No task is insurmountable for larger-than-life senior All-American pitcher Stacey Nelson, who proved once again Sunday why she is the Gators’ do-everything player.
With Stephanie Brombacher under the weather battling a flu bug, Nelson shouldered the load for the Gators once again, leading the way in Sunday’s 3-0 victory at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium as No. 1 Florida completed the sweep of Mississippi State, running its latest winning streak to five games.
Nelson (23-3, 0.48 ERA) has won every game in that streak this week for Florida (39-3, 18-1 SEC East). Sunday, she held the Bulldogs (17-20, 2-13 SEC West) to three hits and striking out seven.
Playing five games in a week is no big deal for Nelson, who just needed an extra helping of Wheaties and good defense to put together another knockout performance.
“I definitely had to eat bigger breakfasts and make sure I was ready, which I was totally OK with,” Nelson joked. “I really used my defense today. My infield was awesome. It was a good day. I love pitching ground-ball, pop-up outs. It gets you in and out of the dugout quicker.”
Nelson’s efficient approach was exactly what Florida coach Tim Walton wanted to see to keep his ace fresh. Sunday’s pitch count of 89 was her high on the week as Nelson totaled 298 pitches in 25 innings, an economical average of 12 pitches per inning throughout the week.
But Nelson didn’t let that extra energy go to waste. After Saturday’s thrilling seventh-inning comeback, Nelson still found a way to keep the Gators motivated throughout the game, even leading a dugout cheer that was heard well into the stands.
“Who did that?” Nelson joked. “No, that was me. I guess I got a lot louder than I thought I was going to be. I don’t know – I just get excited. I think I got a little too pumped up.”
Although the game lacked the excitement of the 6-2 come-from-behind victory in Saturday’s second game, Walton didn’t mind coaching in a game that didn’t cause his blood pressure to spike.
“I like low-key (games),” Walton said. “Low-key is nice, winning 3-0, really hardly any threats. Everybody did their job.”
The job started early Sunday morning as Florida’s hitters worked on making adjustments to be better equipped to face left-handed pitcher Lindsey Dunlap, who pitched six solid innings Saturday before the Gators’ seventh-inning explosion. The extra effort helped the Gators jump out to an early lead this time around.
With two outs, Corrie Brooks blasted a solo home run, her seventh of the year, to left field to give the Gators a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Brooks didn’t get another chance to launch another one as the Bulldogs walked her in each of her next two at-bats.
But Michelle Moultrie gave Nelson some extra breathing room when she legged out a two-run triple just a few batters later to give Florida a 3-0 lead. Kristina Hilberth went 2-for-3 in the game and Francesca Enea recorded a third-inning double.
Nelson didn’t have a problem working with a smaller lead than usual.
“A pitcher kind of becomes accustomed to having run support when you have an offense like ours,” Nelson said. “The adversity that we over-chased yesterday was really good, I think, for our entire team being able to battle back like that. (Whether I’ll get) used to it, I don’t know. I know there’s a lot of tough competition ahead.”
With that tough competition in mind, Nelson knows every run counts, which is why she personally thanks every Florida hitter when they make a dent on the scoreboard.
“(Nelson) tells us all the time, ‘Thank you guys for getting us a run because it makes it a lot easier for me,’” Brooks said. “It helps her relax a little bit more knowing that we’re ahead. She always does that. You can tell she’s not as tight out there when we’re ahead. It lets her relax a little bit. She has a little bit more room to do more stuff.”
That type of team-first mentality is part of what makes the Gators so tough to beat. The team’s happy-go-lucky personality has infected everyone on the roster.
“We just have great team chemistry,” Moultrie said. “All the girls on the team are just so good at what they do, so our personalities blend well. We just have a lot of fun on the field and off the field.”
The Gators will take a break from their SEC schedule to host in-state rival and 21st-ranked Florida State for a one-game stand at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Florida then hits the road for a three-game series against Kentucky next weekend. The teams will play a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. Friday, followed by the series finale at noon Saturday.