The Orange and Blue are 27-1 against in-state opponents since the start of 2014.
Florida Heads to Orlando for Midweek Matchup with UCF
Tuesday, April 5, 2016 | Softball
UF holds a 5-2 mark against UCF in Orlando.
Game Notes
ORLANDO, Fla. – The No. 2-ranked Florida softball team (34-3) travels to Orlando, Fla., for a midweek game on Wednesday at UCF (24-13). The Gators hold a 17-4 all-time record against the Knights as these two schools have played at least once every season since 2008. In addition, UF holds a 5-2 mark against UCF in Orlando.
Wednesday's game begins a four-game road trip for the Orange and Blue as the Gators travel to Ole Miss this weekend. Ole Miss is receiving votes in both softball polls. UF enters this week not ranked No. 1 in either Top 25 poll for the first time since April 7, 2015.
Florida is unbeaten in 25 non-conference games and has won 116 of 118 non-league games dating to the start of 2013.
The Orange and Blue are 27-1 against in-state opponents since the start of 2014.
Coaches' Corner
Head Coach Tim Walton:
On last weekend's series with Alabama…
"The biggest takeaway I had from this past weekend was that there were some really good softball games played. I thought Alabama played better than we did, as they played better defense, hit better and pitched better. Therefore, they won the series. It's easy to see that they could've won all three games or that we could've won two out of three. Overall, I think it was a good learning experience for us to know that as bad as we hit last weekend, that we're a good team and will always be in every game because of our pitching and defense. That's how it felt all the way until the last out on Friday night and until the last inning on Sunday. I think our team has to know that we're going to get everybody's best shot. In that same token, that was as good as an Alabama team that I've seen play on that kind of stage. I thought they played very well."
On UCF and this week overall…
"This is going to be a challenging week for us. We're going to go play at UCF on Wednesday who's got a very good pitching staff and a very good team, so that will be a very tough game for us tomorrow. Than we have to turn around and travel to Oxford, Miss. the following day. Ole Miss is a team that is playing very well right now, as they had a nice win over their rival Mississippi State on Monday on national television. It's going to be tough for us. The next few weeks are going to be tough as we start getting down the home stretch academically. We have to do a good job of keeping us fresh and keeping everyone positive. Who knows, maybe we need to mix some things up personnel wise to see some different results."
Quick Hits
- Florida has the second highest win percentage (.919) in the country and is tied for first in the SEC with a 9-3 record.
- After a series loss to Alabama last weekend, Florida dropped its first SEC series in more than a calendar year, when LSU defeated the Gators last season in mid-March.
- UF has an overall scoring margin of 224-37, including 19 shutouts and 13 mercy-rule victories.
- Florida has been shutout in just two games since May 8, 2014, a span of 115 games. On the flipside, UF has recorded 41 shutouts during that span.
- Although UF's offense is averaging 6.05 runs per game, which ranks 35th in the country, its Florida's pitching and defense that have carried the torch thus far in 2016. Florida has allowed just 37 runs and committed only 17 errors through 37 games. UF's 37 runs allowed through 37 games is the second fewest in school history through this point in any season. Florida's 2009 squad allowed 32 tallies through 37 contests.
- The Gators currently sport the best fielding percentage (.982) and best earned run average (0.85) in the nation. For comparison through 37 games last season, Florida's pitchers had a 1.53 ERA and its defense had committed 27 errors and had a fielding percentage of .971. UF went on to record a .981 fielding percentage and commit just 33 errors, which were both school records.
- The Gators have allowed just three stolen bases this season, which is the fewest in the SEC. In addition, three stolen bases are the fewest Florida has allowed in school history through 37 games.
- Offensively, UF is seventh in the country in on-base percentage (.454), 35th in scoring (6.05) and ranks 22nd in batting average (.325).
- Kelsey Stewart is hitting .424 (14 for 33) over UF's last 10 games with one double, three RBI and 14 runs scored. In addition, Stewart is the NCAA active leader in career hits (332) by almost 50 tallies.
- Two weeks ago at LSU, Delanie Gourley and Kelly Barnhill crossed the century mark for strikeouts. Meanwhile, Ocasio is closing in on it. (Kelly Barnhill - 112, Delanie Gourley - 111, Aleshia Ocasio - 88). They are 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), Ocasio (155) and Gourley (105) all reached the century mark.
- Delanie Gourley (10-2), Aleshia Ocasio (12-1) and Kelly Barnhill (12-0) are the third trio in three years and third in school history to all record at least 10 pitching wins.
- Ocasio (0.42) and Gourley (0.86) have the No. 1 and No. 4 ERAs in the country and Barnhill is fourth in strikeouts per game (10.9). In addition, UF's pitching staff has combined to allow the fewest runs in the SEC (37) and record the most strikeouts (311).
Setting the Stage: UCF
- Florida holds a 17-4 all-time record against UCF as these two schools have played at least once every season since 2008. In addition, UF holds a 5-2 mark against UCF in Orlando.
- The Orange and Blue are 27-1 against in-state opponents since the start of 2014.
Broadcast Information
All 2016 Florida Softball games can be heard on Florida Sports Talk (WGGG-AM & WMOP-AM/FM) and live stats links for each contest can be found on the Gators' schedule page.
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