No. 1-Ranked Gators Pumped for Home Introduction
Wednesday, February 17, 2016 | Softball, Scott Carter
The two-time defending national champions are off to an impressive start
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Tim Walton watched what transpired searching for teachable moments. That's what coaches do. They offer a pat on the back when warranted, and seize upon those instances when something goes awry in the quest for a different outcome next time.
As Walton stood at the top of the stands at Seashole Stadium Tuesday afternoon to discuss the No. 1-ranked Florida softball team's home opener today against Jacksonville -- the teams play a doubleheader starting at 5 p.m. -- he admitted there hasn't been a lot of nitpicking this week.
The two-time defending national champion Gators opened the season last weekend in Tampa, breezing past four opponents, including No. 2-ranked Michigan, by a collective score of 38-1. In Walton's view, the Gators looked sharp on the field and even in the way they loaded and unloaded the team bus.
"I'm very critical and a stickler to a lot of details,'' Walton said. "The expectations I set are very high. I felt like our team for the most part, we had probably 99 percent of the details were really, really good."
Florida became the first defending national champion in 24 years to shut out their first three opponents as pitchers Delanie Gourley, Kelly Barnhill and Aleshia Ocasio did the dirty work on the mound. The lineup wasn't too shabby either, hitting .376 with a .543 on-base percentage.
Other than for that run USF scored in Florida's 11-1 win Sunday, the Gators had a blast.
"I was [mad], especially because it came in the last game,'' said sophomore Janell Wheaton, who went 6-for-12 with a homer and nine RBIs in the four games. "Thirty-eight runs is pretty impressive. Our potential is just ridiculous."
Total annihilation will have to wait.
For now, the Gators must settle for what is certain to be a festive atmosphere today as they make their 2016 home debut. Florida is 85-12 at home in senior third baseman Taylore Fuller's career, including 29-2 a season ago.
Florida heads to Orlando this weekend for a tournament and then to Palm Springs, Calif., next week for the Diamond Classic. The doubleheader against Jacksonville is the Gators' only home appearance until March 3.
They can't wait.
"Having home-field advantage is a huge deal for us,'' Fuller said. "This team thrives off our atmosphere. Being able to have those fans that are getting on the other team, and cheering for us, and heckling the umpire, I think that's a huge deal. It's fun to be able to play in front of your home crowd and be able to use that to your advantage."
The packed house can expect to see another national title contender despite the loss of All-American Lauren Haeger.
While Gourley, Barnhill and Ocasio were dominant on the mound in Tampa, the production from Florida's revamped lineup helped Walton sleep easier. Wheaton, Fuller, Amanda Lorenz, Nicole DeWitt, Aubree Munro and Taylor Schwarz each hit .400 or better in the four victories.
"It made me feel good about the middle of our lineup and how we're going to to score runs when you lose someone like Lauren Haeger and the threat she presents in the middle of the lineup,'' Walton said.
Like his players, Walton is looking forward to playing on front of the home fans today. His team's preparation has been on point.
"It's almost like another first game,'' he said. "It's exciting. I look out here today and I see the stripes in the grass. You can feel opening day is getting ready to happen. It's a cool feeling.
"From a confidence standpoint, playing Michigan early and beating Michigan sets a nice tone for what we do in practice this week. Everybody kind of understands where we're at, and that every week is going to be a new week and we're going to constantly grow."
When the Gators held a fan-day scrimmage recently, Fuller was shocked to see so many fans show up. That was practice. Today is the real thing.
A sophomore from St. Cloud, Ocasio experienced the friendly confines of Seashole Stadium for the first time last season. It may be a brief return for the Gators, but one they have waited on for eight months.
"It's a different feeling from opening day at a different place and opening day at home,'' she said. "We have a lot of pride in our field. We have a lot of pride in our program. Being here and have people watch us on our own field is fun, it's gratifying."
So was that season-opening performance in Tampa.
