(SB) Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

Bama also lost a game to Kennesaw St. But they've played a better schedule than UF and have beaten a couple of ranked teams- Duke & FSU. Not saying they're better than us, but we haven't scored a single run against the 3 ranked teams we've played. Hopefully that will change tomorrow.

 

Gator softball (19-4) answered a gut check by run-ruling #24 Louisiana Sunday 11-2 and then run-ruling 17-7 Rutgers 10-1 on a no-hitter from Lexie Delbrey. Gator hitters looked more focused today and even though they started Game 1 against the same pitcher who shut them down yesterday, they made much better contact and were more patient in making her thrown in the zone. Great adjustments after what happened yesterday. Emily Wilkie started behind the plate and went 2-3 with a HR. Pal Egan got the start in RF and went 1-2 with a HR, while DH Olivia Gigante hit a grand slam. Elizabeth Hightower went 3.2 inning to improve to 9-2, with Rylee Trlicek finishing out the game by shutting down the Rajun' Cajuns. In the 2nd game, Skylar Wallace slugged a 2-run HR in the first inning, Avery Goelz went 2-3 with 3 RBI and Pal Egan went 0-3 but drove in 4 runs. Delbrey only threw 51 pitches with 4 K's and a walk, theo only Knights run scoring on the walk, a HBP, sac. bunt and ground out.

Having thrown 2 complete games on back-to-back days, it appears Delbrey is fully back. So far her command of the strike zone is much improved over last year and she will head in to the upcoming SEC schedule as the Gator ace, probably Starting the first and third games of our weekend series. Rylee Trlicek looked very good this weekend as well and I think she will be called on to relieve Delbrey when necessary and split game #2, plus the midweek games with Hightower. That's my educated guess anyway.

 

A cool thing about this weekend was that 2 former Gator players were coaching opposing teams - and they were teammates at Florida. Lindsay Fico (Mercer coach), was Lindsay Cameron when she played outfield from 2003-06, was a career .304 hitter, first team All-SEC in 2003 & 2005. Kristen Butler (Rutgers) was the Gator catcher and third baseman during the same years and was SEC Player of the Year in 2006. Her career BA was .278 with .485 slugging percentage. Butler, in her 5th year as Rutgers head coach, was honored before their game with Florida today by throwing out the first pitch. What a classy move by Tim Walton, as these ladies were seniors during his first year as Gator head coach.

 

Bama lost to Wisconsin today to drop to 20-6. They split 2 games with Texas over the weekend, plus lost to Texas State. Although Florida was the pre-season favorite to win the SEC, with Bama picked 2nd, to me Tennessee is the team to watch. They are 20-1, just swept Ole Miss (who is not very good this year), and already have wins over #8 Northwestern 6-0, and #5 Clemson 1-0, with their lone loss being to Cal St. - Fullerton 5-4. They already have 15 shutouts, including 2 over the Rebels this weekend. LSU is 21-1, but their schedule is very weak, their only loss coming when they split 2 games with the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns. Their only other games against a ranked team was opening weekend when they took 2 from then ranked Oregon State. SEC time is here and we're about to see which teams can hold up to the grind. Goooo Gators!!!

 

I stand corrected. I got the wrong Lindsay off that 2003-06 team. Thanks for setting me straight.

 

Today's D! rankings have the Gators at #10, #19 in RPI.

 

No - Her married name is Fico. When she played at UF her last name was Norfleet. Apkgator was right.