Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

Meanwhile, Kalie Matsuno had a decent tournament playing with Batbusters-Black. In seven games she went 6-14 with 5 runs scored, 6 rbis, 4 doubles, 1 home run, 1 walk, 3 strike outs but also 3 errors at short. She is still, to me, somewhat of a puzzle why we offered her very late this Spring. Anyway, for the season in 25 games (she missed a couple weeks) she is 18-59 so she has scratched above .300 at .305. She has 11 runs scored, 15 rbis, 6 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run, 2 walks, and 8 strike outs. So, she is striking out about every 7.6 plate appearances (Taylor is every 15.1 plate appearances). The errors at short are somewhat concerning. Not all of her 25 games were at short. She has played a couple in the outfield and some at 2nd and one at first. I'm guessing she had 20 games at short and had 5 errors.

 

Definitely one to watch.
Tim, Chronister, and Bender, follow her.

 

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Hometown girl has to stay at home. From what I have heard, this kid is a real talent.

 

To fill in Ocala's post. Strange game. First of all it meant nothing. USA was already guaranteed to be the home team against Japan for the gold medal. Netherlands was guaranteed to play against Canada for the bronze. Netherland's head coach got tossed in the top of 2. He was also coaching 3rd base at the time and got tossed by the third base ump. I assume the third base ump knows Dutch, and I don't, because he must have objected to a called strike or something. The official reason was "unacceptable behavior". LOL. Stranger still. This guy argued for a good 5-10 minutes with someone I assume was the tournament director. This went on so long everyone was laughing including Heather Tarr and most of the Netherland's coaching staff. He didn't win the argument and he left. Anyway, it was a five inning run rule no hitter with a combined Ally Carda and Kelly Maxwell in the circle. Neither was overly sharp. Carda went two with 3 strike outs but also 3 walks. Maxwell went three with 3 strike outs but another 2 walks. At the plate, Sis Bates was 2-2 with a rbi. Rachel Garcia was 1-1 with an rbi. Hannah Flippen was 2-3 with 2 rbis and a home run. Haylie was 1-2 with a rbi. Tiarre Jennings was 1-1 with a rbi. Amanda, and this is now getting pretty funny for one of the best hitters in the world, is something like 0-13. First up today was a deep drive to right and caught to follow last night's last AB which was a deep drive to center. She walked two other times. She has smoked the ball to second at least 5 times with nothing to show for it. Haylie isn't much better so two of the best hitters in the world must be just getting too old and way over the hill.

 

So, I went back through my book to total up two of the best hitters in the world in Haylie and Amanda. When the hitting Gods are not smiling, not much you can do. Combined they are 2-24, with 7 runs, 3 rbis, 8 walks, and 2 strike outs. BTW, Tarr dropped Amanda from third in the order to 6th today and Haylie from 1st to 9th.

 

Very unusual.

 

Taking a look at Florida's incoming transfer class - Softball America

Don't know if anyone can read this. I don't subscribe but wanted to share.

 

Obviously, every time each comes to the plate you expect a breakout. Hasn't happened yet. Tomorrow would be a good time to win a gold medal. Pretty sure Faraimo is going to get the start and either Goto or Ueno will go for Japan. USA/Japan is always a tossup.

 

Scrappy, this is one I am very excited about. Thanks for posting.

 

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Thanks alysb21 for the lead on this post. I got this copy through a “backdoor” route. Thought I would share. Enjoy!

Taking a look at Florida's incoming transfer class
by:Brady Vernon•07/01/24
Florida’s young roster was on the brink of making it to the Women’s College World Series Championship Series this past season. Tim Walton brings back nearly all of his primary starters from the 2024 squad aside from shortstop Skylar Wallace and outfielder Katie Kistler.

Replacing the tools and production of Wallace, a former SEC Player of the Year and multi-time All-American, can’t be done by one person. That’s why Walton secured two transfer bats through the portal in Washington’s Rylee Holtorf and Alabama’s Kenleigh Cahalan.

Each player was their team’s starting shortstop last season, giving Walton plenty of options, along with rising sophomore Mia Williams and incoming freshman Gabi Comia.

Walton will likely mix and match. Ariel Kowalewski started most games at third last season and Ava Brown was at first when she didn’t pitch. Holtorf played third base most of her freshman year and Cahalan saw time at second base in her first season at Alabama.

There is still room to grow for Holtorf and Cahalan in terms of offense. Holtorf enters her senior season after a breakout year this past year. She set career-highs in batting average (.336) and home runs (11), while hitting eight doubles and a pair of triples.

RYLEE HOLTORF WALKS IT OFF!!! pic.twitter.com/VgAvObxvGG

— Washington Softball (@UWSoftball) March 30, 2024

Cahalan has two years of eligibility left but is still very young after enrolling a year early into Alabama. A once very highly touted recruit, Cahalan has shown signs of stardom as a hitter. Although it hasn’t quite reached the potential many believe is there from the left-handed hitting rising junior. But based on what we’ve seen from Wallace, Korbe Otis and Jocelyn Erickson, transferring to Florida has done wonders for hitters reaching their ceilings.

That’s how you break up a perfect game!@CahalanKenleigh

ESPN | #7 Florida State vs. #12 Alabama 2/19/23 - Stream the Game Live - Watch ESPN#Team27 #RollTidepic.twitter.com/7Oi8v7kqYO

— Alabama Softball (@AlabamaSB) February 19, 2023

According to Synergy Sports, Holtorf hit the majority of her home runs on curveballs. Another key pitch to point out is that Holtorf hit .500 with a 1.445 OPS against drop balls last season, a pitch that gave the Florida lineup trouble at times.

The saying ‘she just missed it’ was used for a lot of Cahalan at-bats. She’ll arrive at Alabama with a .290 career batting average and 38 career extra-base hits. However, there was plenty of times she was close to even more with the swings she put on balls.


Holtorf and Cahalan won’t have their positions cleared up for a while, but one thing is known, they’re going to make the Florida lineup better than it was entering the off-season.

There is also help in the circle on the way in the form of Kara Hammock. Florida used primarily freshmen in the circle last season. Keagan Rothrock, Brown got significant experience last season and will be joined but Hammock is an underrated addition with 372.2 career innings and three straight years with a sub-two ERA at UNC Wilmington.

Rothrock is the ace of this staff and there is no denying that. But Hammock gives Florida a veteran in the bullpen. A bonus for a younger staff will include Softball America’s eighth-ranked pitcher of the 2024 class Katelynn Oxley.

Hammock can open a lot of doors for the rest of the staff. She could allow Brown to focus on hitting more if Hammock were to step up as the second option. Hammock could take stressful innings that could have had to go to the freshman Oxley. She also fits well as a drop ball pitcher, complementing the rest of the staff.

Florida has added top-tier talent while filling holes. Chances are this will be one of the best classes of the offseason

 

Down 4-1 now

 

Thanks for that! It's going to be a very interesting February and March for positions to settle I think.

 

CTW has many good options to work with. Key is developing a “Team” who play for each other.

 

I think keeping Wallace off the team was a huge mistake!!! I do think the coaches were not the best!!!