Florida Gators

 
Game Notes
 
OXFORD, Miss. – The No. 2-ranked Florida softball team (35-3/9-3 SEC) continues its four-game road trip this weekend in Oxford, Miss., at Ole Miss (28-10 / 4-5 SEC). Florida's 9-3 mark in conference play is its best start since 2013 when the Gators began 10-2.
 
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. Both Florida and Ole Miss have three losses against top 25 opponents. However, the Gators have 12 wins over ranked foes while the Rebels have two.
 
All three weekend games will be broadcast on SEC Network+. Florida is 15-2 this season in games streamed online.
 
Coaches' Corner
Head Coach Tim Walton:
On Ole Miss…
"It's a tough trip going to Oxford, Miss. and playing Ole Miss. We've had some tough games there over the years, so this is definitely not something we're overlooking. Coach (Mike) Smith is in his second year now and his teams always play hard. They force things to happen and they are very aggressive on the bases. Ole Miss does a lot of different things to score runs. It should be a good challenge for us, as their style of play will take advantage of any opportunities we give them. We need to be ready to go."
 
On what UF needs to improve upon…
"I'd like to see us swing the bat with a little bit of swagger. I'd like to see us swing hard. Even if we strikeout, I just want to see us go out there and hit the ball hard. I've been preaching that here for a while. It's not about how far you hit it, it's about how hard."
 
Quick Hits

• Florida entered this week with the second-highest win percentage (.921) in the country and is in first place 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 in March of 2015.
• UF has an overall scoring margin of 227-38, including 19 shutouts and 13 mercy-rule victories.
• Although UF's offense is averaging 5.97 runs per game, which ranks 37th in the country, it's Florida's pitching and defense that have carried the torch thus far in 2016. Florida has allowed just 38 runs and committed only 17 errors through 38 games. UF's 38 runs allowed through 38 games is the second fewest in school history through this point in any season. Florida's 2009 squad allowed 32 tallies through 38 contests.
• The Gators currently sport the best fielding percentage (.983) and best earned run average (0.86) in the nation. For comparison through 38 games last season, Florida's pitchers had a 1.55 ERA and its defense had committed 27 errors and had a fielding percentage of .972. 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 38 games.
• Offensively, UF is ninth in the country in on-base percentage (.451), 37th in scoring (5.97) and ranks 28th in batting average (.321).
• Kelsey Stewart is hitting .364 (12 for 33) over UF's last 10 games with two RBI and 10 runs scored. In addition, Stewart is the NCAA active leader in career hits (333) 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 - 119, Delanie Gourley - 115, 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 (13-0) 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 (0.85) have the No. 1 and No. 3 ERAs in the country and Barnhill is fourth in strikeouts per game (10.8). In addition, UF's pitching staff has combined to allow the fewest runs in the SEC (38) and record the most strikeouts (322).

 
Setting the Stage: Ole Miss

• The Gators hold a 41-8 all-time record against the Rebels as these two schools have played at least once every year since 1998 until last season. In addition, UF has won 12 of the past 13 matchups between these two schools and Florida has won 10 straight games over Ole Miss in Oxford.

 
Broadcast Information
All three games this weekend will be broadcast on SEC Network+ and each con test can be heard on Florida Sports Talk (WGGG-AM & WMOP-AM/FM). In addition, live stats links for each contest can be found on the Gators' schedule page.
 
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