Senior Day is about celebrating your time as a softball player at the University of Florida and creating a memory that will be cherished forever.
But even Le-Net Franklin got more than she could have ever imagined Saturday as her day was one usually reserved for fairy tales.
Franklin, who transferred from Temple College in Texas prior to last season, had only three hits over the past two seasons. It took only two games Saturday to double her career total as she helped lead the top-ranked Gators to 11-0 and 6-0 victories over Longwood on the first day of Senior Weekend at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Florida (51-3) has now recorded 11 straight shutouts and 73 consecutive scoreless innings in its current 17-game winning streak. Under coach Tim Walton, the Gators have now won 50 games or more three straight seasons.
Franklin, 3-for-6 with 2 RBI on the day, would have been more than happy if she only got that first hit. That’s because she took the second pitch she saw over the center-field wall for her first home run ever.
“It feels good,” Franklin said with a huge smile while holding her home-run ball. “I mean I wasn’t expecting it. I was just trying to get a base hit, so it was just a rush. I just wanted a base hit. My one base hit on Senior Day.”
Franklin, Brooke Johnson and Danyell Hines were all honored before the game in an emotional ceremony that included a ceremonial first pitch thrown by each of their mothers. Walton also rewarded each of the three with a rare spot in the starting lineup. The three had combined for two starts the entire season before Saturday.
“You just try to make it as special for a kid as possible without getting the hits for them,” Walton said. “That’s what it’s all about for those kids giving them an opportunity to have a special day and I think we were able to give it to all three of them today.”
The pregame ceremony helped fuel the Gators to a torrid start. Franklin’s home run capped off a six-run first inning, the most all season other than the seven they put up against Georgia on March 11. The Gators slowed down a little bit the rest of the way as the emotions started to take their toll.
“I didn’t really realize how much it would take out of you,” said Stacey Nelson. “Halfway through the game it started to feel like an emotional weight.”
But emotions weren’t enough to hold back Nelson (31-3, 0.38 ERA), who recorded a one-hitter and her 17th shutout of the season. Nelson allowed a leadoff hit before retiring the last 15 batters of the game, seven via strikeouts.
Corrie Brooks sealed the deal in the bottom of the fourth inning with her fourth grand slam of the year, giving Florida an 11-0 lead. Brooks was 4-for-6 with 5 RBI on the day.
Game Two was more of the same from the Gators as Stephanie Brombacher moved to 20-0 for the second straight year with her two-hit shutout. Brombacher struck out nine batters for her 13th shutout of the year.
Kim Waleszonia, who went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI on the day, also got her first start in center field since returning from injury and she showed the kind of energy and hustle that was an everyday occurrence before her injury. But she is still in the process of completely regaining that form.
“You can have a lot of energy and movement, but you’ve still got to cover the ground,” Walton said. “Center field is a position about covering ground. You’ve got to not only take hits away, but you’ve got to be able to make all the routine plays. I worry a little bit about the stress of playing that position. Communication-wise, she’s phenomenal. You can see her really doing a good job. But we’ve got a ways to go.”
Florida also used the second game to practice the art of the sacrifice bunt in time for the postseason. The Gators executed three in the game.
“For postseason, I told them we’re going to have to get those bunts down when we need to and we did a phenomenal job of manufacturing runs today,” Walton said.
The rest of the work in the batters box yielded 20 hits on the day. Kristina Hilberth went 3-for-3, Kelsey Bruder was 2-for-4 with 2 RBI and Megan Bush went 2-for-2 with an RBI. Tiffany DeFelice hit her first home run of the season in the second game, a two-run shot in the bottom of the sixth inning. Francesca Enea hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first in game two to give Florida a 1-0 lead. It was her 11th career sacrifice fly, most all time in Florida history.
But the day was all about the three seniors who were honored before the game. Each was taken out of the game at different junctures to give the crowd a chance to reward them with a standing ovation.
“It felt good,” Franklin said. “Everyone was clapping. It was just a good feeling to know that everyone supports you and no matter what happens you have your team, you have the crowd. So it just felt good to know that they’re here to watch us.”
The remaining four seniors – Nelson, Waleszonia, Kristin Hilberth and Ali Gardiner – will be honored Sunday before and during the game with Longwood (23-22). Nelson will start the 1 p.m. game.