UF softball dropped to 26-4, 4-3 in the SEC, losing to Tennessee Friday night 6-0. Gator bats were ineffective against a grad transfer pitcher for the Vols, who has replaced their ace who is out with an injury. She didn't walk any Gators and scattered 6 hits. with 5 K's. Elizabeth Hightower was solid for 4 innings, but gave up a solo HR in the 5th and then lost it in the 6th, giving up 2 more runs. Melissa Mesiemore gave up 3 more runs in the 7th, as the Gators looked like the inferior team in their opening game against #14 Tennessee. Is there reason for concern? Echols and Adams have not been hitting like their have in the past, especially in the clutch. Lindsey and Wallace are the only consistent hitters against quality pitching. I know we're 26-4, but only 4-3 in the SEC and the SOS isn't very good. Number wise, this team is better than last year. But the eye test doesn't cut it for me right now.
I saw a lot of discussion about our pitching in the game thread. However, looking around the sec, I don't see any consistent dominating pitching. Most would say Montana Fouts is the best pitcher in the league, yet she got beat at lsu and gave up 5 runs on 9 hits tonight vs SC thru 6.
Florida has not scored in their three SEC defeats plus Echols is batting 150 and Adams is batting 227 in SEC play. Bad situation.
I’ve said it for a few weeks, this team is just missing something. They don’t do the little things, but they also don’t have the it factor previous teams have had. Not giving up on them, they still could get hot. But I tempered my expectations on this season a while ago.
With the exception of about four teams the Gators nonconference schedule was very weak which in my opinion made them look much better than they really are. I hope I'm wrong.
Lexie Delbrey gets the start today over Natalie Lugo. Falby moved down to #6 in the batting order. UT's ace Ashley Rogers on the mound for the first time in over 3 weeks. Delbrey hit the first batter, who stole 2nd, went to 3rd on a wild pitch, then scored on a ground out. 1-0 UT going to the 3rd. Neither team has a hit. Gators have been 6 up, 6 down with 4 K's. Our SOS is #62, Tennessee is #3, Alabama #2, Oklahoma #11, UCLA #10. Just didn't play enough quality teams to get ready for the SEC.
We just don't hit HRs anymore compared to the other top teams in the SEC and around the country. Tennessee has double the amount of HRs on the season and in SEC games in comparison to the Gators.
What's the thinking in not starting Lugo today? I thought CTW said Hightower/Lugo starters with Delbrey relief was the plan for the year. What's up with Pittman? She doesn't pitch during the easy SOS lead up to SEC play, but then she's brought in twice. Why not used before now? What's up with Decker? Injured or just not ready for play at this level yet? She tries to keep the team pumped up with a chest-bump between every single inning (watch for it), but that's about it. What's up with Falby? Is this a more of a "take the pressure off" temporary demotion for a game or a real "you have lost the lead off job" situation. What's the deal with Longley? Why does she get brought in to pinch hit, batting .200?
Lot of good questions, no answers. I asked similar pitching questions in the game thread. Curious choices.
UF softball got beat up by Tennessee again, losing 7-2 to drop their record to 26-5, 4-4 in the SEC. Lexie Delbrey started in the circle for the Gators and hit the leadoff batter, wo then stole second, took 3rd on a wild pitch and scored on a ground out. They scored 3 more in the 3rd and 3 more in the 5th on only 5 hits, but got 4 walks and 2 hit batters to cruise to the win. Delbrey threw 5 innings and was charged with all 6 runs, Meanwhile the Gators didn't have a base runner until the 4th inning, only had 3 hits for the game and only scored on a 2-run HR from Emily Wilkie in the bottom of the 7th. The series concludes Sunday at 2 pm and who know who the Gators will pitch - Hightower again, Trlicek, Lugo? They look like a lost team right now.
All legit questions. I have 1 more - What about Rylee Trlicek. She came to UF as the #2 rated pitcher in the nation that year. During her true freshman year, she was ahead of Hightower, as her & Lugo got most of the innings prior to the COVID shutdown. She beat some ranked teams and looked like a budding star in the circle. But last year she pitched very little and this year is throwing even less. Is there an injury, has she not developed or worked hard enough to get better in the off season or is she not getting the coaching needed to improve? She was supposed to be the next big thing for Gator pitching and her true freshman year she looked the part. WTH happened?
All of the good questions will never be answered. Walton seldom goes into specifics during his post game or radio interviews.and of course the press never asks the tough questions.
Truer words were never spoken. Usually one or two press people asking questions that are often unintelligible. Can I please get a GatorCountry media pass and attend? I promise to be respectful but my questions are gonna have some meat on them.
Made a comment in the baseball thread that basically can be repeated. Our girls program won two in a row a few years back and we hoped that we were watching a dominant streak begin. Since then, we have continued to recruit relatively well yet underachieved for the most part. We have a great class lined up the next couple of classes so hopefully we can pull another title. But it is becoming more and more obvious just how many factors go into winning a natty, including a measure of luck.
When Rocha and Gajewski left for the State of Oklahoma, so did consistent player development. I think Tim's got some tough decisions to make. IMO.
The softball team avoided the sweep by beating Tennessee 4-1 to improve to 27-5, 5-4 on the year. Elizabeth Hightower went 4.1 innings, giving up 1 run on 2 hits, 4 walks, a hit batter and 5 K's. Natalie Lugo got the win, going the final 2.3 innings giving up nothing but a walk. Florida fell behind early on a solo HR from the Vols, but tied it in the bottom of the 3rd on an RBI single from Cheyenne Lindsey. Reagan Walsh put the Gators ahead with an RBI single in the 5th. They scored 2 more in the 6th on a solo HR from Avery Goelz and a double from Charla Echols. The star of the game for the Gators, however, was Skylar Wallace, who had a double, single, 2 walks, 3 stolen bases and 3 runs scored. The Gators next host a ranked UCF team who beat them twice last year Wednesday at 6 pm on SEC+. They then head to Auburn for their weekend series. This team piled up a lot of gaudy stats early on playing a weak SOS and it's been a tough adaptation to their SEC schedule. I think they have a chance to challenge for the league title again IF Hightower and Lugo compliment each other like they did today and most of last year. Neither one is likely to throw complete games against quality opponents, but when they relieve each other mid-game, it worked today as it did often last season. Also, our talented freshmen should start coming around as they move through the difficult schedule and you have to believe that Adams and Echols will turn it on like they have their entire careers. All of that needs to happen, but I'm a little more optimistic about the softball program at this point than I am about the baseball team.
Just bunt every AB vs Auburn, youll get 8 or 9 unearned per game. Worst defensive team in softball history. 3 of 4 losses are result of unearned runs, including 4 in 7th today. 2 Es in inning allowing 3 run walkoff for UK. Also down 2 starters as of today from injuries this weekend. One being at 2B where 3 of the 5 Es came from today. Other at C. No idea status next week. On bright side for AU, Lowe looked herself in circle today for first time all year. Battling arm trouble from start of season. Held best hitting team in SEC to 1 solo shot for 6.1. The only earned run of game for UK. Good news is they can lose out still make regional (ridiculous but true) maybe theyll learn how to catch the ball by then. .924 FP% after first 9 SEC games. not a misprint.
