Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

Wow. The infield is crowded right now. Good luck to CTW in who plays and who doesn't.


Portal transfers:
Cahalan
Holtorf

Returnees:
Walsh
Brown
Hovermale
Williams
Kowalewski
Barnard

Freshman
Comia
Lamar

 

This is nuts. With the roster as it exists at the moment, this team is loaded. And the kids arriving in September are pretty much as good as the '23 class that came in.

 

McClellan is our RF I hope…jmo

 

I think we could see Kowaleski behind the plate for the Saturday Games with Erickson maybe starting at 1st assuming Brown is pitching.

 

I think 1st base is up for grabs. If the talent is as deep as believed then Ava is no longer a 1st base player and pitcher. Her batting steadily dropped through the season as well. I believe this starting lineup will be decided as much if not more on offense then defense. The staff will need to get these kids involved and if they are truly this dynamic then I see a full time position at 1st available to get a more consistent bat in play, not just a Sunday type thing when Ava pitches. With the talk on this board, it's not a given Ava gets to hit at all. They have to get Walsh in the game and if our sub par hitters lose play to better bats then the next worse hitting average gets the DP. Nobody has yet to answer my question on whether Keagan did not bat because of the workload or the injury recovery. We will have 3 pitchers next season that destroyed the ball when playing high school and club. Something has to give with a roster this deep. Maybe Ava gets more consistent at the plate when her 1st base reps are gone?? Maybe all the pitchers get the the DP slot with no at bats. Have to get a couple of these new players a full time role and be more specialized as a player rather than the two way stuff.

 

If the Black Mamba comes, still in play as she hasn't gone just for the money yet, Ava's pitching will really be down and her hitting will need to really improve for her to see the field. Mia and McClellan better have GREAT Fall's or they will see a bunch of pine time. Ariel hit better as the season progressed and her Defense improved as she learned the position. Whoever does not get the start in RF will probably take over at first as they both can hit and run. What a great position CTW is finally in. Very good players sitting on the bench because they can not hit .300 and steal bases. This sounds like an Oklahoma/Gasso problem!

 

Even though I said predictions are fool's gold at this point....I agree....and think it will be Korbe in left, Kendra in center, Taylor/Townsen in right, Jocey at the plate, Ariel at third, Holtorf/Cahalan at short, Holtorf/Cahalan at second and Taylor/Townsen at first. I don't think either has played first but it is a position that can be learned with the proper instruction.

 

just continuing on a limb....I think it is Townsen in right and Taylor at first since Taylor is a true lefty and Townsen throws right but bats left.

 

While I remain far less than convinced we can get Canady, who knows at this point. I think Tim has changed his modus operandi, at least as it comes to the portal, but not for hs recruits. Last year he followed Maxwell and Vawter until they told him they were going elsewhere. He did not follow, from what I saw, either Cahalan or Holtorf and is not following Canady. He's just working behind the scene and surprising all of us, although I don't think Cahalan was that much of a surprise in the final analysis.

 

Ava is a class act and I would love to see her fit in. Time will tell.

 

AK is your starter at the hot corner, IMHO. She is such a solid at bat and glove. As a freshman she just exhuded confidence in her play. (alright, admittedly she, Korbe, and KR are my three favorite Gators.)
The two transfers put a lot of pressure at SS and 2B respectively. First is up for grabs as is RF.
CF, C, UTL/DH, SP, and LF are settled.

Ava being a full-time pitcher as discussed might be a huge part of this? If she became a strong 1A, this team is definitely tough to beat
Canady comes, and good Lord?? Stay healthy and we should win it all.


A few of the incoming freshman have had knee issues and/or injuries. Taking a redshirt if needed would work for them and the program.

Clearly the status quo at 2b was not going to cut it. I don't think in a million years Mia transfers out. She's a Gator and Gator legacy. Seems like a great teammate as well.
This isn't the minor league for professional sports like Baseball, basketball, and football. Staying 5 year's in a softball program is not an oddity. One thing is for certain, if you take it easy this off season and try to coast... Your getting rolled by the competition.

Gotta love TW saying Oklahoma and Texas watch out!!

Gymnastics and Softball are just loaded!!!

Go Gators

 

Iron sharpens iron

 

Canady is not coming here IMO

 

The incoming transfers and freshmen are incredibly talented and will push for playing time, but I believe the key to next season is the offensive development of Ava and Mia. These two out of everyone have the most power potential on the team.

Having speed and hitting for average is great and all but in today’s softball world, you need sluggers who can hit a mistake out of the park. Especially in the WCWS where every pitcher is elite and can shut you down, you need hitters that can change a game with one swing.

 

I’ll ‘take’ some of both: batters with average AND power ! Let’s put a lineup on the field that puts opposing pitchers under stress !

 

She was always going to Oklahoma for that big pile o cash.