Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

What I think is the gold medal game between USA and Canada has started in Dallas. 0-0 after one. Addison Fisher in the circle. A stud...complete stud...going to UCLA. McLaine Hudson dropped a perfect bunt but they barely got her. Townsen slapped a hit off the pitcher's glove that rolled into the outfield for her 11th hit of the tournament. Stranded at first. Edit: I think this is the medal round but not the gold medal game. I can't find an actual bracket and the announcers aren't helping at all.

 

1-0 USA after three. Hudson just missed another bomb that drifted foul and then singled oppo to right. Townsen laid down a bunt and I think she was across first base with her speed before the third baseman picked it up. Two runners for USA thrown out at home including Townsen and I seriously don't think the Canadian catcher actually tagged either of them.

 

3-0 USA. Townsen hit a fielder's choice to the pitcher with a runner on third. They tried to get the runner at third and threw it away for one run. Townsen tried to get all the way to third and they threw that away again allowing Townsen to score. No rbis for anyone.

 

Townsen sounds savvy and aggressive on the base paths like Kelsey Stewart was. I can’t wait for this season to start!

 

Ella McDowell headed to Arky is leading the tournament in hitting at .785. Townsen is somewhere near the very top at .667.

 

Tim needs to find a way to get both Townsen and Taylor on the field at the same time and I don't know right now how he is going to do that. Neither should be beaten out for the other and then on the bench.

 

6-0 USA still batting in the 5th. Canada's defense has gone into the toilet.

 

Hudson hit a frozen rope directly at the shortstop to end the bottom of the 5th with the bases loaded to just miss ending it on a run rule.

 

Townsen with a slap single through 4-3 hole to leadoff the bottom of the 6th.

 

OK. Announcers are killing me. I'm pretty sure USA walked it off in the bottom of the 6th for a run rule 7-0 game and that was the gold medal game, if medals are given out. Apparently, Canada has to come back in 30 minutes and play Mexico for 2nd place???? Which doesn't make sense because if that was a gold medal game then Canada should have the silver....I have no clue. Anyway, this was a World Cup Qualifier for next year's actual World Cup. USA was guaranteed a bye, which they don't need, due to being the home team in the qualifier. In any event, with the confusion, Townsen now need to get her butt back to Gainesville and we will see how this mess turns out. But it is a very good mess.

 

Addison Fisher threw a two hit shutout in 6. I think two hits. Struck out around 8. Final stats not yet posted. Now, the competition in this tournament was something less than a really good travel tournament in the USA but, that said, Fisher is going to be very tough for 4 years at UCLA. Good rise but her two best pitches are a drop and a drop change. Reminds me somewhat of Alishia. When Lele's drop was on, she was basically unhittable.

 

Caroline Stanton, a 2-way player from Buford, GA named Softball America's #1 2026 recruit. Played for the Texas Bombers. And, yes, she is on my list of people Tim and Francesca are highlighting. (For those not familiar with Georgia high school sports, Buford is between Atlanta and Gainesville in the Lake Lanier area and is consistently elite level in Georgia in almost all sports.)

 

And, yet gymnastics posted this.

 

Did UF Gymnastics post that or was it a fan or family? Big difference.

 

Basketball had a few visitors for Miami weekend.

 

Yep. Word gets out in most of the sports. No reason for it to be a secret. The silence in everything softball is deafening.

 

She’s 5’11 too btw

 

No, seriously, after this weekends performance, is it February yet?

 

The play I described above where Canada gave up the game with two throw aways at third on Townsen's fielder's choice: