Florida Gators

OKLAHOMA CITY — It's rather amazing when you think about it. 

Before even arriving at the 2017 Women's College World Series, Delanie Gourley had a special place in Florida softball history, what with her clutch work in a couple of national championship series to help deliver the Gators their back-to-back NCAA titles. Heck, as a freshman she was the pitcher of record in the clinching game over Alabama when UF won the program's first crown in 2014. 

"The face of Florida softball" is how Gators coach Tim Walton just last week referred to his lefty senior stalwart whose name appears on virtually every meaningful all-time UF pitching statistic.

And yet Gourley had never started a WCWS game. 

In fact, heading into Sunday's NCAA semifinal against Washington, Gourley had just four innings of World Series experience under her belt, albeit four very good, very important innings, allowing just a couple hits, no runs and picking up both a win and a save. 

"I feel like I kind of did it backwards, with my first few approaches in tight situations," Gourley said of her three previous relief stints. "But I was excited." 

Indeed, those World Series numbers — not to mention Gourley's legacy — swelled Sunday for the top-seeded Gators, who are headed back to another NCAA best-of-three championship series to face reigning champion Oklahoma (59-9) starting Monday night. 

Gourley, in her long awaited first start on college softball's grandest stage, spun a gem against the No. 6 Huskies, limiting them to two hits, a pair of unearned runs and striking out 10 in UF's 5-2 win at sold-out USA Hall of Fame Stadium. Were it not for a two-out error from first baseman Kayli Kvistad in the seventh inning, Gourley would have tallied a third shutout for UF in as many games in OKC. The next batter hit a two-run homer. 

Kvistad, though, gets a big-time pass for that miscue. Her three RBI in the first two innings, including a solo homer in the second at-bat of the game, set the game's tone. 

And it set Gourley's steely jaw for a magnificent afternoon. 
 
"We were feeling really good all week," said Gourley, who ran her season's record to 22-4 and lowered her ERA to 0.62. "Our vibe, our defense, our offense, our pitching, we were feeling really good, so just to have a team like this behind my back to go in for my first start, I couldn't have been any more confident [Sunday] than I was." 

Florida continued its offensive resurgence in scoring five runs on seven hits to give the Gators 20 runs in their three World Series games. Like they did for sophomore ace Kelly Barnhill in blowouts of Texas A&M and LSU, the Gators gave their diminutive dynamo a fat lead that let Gourley turn her buzz saw loose. 

"It means everything," Florida left fielder and leadoff batter Amanda Lorenz said of scoring runs in bunches early. "I always have in my mind if we give them a one- or two- run lead it's always double that in their mind just because they're so good at what they do." 

In addressing how UF has rediscovered its killer instinct at the plate, Walton revisited something he said after the Gators survived their three-game Super Regional against Alabama last weekend despite just five runs on 11 hits. 

"It's up to the players," Walton said. "Our coaching staff does a really good job of preparing and putting together a plan, but the players have to execute it. They have to buy into it, and they have to be able to control their heartbeat on this stage. … I've always said it, that this is a big deal playing on this stage, and the team that plays the most normal has a chance to win." 

As for Gourley's heartbeat, she was so cool she may not have registered a pulse. 

Heading to the fifth inning, Washington coach Heather Tarr offered this in her in-game interview with ESPN after watching her offense manage one hit and one walk through 12 plate appearances: "I don't know what you can do against Delanie Gourley." 

In opting to send Gourley out for this semifinal, rather than a third straight turn for Barnhill, Walton knew exactly what he could do with her. Gourley, you see, was meant for this extended WCWS moment, just as she proved she was meant for a couple abbreviated ones in the past, the first two under the most pressure-packed of circumstances. 

"She's had this her whole entire life," Walton said of Gourley's game-day grit. "I've watched her pitch for probably as long as anybody, whether it be in high school, whether it be in travel, whether it be in a quote-unquote showcase or elimination games, Delanie Gourley is a championship-level pitcher. We're lucky to have her."

Which brings us to Monday night's national-championship series opener. 

Because the Gators had Gourley and that wicked change-up to roll out in the semifinals, they'll have a fresh Kelly Barnhill (26-3, 0.34 ERA) ready to go against the mighty Sooners. By the time Barnhill takes the field Monday night, she will have gone nearly 72 hours since throwing a two-hitter and fanning eight in Friday's 7-0 shutdown of LSU.

Oh. The Gators also will have Gourley, if need be. 

"I thought Delanie's stuff was good as I've ever seen," Walton said. "Big-time stuff from a big-time kid and big-time player." 

In a big-time start (her first), in a big-time atmosphere. 

Big-time surprise? 

Hardly.