Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Like a lot of great coaches, Tim Walton likes a good theme for his team when it comes to a new season. Finding the right one, however, can be a challenge. 

"We've kind of bounced some things around," Walton said. "My wife always says, 'Why don't you just use that one that got you to the College World Series and the national championship.' "

If only it was that easy, right? Over his 17 UF seasons, Walton has had some good themes and, yes, even some great ones. But what's the right one for this 2023 Florida softball team? Maybe a little of the former (good) in hopes of finding the latter (great). Confused? Don't be. 

This Gators team is stocked with some really nice kids, Walton explained, and sometimes it takes a little extra, a little coaxing, to bring out their intensity. That's OK. Better yet, that's good. Walton and his staff will take "good," for now, and figure out a way for them to get better. 

And there's the theme.

Fall behind early? Good. Together, they'll lock in on the mission to clamp down in future early innings  Only a couple hits last game? Good. They'll work on manufacturing more base-runners and better contact. Runners left in scoring position? Good. They'll strive to get them home next time.

"We're going to look at every obstacle as something that's good," Walton said. "And then we're going to make it better." 

The collective charge begins Friday night when the Gators, coming off their 11th WCWS berth over the previous 14 seasons, open the 2023 campaign against Boston University at the annual USF Tournament in Tampa. Florida returns eight positional starters, including a trio of preseason All-Southeastern Conference selections in third baseman Charla Echols, infielder Skylar Wallace and outfielder Kendra Falby, plus two of three starting pitchers from a team that went 49-19 last season, exited Oklahoma City after three games and finished fifth in the final 2022 national softball rankings. 

A preseason poll of the league's coaches tabbed Florida as the favorite to capture the SEC crown, the first time they've picked the Gators since 2019. 

Good. Now, what about them will be better?

"We have more depth this year," Echols said.  Probably more hitting, too. Though the Gators said goodbye to second baseman and program icon Hannah Adams (with her .325 career average and 11 errors over five seasons), they figure to have enough experience returning — WCWS experience, at that — and strong belief in the clubhouse that this team will hit and produce runs better than it has the last few seasons. UF lost one of its best and most battle-tested pitchers in Natalie Lugo (29 wins the last two seasons), but welcomes back fifth-year senior Elizabeth Hightower (17-9, 2.43 ERA, 133 strikeouts) and sophomore Lexie Delbrey (15-4, 2.26, 117), who Walton hopes takes the next step after a solid freshman season. 

As always, Florida is banking on being one of the best defensive teams in the country (always the expectation), with Wallace anchoring the infield at shortstop and Falby, one of the fastest players in program history, roaming centerfield. 

"As long as our pitchers do a good job on placement our defense is going to be very strong," Falby said. 

Now, about that offense. In 2022, Florida hit .314 as a team, which ranked third in the SEC, but that number sank to .257 in rugged conference play. The Gators hit a league-low 11 homers against conference competition and their 96 runs were fewer than only three other SEC teams. 

The lack of offense and timely hits with runners on base — especially at the bottom half of the lineup — reared its head some during the last several postseasons and certainly has been a shortcoming Walton has heard a little bit about. So, cue the theme. 

Need better situational hitting? Good, now figure out how to get it. 

"We've done a lot of reflecting on last year to this year," said Wallace, the first-team All-SEC selection who led the league in runs, walks and stolen bases in her first UF season since transferring from Alabama. "What we want to do with runners in scoring position is hit the ball hard and make the defense work to get us out."

That's been a big focus in the offseason, from the weight room to the batting cages. The Gators want to make good, solid contact. 

"Not necessarily over the fence, but extra-base hits. When we get up we want to drive balls and not just get on base, but look to do damage throughout our lineup," said Echols, who thinks the goods are there, but also believes the team was better than the numbers might have suggested last season. "Obviously, we hit well enough to go to the World Series. But I think this year we're going to fill our lineup [with hitters]."

One of the most interesting positions to follow will be the catcher spot, where the platooning tandem of Sam Roe and Emily Wilkie return, but now with senior utility player Sarah Longley very much in the mix. Walton moved the former Palm Beach area prep star, UF utility player and career .174 hitter to catcher in the fall. She not only took to the position switch hand and mitt, but promptly led the team in hitting during the fall season. 

Longley never caught one game in high school. Good. Now put her behind the plate, where she was throwing baserunners out and making solid and consistent contact with the bat. 

"I think she started to feel her confidence and the confidence we have in her," Walton said. "She's having fun."

For the fourth consecutive season — since saying goodbye to Kelly Barnhill — the Gators won't have a so-called shutdown dominant pitcher. OK, so they won't have so-called "great" in the circle, but they'll have some very good players who will continue working and striving to be the best they can be. 

"The whole identity of our team I'd say, more than anything, is good," Walton said. "And every challenge we'll face, that'll be good too." 

With the goal to make it better. Maybe even great.