Report on the Florida Gators softball team:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Senior Kelsey Stewart went 3-for-3 and junior Delanie Gourley picked up her 10th win of 2016 as No. 1 Florida shutout No. 16 Tennessee, 3-0, to sweep its first SEC series of the season. The Gators (30-1/5-1 SEC) swept the Volunteers (21-8/3-3 SEC) for the first time since May 6-8, 2011.
This was eighth time in school history that Florida completed a three-game sweep of Tennessee. In addition, Florida recorded its first SEC sweep since April 24-26 of last season against Texas A&M.
UF allowed just two runs this weekend, marking the fewest Florida allowed Tennessee to score in a three-game set since these two schools met in 2009.
After Florida was held scoreless in the first two innings, Stewart took matters into her own hands in the third. The senior led off with a single, stole second base, moved to third on a groundout, and came into score on a wild pitch.
Stewart continued her impressive day in the fifth when she notched a two-run single up the middle to extend the Florida lead to 3-0. Sophomore Nicole DeWitt and junior Justine McLean found their way into scoring position on a single and a Tennessee error to setup Stewart for the RBI opportunity.
Junior Delanie Gourley (10-0), who threw seven shutout innings to go along with eight strikeouts, allowed just one Tennessee base runner to get into scoring position all afternoon.
News & Notes
* Florida is now tied with its 2011 team for the best start to a season in school history with a 30-1 record.
* Florida has won five of its first six SEC games for the first time since 2014.
* UF has now outscored its opponents this season, 208-28.
o In 2015, UF had a plus-175 run differential (230-55) through 31 games.
o In 2014, UF had a plus-182 run differential (229-47) through 31 games.
* Florida’s 28 runs allowed through 31 games is the second fewest in school history through this point in any season.
o UF’s 2009 squad allowed 23 tallies through 31 contests and Florida’s last two NCAA Championship teams had allowed 47 (2014) and 55 (2015) runs, respectively.
* The Gators have made just 11 errors this season and currently sport one of the best fielding percentages (.986) and earned run averages in the nation (0.87). For comparison, Florida had committed 22 errors in its first 31 contests last season and had a fielding percentage of .972. 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 203-29, which currently ranks ninth among four-year class records in program history.
o Sitting eighth on this list UF’s 2008 graduating class that went 204-75 throughout its four seasons.
o 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 18 wins away from his 600th win at Florida.
o Walton earned his 700th career win on March 12 at Auburn<http://floridagators.com/news/2016/3/13/softball-wins-result-in-great-relationships.aspx?path=softball>.
* Sunday’s game was broadcast on SEC Network. Florida posted a 15-5 record on national television a season ago and is now 4-1 so far this season.
* The Gators batted .232 on the weekend and its pitching staff compiled a 0.67 earned run average, with 22 strikeouts and three walks.
* Kelsey Stewart paced the Gators offense this weekend she hit .556 (5 for 9) with two RBI and four runs scored.
* UF hitters have struck out 86 times on the year; two of the Gators’ three pitchers has 95+ strikeouts.
* (Delanie Gourley – 95, Kelly Barnhill – 99, Aleshia Ocasio – 73).
o They are looking to become the second trio in school history to all record 100+ strikeouts in a season.
o UF achieved this feat last season when Lauren Haeger (214), Aleshia Ocasio (155) and Delanie Gourley (105) all reached the century mark.
o Barnhill is looking to become the fifth Gator freshman in six years to record 100+ strikeouts.
* Gourley (10-0), Ocasio (10-1) and Barnhill (10-0) are the third trio in three years and third school history to all record at least 10 wins.
Coaches’ Corner
Head Coach Tim Walton:
On the first SEC sweep of the season:
“I love sweeps. Sweeps are awesome. They’re hard to come by in this league. It says a lot about our ability to start three different pitchers in a weekend, which makes it really difficult for other teams to prepare for us. I thought all three of them did a very good job this weekend.”
On the pitching overall this series:
“All of them did a really good job of limiting the base hits and walks all weekend. We did hit a couple batters today, but that’s just us being aggressive at times. Overall I thought they did a really good job of changing speeds and locations. Nothing we did this weekend was very predictable.”
Series History
* After today’s win, Florida has won the past four matchups with Tennessee. The Gators now holds the all-time advantage in this series, 45-24, including a 25-5 mark in Gainesville.
* Prior to this weekend, Florida and Tennessee last met at the Women’s College World Series on May 28, 2015, when the Gators defeated the Vols in both squads’ opening game, 7-2.