The rivalry between Florida and Alabama is nothing short of a clash between two softball titans, but the last swing of the bat between the two enemies took the showdown to a completely different stratosphere.
That one swing by Ali Gardiner was just enough to close the 2009 chapter of the rivalry in the most dramatic fashion possible — a walk-off grand slam to put the Gators in the NCAA championship round in Oklahoma City. It was the kind of moment that is brought out in the most heated of contests, the kind of moment that defines a rivalry such as this one.
“When you take a crown away from somebody that has arguably one of the best seasons in the SEC,” Coach Tim Walton said, “and then you beat them in the semifinals to go to the national championship series — first for both programs to have a chance to do that — I think saying taking it to another level is an understatement.”
It will be hard for the sixth-ranked Gators (21-3, 4-1 SEC) and fifth-ranked Crimson Tide (23-7, 6-2 SEC) to trump Gardiner’s climactic swing for an encore, at least this early in the season, but the two rivals are stacked with talented rosters once again, poised to pick up right where they left off. The teams will square off for a doubleheader in Tuscaloosa starting at 2 p.m. Saturday (ESPN2), followed by the series finale at 2:30 p.m. Sunday (ESPNU).
Not only will the Gators be staring down an Alabama team that is sure to be hungry with vengeance for the way last year ended, but Florida will also have to do it in the heart of Crimson Tide territory. Last season’s series brought a record crowd of 2,423 to Gainesville, and with Alabama’s crowd composed of season-ticket holders, something Florida does not do, the teams will assuredly be staring down a crowd of similar stature.
“They’re going to have a lot of fans,” junior Stephanie Brombacher said. “They have really good fan support. We’ve been practicing with loud music on. We’re ready for any type of crowd, but all that matters is what happens on the field. We try to block everything else out.”
The music was so loud the past two days that Brombacher said junior catcher Tiffany DeFelice lost her voice trying to shout over the sound. The practice will certainly be needed, as senior Francesca Enea is anticipating an atmosphere that surpasses just about anything the Gators have faced.
“I haven’t been in a really exciting atmosphere since my freshman year when we played Texas A&M,” Enea said. “I know it’s going to be crazy. It’s going to be loud.”
The Gators also come into the series fresh off a dominating all-around performance that saw Brombacher toss a perfect game and the offense explode for 10 runs against USF on Thursday. The game was the first for Florida in eight days after their series against Baylor was canceled due to inclement weather, so it was certainly a welcome tune-up for what may be the biggest series of the season.
“It was huge,” Walton said. “Fate would have it that we would have our game scheduled for Thursday. Two reasons: We had a lacrosse game scheduled for last night and we had to travel back from Texas. It turned out that we had one extra day off and we had practice on Monday this week, so one extra day of preparation for Alabama with a game mixed in is huge.”
The Gators will certainly have their hands full with a lineup capable of matching Florida in the power department. Both teams are tied atop the SEC with 50 home runs apiece. Alabama is led by senior Charlotte Morgan’s eight home runs, with four others knocking in six each.
Alabama’s lineup will also be keyed by freshman Kayla Braud, who is currently third in the conference in batting average at .482, filling the void left by departed senior All-American Brittany Rogers. Sophomores Cassie Reilly-Boccia (.391) and Olivia Gibson (.343) along with Morgan (.321) carry the rest of a lineup that has struggled to get on base to fuel those power hitters. The Tide currently sits in the middle of the SEC with a .298 team batting average, compared with Florida’s .337 average, good for second in the conference.
Of course, Brombacher (17-3, 1.79 ERA) will be taking on Kelsi Dunne (11-4, 2.54 ERA), who will surely be looking to avenge her last pitch in the series, which resulted in Gardiner’s slam. Dunne has been fanning batters left and right, with 149 strikeouts in 91 innings. Her 11.46 per game is second in the SEC. Brombacher currently sits fourth with 8.76 per game.
The Tide is also expected to trot out freshman Lauren Sewell (7-0, 2.04 ERA) to relieve Dunne if needed. Sewell has appeared in 14 games for the Tide this season.
Dunne pitched in four of the five meetings between the two teams last season, picking up the Tide’s only victory in the series, a 6-4 Alabama win that was just a few feet of a Michelle Moultrie fly out short of a Florida comeback.
But of course, all of those numbers may just go out the window in a meeting that can only be described as a grudge match. The only thing for sure is that the teams hate one another and will stop at nothing to make the next chapter in the rivalry one to remember.
“It’s always been a fun series, so I’m really looking forward to it,” Enea said. “They’re going to hate us, and I’m going to love it. It’s going to be really awesome to beat them there.”
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
Conference Overall
EASTERN DIVISION W-L Pct. W-L Pct.
Florida 4-1 .800 21-3 .875
Tennessee 5-3 .625 23-7 .767
Georgia 3-3 .500 22-5 .815
Kentucky 4-6 .400 19-12 .613
South Carolina 0-10 .000 10-19 .345
WESTERN DIVISION W-L Pct. W-L Pct.
Louisiana State 8-0 1.000 28-4 .875
Alabama 6-2 .750 23-7 .767
Arkansas 3-2 .600 18-11 .621
Mississippi 5-5 .500 18-13 .581
Mississippi State 2-4 .333 19-13 .594
Auburn 2-6 .250 16-12 .571
SCHEDULE
All times Eastern
SATURDAY / March 27
Georgia at Kentucky (2), 1 p.m.
Auburn at South Carolina (2), 1 p.m.
Mississippi at Tennessee (2), 1 p.m.
Florida at Alabama (2), 2 p.m. (ESPN2)
Mississippi State at Arkansas (2), 2 p.m.
SUNDAY / March 28
Georgia at Kentucky, 1 p.m.
Auburn at South Carolina, 1 p.m.
Mississippi at Tennessee, 1 p.m.
Mississippi State at Arkansas, 2 p.m.
Florida at Alabama, 2:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
TUESDAY / March 30
South Carolina at North Carolina, 5 p.m.
WEDNESDAY / March 31
Alcorn State at Mississippi (2), 4 p.m.
Arkansas at Tulsa (2), 5 p.m.
Kennesaw State at Georgia, 5 p.m.
Southern at Mississippi State, 5 p.m.
Middle Tennessee at Tennessee, 6 p.m.
Florida at UCF, 7 p.m.
Troy at Auburn, 7 p.m.
Louisiana State at McNeese State, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY / April 2
Arkansas at Georgia (2), 5 p.m.
Kentucky at Mississippi State (2), 5 p.m.
Tennessee at South Carolina, 5 p.m.
Alabama at Auburn, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY / April 3
Arkansas at Georgia, 12 p.m.
Louisiana State at Florida (2), 1 p.m.
Tennessee at South Carolina (2), 1 p.m.
Kentucky at Mississippi State, 1 p.m.
Alabama at Auburn (2), 2 p.m.
SUNDAY / April 4
Louisiana State at Florida, 12 p.m.