(SB) Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

UF softball dropped to 26-4, 4-3 in the SEC, losing to Tennessee Friday night 6-0. Gator bats were ineffective against a grad transfer pitcher for the Vols, who has replaced their ace who is out with an injury. She didn't walk any Gators and scattered 6 hits. with 5 K's. Elizabeth Hightower was solid for 4 innings, but gave up a solo HR in the 5th and then lost it in the 6th, giving up 2 more runs. Melissa Mesiemore gave up 3 more runs in the 7th, as the Gators looked like the inferior team in their opening game against #14 Tennessee.
Is there reason for concern? Echols and Adams have not been hitting like their have in the past, especially in the clutch. Lindsey and Wallace are the only consistent hitters against quality pitching. I know we're 26-4, but only 4-3 in the SEC and the SOS isn't very good. Number wise, this team is better than last year. But the eye test doesn't cut it for me right now.

 

Lexie Delbrey gets the start today over Natalie Lugo. Falby moved down to #6 in the batting order. UT's ace Ashley Rogers on the mound for the first time in over 3 weeks. Delbrey hit the first batter, who stole 2nd, went to 3rd on a wild pitch, then scored on a ground out. 1-0 UT going to the 3rd. Neither team has a hit. Gators have been 6 up, 6 down with 4 K's.

Our SOS is #62, Tennessee is #3, Alabama #2, Oklahoma #11, UCLA #10. Just didn't play enough quality teams to get ready for the SEC.

 

UF softball got beat up by Tennessee again, losing 7-2 to drop their record to 26-5, 4-4 in the SEC. Lexie Delbrey started in the circle for the Gators and hit the leadoff batter, wo then stole second, took 3rd on a wild pitch and scored on a ground out. They scored 3 more in the 3rd and 3 more in the 5th on only 5 hits, but got 4 walks and 2 hit batters to cruise to the win. Delbrey threw 5 innings and was charged with all 6 runs, Meanwhile the Gators didn't have a base runner until the 4th inning, only had 3 hits for the game and only scored on a 2-run HR from Emily Wilkie in the bottom of the 7th. The series concludes Sunday at 2 pm and who know who the Gators will pitch - Hightower again, Trlicek, Lugo? They look like a lost team right now.

 

All legit questions. I have 1 more - What about Rylee Trlicek. She came to UF as the #2 rated pitcher in the nation that year. During her true freshman year, she was ahead of Hightower, as her & Lugo got most of the innings prior to the COVID shutdown. She beat some ranked teams and looked like a budding star in the circle. But last year she pitched very little and this year is throwing even less. Is there an injury, has she not developed or worked hard enough to get better in the off season or is she not getting the coaching needed to improve? She was supposed to be the next big thing for Gator pitching and her true freshman year she looked the part. WTH happened?

 

The softball team avoided the sweep by beating Tennessee 4-1 to improve to 27-5, 5-4 on the year. Elizabeth Hightower went 4.1 innings, giving up 1 run on 2 hits, 4 walks, a hit batter and 5 K's. Natalie Lugo got the win, going the final 2.3 innings giving up nothing but a walk. Florida fell behind early on a solo HR from the Vols, but tied it in the bottom of the 3rd on an RBI single from Cheyenne Lindsey. Reagan Walsh put the Gators ahead with an RBI single in the 5th. They scored 2 more in the 6th on a solo HR from Avery Goelz and a double from Charla Echols. The star of the game for the Gators, however, was Skylar Wallace, who had a double, single, 2 walks, 3 stolen bases and 3 runs scored. The Gators next host a ranked UCF team who beat them twice last year Wednesday at 6 pm on SEC+. They then head to Auburn for their weekend series.
This team piled up a lot of gaudy stats early on playing a weak SOS and it's been a tough adaptation to their SEC schedule. I think they have a chance to challenge for the league title again IF Hightower and Lugo compliment each other like they did today and most of last year. Neither one is likely to throw complete games against quality opponents, but when they relieve each other mid-game, it worked today as it did often last season. Also, our talented freshmen should start coming around as they move through the difficult schedule and you have to believe that Adams and Echols will turn it on like they have their entire careers. All of that needs to happen, but I'm a little more optimistic about the softball program at this point than I am about the baseball team.