Special report on the Florida Gators softball team
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida captured its 17th victory of the 2016 season with a 7-2 victory over Illinois State at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium on Thursday evening. This came on the eve of UF’s Aquafina Invitational, which kicks off Friday at 11 a.m.
The Gators recorded a season-high 14 hits, as UF scored five times in second and once in the fifth and sixth innings during tonight’s contest.
Florida opened the scoring in the bottom of the second when sophomore Kayli Kvistad hit her first home run of the season and seventh of her career to right field.
Later in the frame after UF loaded the bases with two outs, rookie Amanda Lorenz delivered a two-out, two-run single to left. The Gators tallied their final two runs of the inning when Merritt crossed home plate on a passed ball and sophomore Janell Wheaton drove in Lorenz with a single to left.
UF totaled five runs in the inning on six hits.
Illinois State cut into Florida’s lead in the fourth with a pair of runs without getting a hit.
The Redbirds scored their first run following a walk, hit by pitch and a UF throwing error. That tally became earned later in the inning after two more walks from Barnhill loaded the bases and prompted a pitching change.
Aleshia Ocasio relieved the rookie and walked Abby Turczyn forcing in another Redbirds run. The sophomore bounced back and struck out Kaitlyn Knary to end the inning, but the damage was done.
Undaunted, Florida got those two runs back in the ensuing two innings. The first came on a Janell Wheaton RBI triple and second on a passed ball, as senior Taylor Schwarz scampered home after she recorded a single earlier in the inning.
In the circle, Florida threw its three pitchers in the same game for the first time this season. Freshman Kelly Barnhill (6-0), sophomore Aleshia Ocasio and junior Delanie Gourley allowed a combined two runs on two hits while notching 14 strikeouts and walking five Redbird hitters.
News & Notes
UF has now outscored its opponents this season, 116-10.
A season ago, UF had a plus-121 run differential (141-19) through 17 games.
The Gators have made just six errors this season and currently sport one of the best fielding percentages (.985) and earned run averages in the nation (0.62). For comparison, Florida had committed 15 errors in its first 17 contests and had a fielding percentage of .964. UF went on to record its best fielding percentage (.981) and commit just 33 errors, which were both school records.
Florida’s senior class is now 190-28 and trying to catch UF’s 2011 class which boasted a 238-33 mark during their four years.
Tim Walton is now just eight wins away from his 700th win.
Florida recorded its eighth double play of the season in the sixth inning of tonight’s game.
Taylor Schwarz caught a popup and doubled ISU’s runner at first to extend her school record to 62 DP’s turned.
Hitting Streaks:
Kelsey Stewart – seven games (season long)
Taylore Fuller – three games (season long)
Kayli Kvistad – four games (one shy of her career long)
Janell Wheaton – seven games (career long)
Kayli Kvistad hit her first home run of the season and the seventh of her career in the bottom of the second inning.
Janell Wheaton recorded her team-leading 20th and 21st RBI of the season tonight.
The sophomore hit her first triple of her career and UF’s third of the season in the sixth inning.
Kirsti Merritt hit her first double of the season down the right field line in the sixth inning.
Amanda Lorenz recorded the Gators second outfield assist of the season and the first of her career in the third inning.
This was the first time all season that UF used all three of its pitchers in one game.
Kelly Barnhill has now allowed just one extra base hit in 33.1 innings pitched this season.
Florida still has yet to allow a home run, while the UF pitching staff had allowed five at this point last season.
UF’s opponents still have yet to allow an opponent to steal a base this season.
Florida is the only team in the SEC who has yet to allow a stolen base in 2016.
Coaches’ Corner
Head Coach Tim Walton:
On Florida’s offense…
“I thought we swung the bats pretty well tonight. To throw up that many hits and square up as many balls shows that they (Illinois State) made some good plays but we had some great at bats too. Overall, I thought we had some really good swings up and down the lineup. We had two hits out of the nine-hole and three hits out of the seven-hole, which shows that everyone has a good approach.”
On Florida’s pitching…
“We have three good pitchers and I’m going to utilize them in many different ways. Sometimes, like tonight, we might use three in one game and sometimes we might use four in one game and bring the starter back. Overall, I think our pitching is really good and our defense is really good too.”
Series History
Florida is now 6-2 all-time against Illinois State and winners of six straight. These two squads have played six times in the last three seasons, and Florida has won those contests by a combined score of 33-5. Prior to 2012, the Gators only saw ISU twice in 2007, falling 1-0 both times.
UF faced ISU on opening day this season at the USF Wilson-DeMarini Tournament in Tampa, where the Gators downed the Redbirds 11-0 in five innings.
Next Up
Florida continues its eight-game homestand tomorrow with the Gators first game at the Aquafina Invitational. Over the weekend, UF will play FIU twice and have a single game against Illinois State, South Alabama and Florida A&M. The Redbirds, Panthers, Jaguars and Rattlers also will play a total of seven additional games during the tournament.