Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

Erickson's 'More to offer' Quest Comes Full Circle in OKC


Erickson's 'More to offer' Quest Comes Full Circle in OKC - Florida Gators

 

Francesca’s motivational speech: Trusting in each other. It’s almost time for the WCWS ️ #GoGators | Florida Gators Softball

 

I didn't like having Scarborough on the call tonight. She had just talked about the Gators not making adjustments at the plate in the second rotation facing Kilfoyl when Katie hit her homerun. In an interview on ESPN after the game, Katie talked about the hitters making small adjustments which helped her hit the homerun. Scarborough is such a homer for aTm that she can't stand the Gators. The same goes for Shipman when she is on the call except insert UTn.

 

The quote of the day to the Gators before the game by CTW, “It’s just another softball game, go have fun!” It set the tone.

 

WCWS Coverage of UF's 1-0 win over Oklahoma State

FINAL: Florida 1, Oklahoma State 0 - Florida Gators

Softball vs Oklahoma State on 5/30/2024 - Box Score - Florida Gators

Gators Softball on X: " AIR FALBY! ESPN2 | @kendrafalby https://t.co/dKNdOhwDmQ" / X (twitter.com)

Florida 1-0 Oklahoma State (May 30, 2024) Video Highlights - ESPN

WHAT HAPPENED: Florida senior outfielder Katie Kistler blasted a solo home run in the fifth inning that broke up a no-hitter and turned out to be enough as the fourth-seeded Gators shut out fifth-seeded Oklahoma State 1-0 in their Women's College World Series opener Thursday night at Devon Park. It was enough because UF freshman ace Keagan Rothrock threw a two-hit masterpiece in her WCWS debut, helping the Gators win their 13th in the last 14 games, but more importantly moving them into the winner's bracket of the eight-team tournament field. Rothrock (31-7), the fabulous freshman making her WCWS debut, held the Cowgirls scoreless for the first time in 20 games. OSU was hitting .312 as a team, good enough for 26th nationally, but managed just two hits and had only one runner reach second base. The game was scoreless when Kistler opened the UF fifth by taking All American Lexi Kilfoyl to a full count, then tagging the 3-2 pitch over the right field fence, just a few feet inside the foul pole. The run was the Gators' first in two games this season against Kilfoyl, who pitched a 3-0, three-hit shutout at Gainesville back on Feb. 19. This time, it was Rothrock and Florida's turn.

PLAY OF THE GAME: In the OSU fifth, Lexi McDonald sent a high fly ball to deep center field that forced Kendra Falby to retreat and make a leaping catch up against the wall, thus robbing the Cowgirls of what would have been an extra-base hit and keeping the game scoreless. There's a reason Falby won that Rawlings Gold Glove on Wednesday, honoring her as the nation's best defensive player at her position. Oh, and about five minutes later, Kistler stepped to the plate in the UF half of the fifth. What a turn of events.

 

Love this team.

 

Me too!

 

Amanda worked her magic again:

 

Someone on our game thread mentioned the no hitter and right after that, boom! Lol

 

Florida Winning% vs. NCAA Tournament Field: .7273

WCWS Teams Head-to-Head Winning Percentage Through Day 1:

1T. Florida 4-2/.6667
1T. Oklahoma State 6-3/.6667
3. Oklahoma 5-4/.5556
4. Texas 6-5/.5455
5. UCLA 4-4/.5000
6. Alabama 1-3/.3333
7. Stanford 1-4/.2500
8. *Duke 0-2/.0000

Having 3 teams in the WCWS helps with the Big 12 numbers.

*Duke's 2 losses are to Oklahoma.

 

That is a future head coach talking and, hopefully, some day, our head coach.

 

I wish CTW would just have Falby just swing away. The slapping isnt working

 

MCB51 has a good memory. Someone in the thread might have mentioned the OSU no hitter heading to the bottom of the 5th inning.

 

God,does anyone think any commentators actually like florida,it just gets old that everyone hates florida no matter what the sport.

 

Agreed. I actually like the team of Amanda and Kevin Brown. Far, far better than the alternative. I mute the early games and find a radio feed for one of the involved teams so I can maintain some sanity while watching it. Yes, Amanda totally blew everything she said about that infield fly situation but I think it was ignorance of the rule and not something to favor A&M. What she said was so totally wrong in analyzing the play it has to be she didn't then, but hopefully now, understands the rule rather than favoring A&M. And yes, there is a special place in her heart for A&M but she, in my opinion, is reasonably fair and simply reporting/commenting on the game in front of her. Francesca did the same in her broadcasting but never hid her special feelings for Florida. I wouldn't expect either of them to hide it. It would be phony.

 

In gymnastics, ESPN doesn't have Bridget Sloan covering UF anymore. However, they let Scarborough cover aTm and Shipman cover UTn.

Both Scarborough and Shipman have difficulty being fair with UF as they still view UF as a rival and not simply another team to cover. I'd tell them to grow up, but apparently, it's built into their psyche.

Maybe the answer is to have more Gators enter broadcasting and request to cover UF.

 

Francesca was covering UF on a local basis. She wasn't a big dog with ESPN.

I disagree with you on Scarborough. She can't keep away from her ill feelings for UF. It affects her coverage of UF in a negative way.

The Oklahoma Sooner was so bad that I had to mute the whole game after the 1st inning. Her sidekick knew nothing about softball, just a pretty boy on the mic.