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Florida Gators Softball: Bounce back after California debacle

By Benjamin Henderson

Jun 5, 2022; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Florida Gators shortstop Skylar Wallace (17) hits the ball to center field for an out during the first inning of the NCAA Women's College World Series game against the UCLA Bruins at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. UCLA won 8-0. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 5, 2022; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Florida Gators shortstop Skylar Wallace (17) hits the ball to center field for an out during the first inning of the NCAA Women's College World Series game against the UCLA Bruins at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. UCLA won 8-0. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Last week the issue for Florida Gators softball during its trip out west wasn’t the fact that it lost to highly ranked teams, it’s that they looked severely overmatched. Combined with a loss to an unranked opponent, and it was a long plane ride home from Florida.

The weekend sweep of UAB won’t exult the shadow that is going to loom over the Gators all season, but it does serve as a reminder the Florida Gators softball is still a talented squad.

Florida Gators Softball: Get the brooms out

Florida traveled to UAB for the three games set. Friday’s contest looked closer to the Gators squad. We saw prior to the California trip.

Skylar Wallace hit a home run and Elizabeth Hightower pitched five shutout innings.

Florida out hit UAB 9 to 4 and ended the game in five innings with a 9-0 win.

Saturday’s contest was more of a slow trickle, then one sudden, big inning, but the end result was never a doubt. The Gators put runs across any first, second, fourth, and fifth innings to take a five nothing lead heading into the sixth.

it wasn’t until the sixth inning that Florida blew things open. Charla Echols hit a three run home run, her second of the game, to make it 10-0, which would be the final score.

Lexie Delbreyhad six strong innings in the circle, only surrendering one hit.

Sunday’s contest was the closest of the bunch. Perhaps due to the 11 AM start, Florida’s bats didn’t heat up until the seventh inning.

UAB score of an early run off Hightower in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. Florida got it right back with a Sarah Longley home run in the third.

Florida lead 2–1 heading into the seventh inning and Longley hit her second home run of the game. The Gators would plate one more and hang on for the 4-1 win and series sweep.

Winning all three games against UAB won’t do much to move the needle nationally for Florida. UAB is a decent team, with a 10-10 record, but they are far from the elite teams Florida will eventually face in the NCAA tournament.

but following the letdown in California, it was nice to see Florida regain its composure and look like the squad we had seen all season. The Gators are now 14-3, with ten of their wins coming via the mercy rule.

Florida takes on UCF on Wednesday.

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