Munro powers Florida Gators softball past MSU

Report on the Florida Gators softball team:

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Senior Aubree Munro hit her first-career grand slam and sophomore Aleshia Ocasio earned her 16th win in the circle during Saturday’s series-clinching win, as No. 1 Florida (44-3/14-3 SEC) downed Mississippi State (24-22/3-14 SEC), 6-3.
 
Munro, who’s currently on a nine-game hitting streak, is hitting .542 (13 for 24) during this streak with three home runs, two doubles, one triple, 11 RBI, and seven runs scored.
 
The Gators overcame a two-run third-inning deficit with six runs in the bottom of third to mark Florida’s seventh come from behind victory in 2016.  In the circle, Ocasio (16-1) allowed two runs on five hits and three walks with a season-high seven strikeouts over five innings.
 
Ocasio allowed two runs in a game for the first time since June 1, 2015.
 
Junior Delanie Gourley relieved the sophomore in the sixth and tossed two scoreless innings with one strikeout to earn her fifth save of the season and 12^th of her career. The Lakeside, Calif. native ranks third in in Florida history with those 12 saves as Stacey Nelson (18) and Hannah Rogers (14) hold the top two marks in program lore.
 
Mississippi State wasted no time grabbing its first hit and run of the series on Saturday. After Ocasio walked the leadoff hitter in the top of the first, MSU’s Mackenzie Toler recorded an RBI double down the left-field line to score the game’s first run.
 
In the top of the third inning after a leadoff triple by Kayla Winkfield, Mississippi State extended its lead to 2-0 on an RBI single by Caroline Seitz.
 
Undaunted, Florida answered in the bottom of the third inning.
 
With runners on first and second with two outs, senior Kirsti Merritt recorded a two-run double into right-center field to tie the game at two runs apiece.
 
After a hit by pitch and walk loaded the bases, senior Aubree Munro hit Florida’s first grand slam of the season to left-center field to give the Gators a 6-2 lead.
 
Mississippi State scored the game’s final run in the fifth when MSU’s Amanda Ivy recorded a two-out RBI double into right-center field.
 
Team Notes

• With tonight’s win, Florida is now 44-3 and still holds the highest win percentage (.936) in the country.
• Florida, who’s currently in first place in the SEC standings, holds a 14-3 mark in conference play for the first time since 2012 when the Gators were 15-2 through 17 league games.
• Florida’s senior class is now 217-31, which currently ranks tied for fifth among four-year class records in program history.
  • This year’s group is now tied with UF’s 2014 graduating class that went 217-47 throughout its four seasons.
  • Taylore Fuller, Kirsti Merritt, Aubree Munro, Taylor Schwarz and Kelsey Stewart are trying to catch UF’s 2011 class which boasted a 238-33 mark during their four years.
• Tim Walton is now just four wins away from his 600th win at Florida.
  • Walton earned his 700^th career win on March 12 at Auburn.
• Saturday’s game was broadcast on SEC Network+. Florida is now 24-2 in contests that are streamed online.
• Florida is now 28-0 against unranked opponents this season.

 
Stat Watch

• UF has now outscored its opponents this season, 292-46.
  • In 2015, UF had a plus-246 run differential (333-87) through 47 games.
  • In 2014, UF had a plus-213 run differential (317-104) through 47 games.
• Florida’s 46 runs allowed through 47 games is the second fewest in school history through this point in any season.
  • UF’s 2009 squad allowed 40 tallies through 47 contests and Florida’s last two NCAA Championship teams had allowed 85 runs each, respectively.
  • The Gators have made just 20 errors this season and currently sport one of the best fielding percentages (.984) and earned run averages in the nation (0.86). For comparison, Florida had committed 27 errors through 47 contests last season and had a fielding percentage of .978. UF went on to record a .981 fielding percentage and commit just 33 errors, which are both school records.
• Florida’s astounding 0.86 team ERA (302.2 IP) would go down as the second-best ERA for a single season in program history if the season ended today.
• Top ERA Season’s in UF History:
  • 2008 – 0.92 ERA (512.0 IP)
  • 2009 – 0.69 ERA (444.0 IP)
• Florida’s miniscule .158 batting average against (302.2 IP) would go down as the best b/avg. for a single season in program history if the season ended today.
• Top B/Avg. Season’s in UF History:
  • 2008 – 0.176 b/avg. (512.0 IP)
  • 2009 – 0.161 b/avg. (444.0 IP)
• UF did not allow a stolen base on Saturday, remaining the only team in the SEC who has yet to allow more than three stolen bases in 2016.
  • In addition, three stolen bases is the fewest Florida has allowed in school history through 47 games.
  • Florida’s opponents have only attempted to steal nine bases againstAubree Munro and Florida’s catchers this season. That mark would shatter Florida’s school record of 25 attempts that was set in 2015.
    • In addition, UF’s stolen-base-against percentage of 33% (3-9) this season would be the lowest in school history if the season ended today. Florida’s 2003 team currently holds that mark as they allowed just 51.7% (31-60) of runners to steal a base safely.

 
Pitching Notes

• Aleshia Ocasio (16-1), Kelly Barnhill (14-0) and Delanie Gourley (14-2) are looking to become the first trio in school history to all record at least 15 wins in a season.
• Gourley (150), Barnhill (135) and Ocasio (110) are the second trio in school history to all record 100+ strikeouts in a season. They are trying to become the first trio in school history to all record 150+ strikeouts in a season.
• Florida’s trio of pitchers are looking to become the second group to all throw at least 100 innings in a single season.
  • UF’s 2002 group of Amanda Moore (174.2 IP), Amanda Knowles (113.2) and Mandy Schuerman (105.0 IP) last achieved this feat.
  • Innings pitched totals = Delanie Gourley – 108.2, Aleshia Ocasio – 107.0, ,Kelly Barnhill – 84.0
  • Ocasio (136.0, 2015) and Gourley (107.2, 2014) have each achieved this feat once before in their careers.
• Florida’s pitching trio has combined to allow just 46 runs, while they have totaled 395 strikeouts. Both of those numbers lead the SEC.
  • Only two teams in Florida history have ever allowed less than 100 runs in a single season. UF’s 2009 squad allowed just 67 runs and its 2008 team allowed 94 tallies.
  • Florida’s 395 strikeouts currently ranks ninth all-time in program history for strikeouts in a single season.
• Ocasio (0.65) and Gourley (0.71) entered this week with the No. 1 and No. 4 ERAs in the country and Barnhill is fourth in strikeouts per game (10.9).
• After Gourley earned her fifth save of the season, Florida’s pitching staff has now recorded 11 saves season. That is the top mark for a single season in Florida history.
• Gourley joined Ocasio with five saves this season, which is tied for the Florida single season record.
• Ocasio’s astounding 0.65 ERA (107.0 IP) would go down as the second-best ERA for a single season in Florida history if the season ended today.
  • Stacey Nelson currently holds the top two single season ERAs in program history, as she recorded a 0.61 ERA (285.1 IP) in 2009 and 0.75 (352.2 IP) in 2008.
• Gourley’s astounding 0.71 ERA (108.2 IP) would go down as the third-best ERA for a single season in Florida history if the season ended today.
  • Stacey Nelson currently holds the top two single season ERAs in program history, as she recorded a 0.61 ERA (285.1 IP) in 2009 and 0.75 (352.2 IP) in 2008.

 
Hitting Notes

• Hitting Streak:
  • Aubree Munro – nine games (season long & one shy of career long)
  • Kirsti Merritt – four games (one shy of season long)
  • Kelsey Stewart – three games
• In addition, Kelsey Stewart is now two total bases shy of Lauren Haeger‘s program record 494.
• Kirsti Merritt recorded her fourth double of the season and her 10^th extra-base hit in the third inning.
• Aubree Munro‘s three home runs this season ties her single-season high that she set back in 2014. Munro now has eight career long balls.
• Kayli Kvistad is hitting .500 (15 for 30) over UF’s last 10 games with six homers, 17 RBI and eight runs scored.
• Kvistad and Amanda Lorenz are challenging for the top on-base percentage in school history, as they each have recorded an OBP of .547 and .512 thus far this season.
  • Bailey Castro set the program record a season ago when she reached base at a .536 clip.
• Amanda Lorenz, who’s currently hitting .386, is on pace to record the highest batting average for a freshman in school history. In addition, she could become the first rookie in program history to have an on-base percentage over .500.
  • Kelsey Stewart holds the batting title as she hit .378 during her freshman season in 2013.
• Other freshman ranks that Lorenz is climbing into:
  • Runs Scored – T-7^th (43)
  • Doubles – T-7^th (10)
  • Walks – 6^th (36)

 
Coaches’ Corner
Head Coach Tim Walton:
On Florida’s pitching…
“I’m not going to take anything away from Aleshia (Ocasio). Mississippi State just found a way to hit her better than most teams have this season, and that’s why we changed it up with Delanie (Gourley) at the end of today’s game.”
 
On Florida’s offense…
“If you would have asked me who would’ve have had the biggest hits today, I would have said it would be (Aubree) Munro and (Kirsti) Merritt. Both of them have hit Alexis Silkwood pretty well historically. They both hit it out of the ball park last year a couple of times, so I think there was a right on left match-up there that’s favorable to them. Both Aubree and Kirsti had really nice swings in the third inning. I thought we were patient enough at the plate earlier to get into that situation where we weren’t chasing pitches.” 
 
Series History

• Florida now leads the all-time series with Mississippi State, 32-19; this including a 18-8 advantage at home.
• Since Tim Walton became Florida’s head coach before the 2006 season, the Gators are now 23-3 against the Bulldogs.