Back to the present. That 16 yoa kid turned out to be a big, beautiful, blonde woman that can play this game. From yesterday. The choppy video is not my fault.
It is interesting how deep she lets the ball get in the strike zone before she unloads on it. That tells me how good her mechanics are and how well she sees the ball. A handful of Gators have had the same skill set, Lorenz, Wallace, Enea, Stewart, Bush, Erickson, Bruder, Otis, Echols, Multrie. Linderman, Haeger. (I’ve may have left a few off this list). I am waiting with bated breath to see Taylor hit in a Gator Uniform after watching all of rickjs1 video posts of her at bats.
This is off-topic but very interesting. The only other one that could claim it is the set of twins competing.
OK. I forgot about Townsen video. My bad. Hard to find any videos of her. The Texas Bombers do not broadcast their games the way the Batbusters do. So I have to wait and hope they play one of the Batbusters' teams. They did on 7/25 against Batbusters-Black (not Taylor's team) and won 12-2. The box score shows Townsen with a 3-4 day with 2 runs scored, 4 rbis, a double and a home run. (She was also caught stealing once.). I have gone back and forth trying to find a double and I can't find it. She did have a bunt in the first inning where she probably beat out the throw that went wild and she went to second. That can't be a double but I can't find anything else. Anyway, she is a slapper the majority of the time but in this instance hit straight away and the ball left the park. I have seen Taylor hit 200-300 times. I've seen Townsen hit perhaps 10 times. So your guess is as good as mine regarding what happens in right field when both get to campus. Hard not to believe Taylor has a leg up but we will see. Anyway....Townsen goes yard:
I like the second part, but I really would like to think that a coach’s job includes improving their own players.
I'm 72 and have always been a Gator. Fall sports used to be my favorite, but the last several years I've been finding myself looking more forward to baseball and softball season than football and basketball. Am I the only one?
I’m right there with you Ocala. I was hooked as a young boy going to the football games with my parents. Dreamed of playing like SOS in the 60’s, doing our best imitations of Gator Greats in neighborhood pick-up games. The evolution of college football lost its fascination and mystery for me. My Family gravitated toward the fast pace of College Softball while my kids worked their way to degrees at UF. We watched in admiration as Coach Walton built his teams and Championships, and look forward to the future. Go Gators!
Growing up my whole life was baseball. I played, modestly decently, up to and including some college. Then 8 years traveling the South with my Grandson playing elite travel ball and serving as official scorer for every team he played on those 8 years. Growing up I could name the starting lineup for most MLB clubs. Football and basketball came next. Totally committed. But I then found softball. I find it hard to watch an entire baseball game now...it just drags...even with the rules intended to speed up the game. When I tell other Gator fans that Gator softball is my favorite sport and nothing else is a close second, they look at me as if I have two heads.
Agree. Football has turned into get money for yourself now and position yourself to paid even more in the NFL later. In many ways, it's all serious business. Still love it and the traditions in the Swamp, but ...... Softball is love of the game, love for your teammates, and have a great time right now. Softball players show joy on the field; don't really see that with football players. The integrity of CTW sure doesn't hurt either.
OMG!!!!! Red Oxley. Stud. I am completely and totally blown away. I had never seen her pitch before. I know her great high school stats. High school stats need to be taken in context. If you are pretty good, you will have great high school stats. What matters is what you can do at elite travel levels. Birmingham Thunderbolts against Athletics Mercado for the PGF National Championship. Both are every year national championship contenders with Batbusters and a couple others. As elite level as you can get in travel. I knew she played on the Bolts. No idea how she was doing. Only the Batbusters broadcast every game. Only the Batbusters provide stats for every game. Everyone else operates in virtual secret as far as the general public is concerned. I didn't know if Red would even get to pitch in the championship game. That was answered quick...she got the start. First impression was this kid is built like the proverbial brick shithouse. Chisled. Normal waist. Huge upper and lower body. Just exudes strength. So, I'm just intently watching and wondering what she's got. Struck out the side in the first. Just blew the ball by them. Now I'm transfixed. She is the PGF National Championship pitcher. I assume she will get the MVP of the game. Her stats were excellent but the reality of how she threw was even better than the stats. She went 6 full. Gave up 7 hits but only one hard hit ball the entire six innings. Gave up two earned runs on the only hard hit ball...a double in the 5th. Struck out 10. Walked three. Hit two. She was much more dominant than even those stats would imply. They simply, for the most part, could not come close to keeping up with her. This is Mercado we are talking about being blown away. She did it with a two level rise, a curve and an occasional change. For the most part she simply blew the ball past them. The other six hits were a bloop two feet behind second base, a bunt, a swinging bunt, a bloop to short center, and an infield bloop. I'm serious...the double was the only time they really connected off of her. She gave up the infield bloop to leadoff the 7th and they pulled her but I have no doubt she could have finished it. After the game she flexed for the crowd...lol...this kid is strong as a bull. Post game interview...very nicely done....well spoken....ended it with a "Go Gators". I am dumbstruck adding this kid to the existing staff.
