Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — From the moment they report for conditioning and the fall season, the demands Florida softball coach Tim Walton puts on his players are, to say the least, extreme. To say the most, they're unforgiving. Practice, training, running. The bar is not just high, it is uncompromising. 

Walton made a passing reference to those methods in his post-game comments after the fourth-ranked Gators blew a two-run lead in a 5-4 loss Friday night to No. 14 Texas A&M in Game 2 of their NCAA Tournament Super Regional at Pressly Stadium. In those run-up conditioning sessions every player has mandatory times they have to make on runs. If anyone fails to hit their mark, the whole team is penalized with more running.

Why? 

For games like the one the Gators (54-9 and Aggies (44-17) will play Saturday at 5 p.m. 

The winner gets a berth to the Women's College World Series. The loser's season is over. 

"It's a different type of game. It's a game to go the College World Series," Walton said. "I told my team I'm excited to see how we've trained, how hard we've trained you, and what kind of emotions you can bring. That's what it comes down to." 

A day after blowing a two-run lead in the bottom of the seventh and letting the Gators walk-off a Game 1 win, the Aggies showed their mettle in Game 2. UF starter Aleshia Ocasio, after giving up a solo home run to Sarah Hudek in the first inning, seemed to be in a groove, even after falling behind 2-0. The second A&M run was of the unearned variety after a couple uncharacteristic defensive mistakes in the second inning by senior third baseman Nicole DeWitt. Ocasio shook it off. So did her teammates.

The Gators struck for a pair of runs on a two-RBI single by senior Janell Wheaton in the third to tie the score. DeWitt then atoned for her fielding miscues with a bases-loaded, two-run single in the fourth to push UF ahead 4-2. After DeWitt's big hit, the Gators again loaded the bases, with just one out, but couldn't push another run across. 

Didn't seem like that big a deal at the time. 

But then A&M found its timing against Ocasio, who just five days earlier fired the first seven-inning postseason no-hitter in a 4-0 shutout of Ohio State in UF's regional clincher that moved them to the Supers. Samantha Show hit a hard two-out single to center, which was followed by another solid single up the middle by Hudek. 

That brought up Tori Vidales, a .346 hitter and A&M's home run leader with 12 on the season. She was hitless in her five previous Super at-bats and had grounded into a double play her last time up. 

"I knew I needed to get something up," Vidales said. 

Ocasio obliged, putting a pitch, in Vidales words, "right where I wanted it to be." She, in turn, deposited it where the Gators did not want it to be: About 15 feet over the centerfield wall. A savagely struck ball.  
 
Just like that, the Gators went from two runs up to one. In a program like Florida's, a one-run deficit with three innings to play shouldn't be a problem. 

But, like Walton said, these are different types of games. 

"I saw some at-bats at the end of [the game] that didn't look very good," Walton said. "Why? Big moment. Something you can't practice in your back yard. You don't know if you can do it until you try to do it."

Unlike Thursday night, UF could not manufacturer the baserunners to push the tying run across. 

So now comes a winner-take-OKC showdown. The Gators will send Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year Kelly Barnhill, with her sparkling 29-1 record and 1.05 ERA, to the circle. That would be something to feel really, really good about, right? Then again, Barnhill gave up four runs (three earned) and endured a very unBarnhill-like inning — three walks, a hit batter and wild pitch — Friday night in allowing the Aggies to go up 3-0 before the Gators began mounting their comeback. Her normal command, speed and best pitchers weren't there. 

Walton believes they will be this time. 

This is why the Gators take themselves to the limit (and back) in their preparation for the season; for pressure-packed, high-stakes moments like the ones that will unfold on Hull Road late Saturday afternoon (weather permitting, of course). 

"She'll have to be Kelly Barnhill and trust Kelly Barnhill's stuff," Walton said. 

And her teammates will have to fall in line. 

"We're confident," SEC Player of the Year Amanda Lorenz said. 

The Aggies probably are, as well. They came to ballpark Saturday 0-8 all-time on the road against the Gators. 

"About damn time," A&M coach Jo Evans said. "Sorry about swearing." 

No need. This time of year does something to a heartbeat. 

For what it's worth, a lot of these same Gators have been here before. Last year, UF lost Game 1 of its home Super to Alabama, then won two straight eliminations to roll back to the WCWS. 

One game. Survival of the fittest. And toughest. 

"We can't let our emotions get the best of us," DeWitt said. "Just calm down our nerves and go out and do what we know we can do."