and two Freshmen pitchers. If you would have told me this is what FSU was going to do, I would have said they’re toast tonight. We have got to get more of our base runners home when they’re in scoring position. If we had done this, the mindsets of the two teams would have been entirely different going into that 5th inning. I do believe there was a bit of overthinking and maybe some overcompensating adding to our difficulties last night. NIL is nice for a key player or two, but development of our Freshmen will always be the fundamental core of our success in my opinion. Go Gators!

 

My guess is CTW thought he bagged two generational pitchers from HS and thought he could ride them along with another elite pitcher in Miller. He was right for the first third of the season. Our team ERA was near record breaking territory. But they've definitely hit a freshman wall. I dunno, did he really try to get a vet arm? I doubt he was desperate with the trio we had coming in.

 

These games happen to almost every team in America. No need to talk about experienced pitchers in my opinion. Keep what's in the stable. See how it plays out. Florida should have 2 sophomore experienced players next year in the circle. Keep fighting ladies!! 2/3 in sec is impressive !!!

 

CTW was proactive in his efforts to balance the team's pitching strength. He tried hard to secure a veteran arm, with Alana Vawter being a potential candidate. However, she was bought by South Carolina for a rumored $67,000 from women's basketball NIL, leaving us without a veteran addition.

Kelly Maxwell was going to come here but was "persuaded" to go to OU. This is the most puzzling transfer. She spent three years at Oklahoma State and went to OU for money. Kenny was not happy. It will be interesting at Oklahoma State alumni gatherings.

 

And another outstanding incoming freshman who, as a junior, was the Florida Gatorade POY and won a state championship.
Red (Katelynn Oxley) (@katelynnred39) • Instagram photos and videos

 

I guess you are one of the few who knows exactly how the softball NIL works.

If so, please enlighten us.

 

It’s an unregulated Wild West right now and young athletes are going to be taken advantage of. Sadly the NCAA doesn’t care because they’re the NCAA lol. I recently read a very enlightening/disturbing article on the subject. I will try to find it and post it here.