Harry Fodder: Walton Saw Lorenz's Stardom Five Years Ago
Monday, April 25, 2016 | Softball, Chris Harry
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Freshman outfielder Amanda Lorenz committed to UF as a California 9th-grader.
By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
Harry Fodder
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Out in Moorpark, Calif., they have Apple TV and all the other necessary devices to beam in SEC Network and SEC+ for moments just like Sunday night.
"I'm doing great," a bubbling Danny Lorenz said when he answered his cell phone. "Walk-off!"
It came, of course, courtesy of his freshman daughter, Florida left fielder Amanda Lorenz, who jacked an opposite-field home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the No. 1 Gators a 3-1 victory over Mississippi State, a sweep of their three-game series and an 11th straight win and remain atop the Southeastern Conference standings.
Make that four home runs in the month of April for Lorenz, who as a rookie has statrted every game for the Gators and ranks second on the team in big flies (6), along with batting average (.387) and RBI (38).
"I think I could be doing a lot better than I am and I've been frustrated at times, but I'm also just starting to get used to facing SEC competition, which kind of puts it all in perspective," Lorenz said post-game. "But my confidence is growing. And after that last hit ... ?"
She smiled, even laughed a little.
"It's high, right now."
The sight of Lorenz circling the bases in such dramatic fashion was one UF coach Tim Walton has let dance in his head since he first set eyes on the prodigious California slugger — get this — five years ago.
In 2011, Walton was recruiting on the west coast. The tournament he was attending was in a rain delay, so he went to the indoor batting area at the complex to watch some girls hit in the cages. The way Danny Lorenz recalls it, Walton watched his kid take cuts for a few minutes then turned to the coach and parent.
"I want her."
Lorenz was barely out of the eighth grade.
That fall, the family came to UF on an unofficial visit, just to check things out. They were floored.
"Coach Walton put on a dog and pony show you wouldn't have believed. I mean, that guy can recruit," Danny Lorenz said. "He made Amanda feel like Tim Tebow."
Freshman Amanda Lorenz has started every game this season.
Before the family got back to California, she knew UF was where she wanted to go. Lorenz's parents wanted to let things settle down a bit. As a superstar on the Orange County Batbusters, one of the top travel teams in the country, the offers were pouring in, including UCLA, right down the interstate. Amanda, though, was undeterred.
So the family made another trek east that winter. Danny bought Amanda a plane ticket as an early Christmas present. She wanted to commit to Walton in person.
After getting that formality out of the way, all Lorenz did was put together a prep career that made her the nation's No. 1-ranked player for the Class of 2015. She hit .592 over four years, with 202 hits, 50 doubles, 39 homers, 126 RBI, a .657 on-base percentage and 1.111 slugging percentage.
Upon arriving at UF, the distance from home was made easier by a trio of her former travel club teammates — junior Justine McLean (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), sophomore Janell Wheaton (San Dimas, Calif.) and freshman Sophia Reynoso (Palmdale, Calif.) — in the locker room. On the diamond, Walton had visions of Lorenz taking on the power-hitting role the team lost when it said goodbye to last season's senior class.
Lorenz is starting to figure some things out relative to putting the barrel of the bat on the ball.
Walton, in fact, said after her game-winner Sunday that once Lorenz accepts the concept of failure — as in going to the plate with the intent of swinging for the fences, but willing to accept the ball won't always go — is when she'll take her hitting to the next level.
"At some point, she's going to be a power hitter to all fields," he said. "With a little bit of failure, there will come more home runs."
Maybe that opposite-field job against the Bulldogs was the start of something. The timing would be awfully good. With just two SEC weekends left, the pressure-packed postseason is around the corner. The Gators, in case anyone has forgotten, are two-time reigning national champions.
Lorenz, who turned 19 Monday, can't wait. As far as she's concerned, the higher the stakes, the better. And the more fun.
"I love the big moments. I love the pressure," said Lorenz, who with the Batbusters won three national titles (and played for a fourth) during four seasons of club ball before coming to Florida. "This is what I live for. I cannot wait for the postseason to get here."
They'll be tuned in out in Moorpark, too.
Like they were Sunday.
"My phone has been buzzing all night," Danny Lorenz said. "This is a pretty small town and everybody pretty much knows everybody."
Get used to hearing that name a lot more in the coming weeks.
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Out in Moorpark, Calif., they have Apple TV and all the other necessary devices to beam in SEC Network and SEC+ for moments just like Sunday night.
"I think I could be doing a lot better than I am and I've been frustrated at times, but I'm also just starting to get used to facing SEC competition, which kind of puts it all in perspective," Lorenz said post-game. "But my confidence is growing. And after that last hit ... ?" 
