(SB) Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

Walton states that Ariel Kowalewski will start on opening day, I assume at 3B. That will put true freshmen at 2B, 3B, and in the circle.

 

And interesting in the podcast with Crooks, at first he says Rothrock is a little banged up and he doesn’t know how much she will throw this weekend and a little later he says Brown will pitch this weekend and Rothrock won’t. Rothrock looked good in the open scrimmage a couple weeks ago. I’d be surprised if she doesn’t throw a few innings this weekend.

 

listening to both interviews few things stood out to me
Starting with the interview with Tim.
1. The offense will be elite

2. the defense will be better than last season

3. the pitching once again is a huge question mark.

4. Tim didn’t really mention keagan not pitching this weekend

interview with pat dooley and Jeff Cardozo

1. Again pitching is a huge concern. Although IMHO Tim seemed more confident in the staff than kyle seemed to be.

2. right now he doesn’t see the team hosting a regional let alone supers. He stopped himself before mentioning the WCWS. Then again a pitching hasn’t been thrown yet. So who knows

3. it’ll probably be the worst year in Ava and keagans careers.

4. the ERA will probably be worse than last season era.

 

Ignoring the angst regarding Keagan, softball kicks off full-scale today. Tennessee, Okie State, USF, UCF, FSU, LSU, Louisiana, Clemson, Oregon, Oklahoma, Duke, Nebraska, Washington and Arkansas are all being broadcast on one platform or another. Most are on ESPN+ with the FSU game on ACC+ and LSU on SEC+. Full schedule of all that are on one of the ESPN platforms or another can be viewed by going to "Watch ESPN" and scrolling to the upcoming softball schedule. Clemson and Oregon are at the NFCA tournament in Clearwater and their games apparently are available on Game Changer. Puerto Vallarta starts today on Flosoftball and you get Oklahoma twice including the best game of the day....Duke/Oklahoma and the second best game of the day Nebraska/Washington (and likely Jordy Bahl's first start). Lastly, Marshall plays Arkansas at the FAU tournament also on Flosoftball. All will continue through the weekend and there will be a couple additional tournaments on Flosoftball that start tomorrow or later including UCLA and Texas on Sunday at the Mark Campbell Tournament in California.

 

Personally, I’d thought Kyle was blowing smoke in his interview to lower expectations. I hope I am right. The girls to me on Saturday night looked ready go. JMHO

 

My still too early season predictions

1. Kendra falby will hit for power more this season.
2. Jocelyn Erickson and Skylar Wallace will end up neck and neck in BA, slugging percentage, home runs and on base percentage
3. Jocelyn will have 1 if not the best caught stealing in the sec.
4. Ava will have the most innings pitched. With keagan and Oliver and Wooten.
5. There will be a lot more strike outs this season compared to last season. Until sec play where I see the strikeouts decreasing significantly.

 

Sophia Nugent for tn... the other OU transfer at C.... already with a rbi double and Homer.

 

And Erickson was more impressive than her last year.

 

Oklahoma wins but I don’t think they run rule them.

Washington edges Nebraska 3-1 or a 4-1 win

 

Poppy Neva May Houston
The lady who made the final putouts in 2014-2015 WCWS has a baby.

 

Congratulations to Taylor!

 

lol....an Iguana is running across the infield of the Oklahoma/Duke game. OU is on defense and their players aren't getting remotely close to it.

 

Has anyone read the Herb Brooks press release email? I can post the general discussion. In summary, the press release is positive about Keagan. So I don’t know what Kyle Crooks was trying to say yesterday. Also Tim’s interview was high on Keagan.

 

So we should see some of Miller, who i hope will shine also.

 

Is there a schedule posted or have i just overlooked it?

 

https://floridagators.com/sports/softball/schedule/2024

 

No. Can you post it? Or is it on Florida gators.com?

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA COMMUNICATIONS

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2024

CONTACT: HERB BROOKS, 352-375-4683 x 6128


Head Coach Tim Walton & Kyle Crooks Interview


No. 17 Gators Set for Opening Weekend at USF-Rawlings Invitational

Florida softball opens the 2024 season in Tampa at the USF-Rawlings Invitational Friday night at 5:30 p.m. against Oregon State.


GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No.17/18 University of Florida softball team begins their 2024 campaign this weekend at the USF-Rawlings Invitational hosted by USF in Tampa. UF is set to open the season Friday, Feb. 9, at 5:30 p.m. against Oregon State.


The Gators enter the season with a balanced mix of veteran returners and newcomers that include seven freshmen and four transfers.


Returning to the program to lead the team is 2023 NFCA Player of the Year Skylar Wallace along with All-SEC performers Kendra Falby and Reagan Walsh. Avery Goelz, Baylee Goddard, Katie Kistler and Emily Wilkie all return for their senior seasons and look to make an impact throughout the year.


Joining the solid foundation of returning players is a talented group of seven freshmen and four transfers. Ava Brown and Keagan Rothrock, each tout Gatorade Softball National Player of the Year honors coming into their freshmen season, as Brown won the award in 2023 and Rothrock secured the title in 2022.


The right-handed pitching duo expects to see a plethora of innings this season as they are also joined by freshman left-handed pitcher Olivia Miller and graduate transfer Mackenzie Wooten. Wooten joins the Gators staff as the only pitcher on the roster with collegiate experience coming into the weekend as she tallied 111.0 innings pitched over her career at Virginia.


Mia Williams, Alyssa Hovermale, Cassidy McLellan and Ariel Kowalewski round out the talented freshmen class that was touted as the nation’s top signing class by Extra Inning Softball.


The additional transfers joining Wooten and the freshmen on the roster are Korbe Otis (Louisville), Jocelyn Erickson (Oklahoma) and Brooke Barnard (Ole Miss).


Notables

• Florida was picked seventh overall in the SEC Preseason Coaches Poll entering the season, while Skylar Wallace and Kendra Falby were tabbed Preseason All-SEC selections.
• Head Coach Tim Walton of the Florida softball program was announced a member of the 2024 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Hall of Fame class. He will be inducted into the NFCA Hall of Fame in Dallas, Texas on December 6, 2024.
• The program welcomes a pair of new assistant coaches as Chelsey Dobbins joins the Gators as the pitching coach, while Gator legend Francesca Enea also returns to the program. A familiar face also joins the coaching staff as Charla Echols will join as a student assistant coach.
• Wallace and Louisville transfer Korbe Otis were tabbed to the USA Softball Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List. Last season, Wallace finished the year as a top three finalist for the award.
• In addition, Wallace and Otis were both declared Preseason All-Americans by both D1Softball.com and Softball America.
• Freshmen Keagan Rothrock, Ava Brown, Mia Williams and Ariel Kowalewski were selected to Softball America’s Freshmen Watch List.
• Wallace, Otis, Falby and Rothrock were named to Softball America’s Top 100 as Wallace checked in at No. 6, Otis at No. 23, Falby at No. 70 and Rothrock at No. 90.
• D1Softball.com announced Wallace as the No. 5 player in the country heading into the year, while Falby was tabbed No. 27 and Otis was designated as the No. 31 player in the country.
• The Gators enter the season with one of the youngest pitching staffs in the nation as the rotation features three freshmen and a graduate transfer with 111.0 career innings.
• Wallace and Falby enter the year both in the top three in career batting average amongst all UF hitters. Wallace enters her final season ranked first with .413 average and is currently on the second batter in UF history with a .400 or better career average at the plate alongside Amanda Loren (.407), while Falby ranks a close third with a .397 average.
• Wallace is also chasing career records in slugging percentage (.790), on base percentage (.566) and stolen bases (82). The speedster currently sits third all-time in stolen bases behind Michelle Moultrie (83) and Kelsey Stewart (113).
• In addition, Falby looks to make a move up the career ranks in stolen bases as she has swiped 63 career bases which currently ranks seventh overall.

 

It’s also on Florida Gators.com

No. 17 Gators Set for Opening Weekend at USF-Rawlings Invitational - Florida Gators