Kentucky was able to capitalize on Florida’s defensive miscues to steal game two of the series on Saturday, but when things got dicey in Sunday’s rubber match, junior Stephanie Brombacher took matters into her own hands, making sure Florida would not experience any déjà vu.
As was the case in every game of the series, Florida (34-5, 14-3 SEC) jumped out to an early lead with a strong first inning, but this time the Gators kept their foot on the gas as they cruised to a 5-0 victory over the Wildcats (27-18, 11-11).
Brombacher pitched an overall solid performance, only getting in a pair of bases-loaded jams, but this time she did not allow Kentucky to break the door down. Coach Tim Walton was happy with the adjustments he saw in the defense, noting that it all started with Brombacher’s showing in the circle.
“Defensively it starts with the pitcher,” Walton said. “Just because you’re throwing strikes, throwing balls, you gotta make sure you’re setting the tempo too. We’re only as good as the pitcher in the middle on defense. We’ve gotta do a good job setting the tempo, setting the tone, but also fielding your position and having a good pace. I thought today’s pace was really good.”
Brombacher seemed more comfortable in the circle compared to her showing on Saturday, never losing control of the game. Although she surrendered eight hits and a walk, she struck out nine en route to her fifth shutout of the season. All it took was a few adjustments and having all of her pitches working on Sunday.
“I feel like I was in more command of my pitches,” Brombacher said. “I was placing them where I wanted them. I actually had an inside pitch to throw. They came out yesterday and toed the line for Ensley and me. They knew that we were going outside, so they just sat there. They just watched our inside pitches and just waited for the outside pitches. So we definitely made an adjustment with that. My inside pitches were much better today and kept them off-balance.”
Maybe the most important adjustment the Gators made was from a mental standpoint. Saturday’s loss to Kentucky was definitely a wake-up call, and for anyone who didn’t realize that, Walton made sure they knew what was at stake with a key motivational tactic.
“Coach kind of challenged us like, ‘If you guys don’t win this, you aren’t going to the World Series. We need to win this game to go to the World Series,’” Brombacher said. “Playing a little mental game with us. I think we responded really well. Our goal is to win the SEC. We need to win every series to do that.”
Although Walton didn’t want to expand on the motivational ploys that go on inside the locker room, it was clear that he already has his team in a postseason mindset.
“We’ve gotta take the approach that this is a Super Regional matchup,” Walton said. “It’s a 1-1 matchup, and we’ve gotta win it. We don’t lose very often. We’re in a tight race for the SEC, and we can’t afford to have a weekend letdown.”
The Gators certainly responded to the tactic. Along with Brombacher’s solid outing, the Gator bats provided a steady dose of hits that continuously piled the pressure on Kentucky.
Florida jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning as a result of three consecutive doubles off the bats of senior Francesca Enea, junior Kelsey Bruder and freshman Brittany Schutte. If it wasn’t for Enea trying to go for third base on the throw from the outfield before getting tagged out, the Gators would’ve had at least another run in the opening frame.
But it didn’t matter. Florida made pinpoint adjustments in the batter’s box that took Kentucky a few innings to solve. By then it was too late.
“I always look at hitting as a chess move,” Walton said. “We countered their adjustment and got em…I’m the kind of person who likes to make that batter-box adjustment. I’ve got hitters who buy into my beliefs. Not every hitter can do that. It’s a very hard thing to do.”
The Gators added a run in each of the next three innings before going into cruise control.
Freshman Kelsey Horton ripped a bomb to centerfield in the second inning, her second home run of the weekend and third of the season. In such a talented lineup, it is hard for players to break in this early, but Horton is showing that Walton may have to keep giving her at-bats as the season goes along.
“A lot of our RBI and runs scored come off home runs,” Horton said. “It feels really good to be a contributor to that. I’m not trying to hit a home run. I’m just trying to get some base hits. When you put a good swing on it and it goes far, it’s a good feeling.”
Enea hit one of her patented line drive home runs the following inning. She now has 17 home runs this season, one behind her Florida single-season record set last season. Enea also has 58 career home runs, two behind the SEC all-time record.
The ultimate goal for Walton was reaching his all-important five-run lead, in order to ensure that Kentucky would not have a chance to come back on one swing of the bat. He even resorted to bunting Schutte for the sole goal of reaching his magic number in the third inning. Even though the play did not ultimately result in that run, sophomore Michelle Moultrie singled in run No. 5 the next inning.
“That’s my MO,” Walton said. “I won’t bunt usually after five runs, unless it’s someone like Michelle for a hit. Typically, sacrifice bunt situation, 4-0, I want that fifth run very badly. We had a situation with bases loaded, but in my opinion, no swing of the bat could win the game for them, so it’s a huge fifth run. Always.”
Sure enough, Kentucky was able to load the bases in the final inning on three consecutive two-out singles, but Brombacher retired the final batter on a pop-up, rendering that point and the comeback attempt moot.
The Gators will return to the field Tuesday, when they will host FIU in a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
Eastern Division Conference Overall
(Rank) Team W-L Pct. W-L Pct.
(3) Florida 14-3 .824 34-5 .872
(16) Tennessee 14-4 .778 37-8 .822
(13) Georgia 14-6 .700 36-8 .818
Kentucky 11-11 .500 27-18 .600
South Carolina 1-21 .045 11-33 .250
Western Division Conference Overall
(Rank) Team W-L Pct. W-L Pct.
(5) Alabama 15-4 .789 35-9 .795
(15) Louisiana State14-5 .737 36-9 .800
Arkansas 8-11 .421 24-21 .533
Auburn 6-14 .300 23-20 .535
Mississippi 5-13 .278 23-21 .523
Mississippi State 5-15 .250 24-24 .500
(Rank) USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll
RESULTS
SATURDAY / April 17
Florida 5-3, Kentucky 3-5
Alabama 14-8, Mississippi 0-3
Georgia 7-7, Auburn 0-5
Louisiana State 4-3, Arkansas 2-2
Mississippi State 2-4, South Carolina 1-8
Tennessee 9-9, Presbyterian 1-1
SUNDAY / April 18
Florida 5, Kentucky 0
Georgia 1, Auburn 0
Louisiana State 3, Arkansas 2
Mississippi State 3, South Carolina 1
Alabama 3, Mississippi 1
SCHEDULE
TUESDAY / April 20
Florida International at Florida (2), 4 p.m.
Troy at Alabama, 2:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY / April 21
Mississippi State at Auburn (2), 5 p.m.
Austin Peay at Kentucky (2), 5 p.m.
Georgia Tech at Georgia, 5 p.m.
Coastal Carolina at South Carolina, 6 p.m.
McNeese State at Louisiana State, 7 p.m.
Arkansas at Memphis, 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY / April 23
Florida at Tennessee (2), 5 p.m.
SATURDAY / April 24
Florida at Tennessee, 1 p.m.
Louisiana State at Kentucky (2), 1 p.m.
South Carolina at Georgia (2), 1 p.m.
Alabama at Arkansas (2), 2 p.m.
Auburn at Mississippi (2), 5 p.m.
SUNDAY / April 25
Louisiana State at Kentucky, 12 p.m.
South Carolina at Georgia, 2 p.m.
Alabama at Arkansas, 2 p.m.
Auburn at Mississippi, 2 p.m.
RANKINGS
April 13, 2010
USA TODAY/NATIONAL FASTPITCH COACHES ASSOCIATION
1. Washington (33-3); 2. Michigan (30-5); 3. Florida (30-4); 4. Arizona (32-6); 5. Alabama (31-9); 6. Arizona State (35-6); 7. UCLA (27-9); 8. Stanford (30-6); 9. (tie) Georgia Tech (35-6) and Oklahoma State (36-7);
11. Missouri (27-8); 12. Oklahoma (31-9); 13. Georgia (31-8); 14. Texas (34-9); 15. Louisiana State (32-9); 16. (tie) Tennessee (33-8) and California (30-11); 18. Illinois (27-5); 19. Florida State (36-8); 20. Ohio State (22-11);
21. Massachusetts (25-7); 22. Texas A&M (32-11); 23. Oregon (28-6); 24. Notre Dame (29-6); 25. Louisville (25-12).
ESPN.com/USA SOFTBALL DIVISION I
1. Washington (33-3); 2. Michigan (30-5); 3. Arizona (32-7); 4. Florida (30-4); 5. Alabama (31-9); 6. Arizona State (35-6); 7. Georgia Tech (35-6); 8. UCLA (27-9); 9. Oklahoma State (36-7); 10. Stanford (30-6);
11. Georgia (31-8); 12. Oklahoma (31-9); 13. Louisiana State (32-9); 14. Missouri (27-8); 15. Texas (34-9); 16. Florida State (36-9); 17. Oregon (28-6); 18. Tennessee (33-8); 19. California (30-11); 20. Illlinois (27-5);
21. Texas A&M (32-11); 22. Massachusetts (25-7); 23. North Carolina (31-13); 24. Ohio State (22-11); 25. Hawaii (33-11).