Florida Gators

Game Notes
Interviews: Walton, Munro & Barnhill
 
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 1-ranked Gator Softball team (27-1) continues Southeastern Conference play this weekend, hosting No. 16 Tennessee. The Volunteers have won five of the past six meetings between these two schools, but Florida holds the all-time advantage in the series, 42-24, including a 22-5 mark in Gainesville.
 
Florida, picked in the preseason to win the SEC, is looking to win its second-straight SEC regular season crown in 2016, a feat UF last achieved in 2008 and 2009.
 
All three games this weekend will be broadcast on ESPNU or SEC Network. Florida posted a 15-5 record on national television a season ago and is 2-1 so far this season.
 
Coaches' Corner
Head Coach Tim Walton:
"This is another great SEC weekend with us playing Tennessee. We've had some great matchups with them in Gainesville, Knoxville, and in the postseason. Tennessee is a very classy program and a team that always plays hard. They present a lot of challenges for us so it will be a fun weekend of softball.
 
"I'm also really excited for our fans to come out to Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium and watch two top teams play. This is not only a matchup of top SEC teams, but two of the top-teams in the country. We love playing at home and love feeling the energy that our crowd brings. I love when they all start to stand up and clap with two outs and two strikes, as that's my favorite moment of every game."
 
Quick Hits

• Florida is currently tied with its 2008, 2011 and 2014 teams for the second-best start in school history with a 27-1 record. UF opened its 2015 season 28-0.
• After taking two out of three from Auburn over the weekend, UF opened SEC play with a series win for the first time since 2014 when the Gators took two of three from Ole Miss.
• UF has an overall scoring margin of 196-26, including 15 shutouts and 13 mercy-rule victories. After UTA (19-2) dropped a pair of contests last weekend, UF holds the highest win percentage in the country (.963).
• Although UF's offense is averaging seven runs per game, which ranks 16th in the country, it's Florida's pitching and defense that have carried the torch thus far in 2016. Florida has allowed just 26 runs and committed only 11 errors through 28 games. UF's 26 runs allowed through 28 games is tied for the second fewest in school history through this point in any season. Florida's 2009 squad allowed 21 tallies through 28 contests.
• The Gators currently sport the third-best fielding percentage (.984) and the top earned run average in the nation (0.89). For comparison through 28 games last season, Florida had committed 19 errors and had a fielding percentage of .973. UF went on to record its best fielding percentage (.981) and committed just 33 errors. Both were school records.
• The Gators have allowed just one stolen base this season, the fewest in the SEC.
• Offensively, UF sits third in the country in on-base percentage (.487), 16th in scoring (7.00) and ninth in batting average (.361).
• Kayli Kvistad is hitting .583 (14 for 24) over her last 10 games with three home runs, two doubles, 16 RBI and seven runs scored.
• Kelsey Stewart is the NCAA active leader in career hits (321) by 50 tallies.
• UF hitters have struck out 67 times on the year; each of the Gators' three pitchers has 68+ strikeouts
• (Kelly Barnhill - 90, Delanie Gourley - 87, Aleshia Ocasio - 68). This group is looking to become the second trio in school history to all record 100+ strikeouts in a season. UF achieved this feat last season when Lauren Haeger (214), Aleshia Ocasio (155) and Delanie Gourley (105) all reached the century mark.
• Ocasio has one of the best ERAs in the nation (0.47) and Barnhill is third in strikeouts per game (11.5).
• The pitching trio of Delanie Gourley, Aleshia Ocasio and Kelly Barnhill has combined to allow the fewest runs in the SEC (28) and record the most strikeouts (245).

 
Setting the Stage: Tennessee

• Florida and Tennessee last met at the Women's College World Series on May 28, 2015, when the Gators defeated the Vols in both squads' opening game, 7-2.
• The Volunteers have won five of the past six meetings between these two schools, but the Gators holds the all-time advantage in this series, 42-24, including a 22-5 mark in Gainesville.

 
UF vs. Tennessee Promotions
Friday:

• SEC Home Opener
  • Kids Pregame Line-Ups
  • Children 12 and under are invited to join the Gators on the field for the National Anthem pre-game

Saturday:

• Post-Game Autograph Session
  • Members of the Gators Softball team will sign autographs on the concourse following the game
    • Aleshia Ocasio
    • Kayli Kvistad
    • Nicole DeWitt
    • Janell Wheaton

Sunday:

• Postgame Kids Run the Bases
  • Children 12 and under are invited to run the bases post-game

 
Broadcast Information
Florida will open a three-game series against No. 16 Tennessee on Friday 7 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPU and the WatchESPN app. In addition, the game can be heard on Florida Sports Talk (WGGG-AM & WMOP-AM/FM. Live stats links for the contest can be found on the Gators' schedule page.
 
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