Florida softball bows out quickly

[gardnerwebbgator]

Oh well, ugly end to a good season. Now will Strychnine pay Walton? Roster is taking a hit.

OU playing every year on a home field is bull****. Need to rotate the national tournament around.

 

[MidwestChomp]

That one call by the ump vs UCLA totally altered the tournament for the Gators. I think that deflated them. But, another good season. Get em next year...hopefully.

 

[Scott512]

Oh well, ugly end to a good season. Now will Strychnine pay Walton? Roster is taking a hit.

OU playing every year on a home field is bull****. Need to rotate the national tournament around.

I'm hoping Washington upsets Oklahoma. I do not want to see the Sooners win a third straight title. They get a free ride every year and the Big 12.

 

[g8tr72]

Some great memories this season and some not so great. Some promising young Gators will return for another season and I wish our seniors the best.

Always great to be a FL Gator!

 

[Scott512]

That one call by the ump vs UCLA totally altered the tournament for the Gators. I think that deflated them. But, another good season. Get em next year...hopefully.

When you have the reigning Player of the Year you should do more. Was the season of success? I guess so but they are kind of Lucky to make the World Series in the first place. The Gators should have a very good team next year. And yes that call against UCLA last night really hurt and changed things but the Gators still could have wiggled out of that. But they didnt.

 

[T REX]

That one call by the ump vs UCLA totally altered the tournament for the Gators. I think that deflated them. But, another good season. Get em next year...hopefully.

Never recovered. Great season and disappointing end. Great job Gators!

 

[Ocalaman]

Some great memories this season and some not so great. Some promising young Gators will return for another season and I wish our seniors the best.

Always great to be a FL Gator!

I 2nd that emotion!!!

 

[gardnerwebbgator]

Washington/Oregon final. **** Boomer Sooner. **** UCLA.

 

[Scott512]

Oh well, ugly end to a good season. Now will Strychnine pay Walton? Roster is taking a hit.

OU playing every year on a home field is bull****. Need to rotate the national tournament around.

Of course they will pay Walton how could they not? To me he's not a great in-game coach but he certainly is a great recruiter and that's the most important thing. He certainly one of the best two or three coaches in the current Gator Sports World. If he wants to leave that's a different story. But there's only one job he would leave Florida for and that's Oklahoma and obviously they have the best coach in the country looking for 3 national titles in a row so she's not going anywhere.

 

[RocketCityGator]

They'll be on their way back to Gainesville in about 20 minutes. Looking pathetic against Paige Parker. You see, sir, in sports you don't deal with what ifs and should haves. You deal with wins and losses. They had an excellent year, winning the SEC and over 50 games again. But they are not now and have not been all year as good a team as they have been over the last 4-5 years. As good as they are and how much we all love them, their pitching is not as strong and their hitting is not as good as it has been in recent years. That's just the truth. I congratulate them on another fine year and a trip to the WCWS again. Hope their 7 new additions are good enough to add quality in both areas because they lose 4 key players after tonight.

I've never played any organized softball so take this for the little it's worth but I question their batting strategy of getting deep into the count. They seem to let a lot of good pitches go by. And if the announcers are to be believed it's an intentional strategy. Well Parker ate them alive on her first pitch tonight.

 

[Blacklabgator]

I've never played any organized softball so take this for the little it's worth but I question their batting strategy of getting deep into the count. They seem to let a lot of good pitches go by. And if the announcers are to be believed it's an intentional strategy. Well Parker ate them alive on her first pitch tonight.

When your OBP is way higher than your BA it’s a strategy

 

[Ocalaman]

I've never played any organized softball so take this for the little it's worth but I question their batting strategy of getting deep into the count. They seem to let a lot of good pitches go by. And if the announcers are to be believed it's an intentional strategy. Well Parker ate them alive on her first pitch tonight.

Excellent observation.They set an NCAA record for bases on balls this year. It's a coaching strategy and maybe it has something to do with not having as many great hitters as past teams have had. That strategy works against a lot of pitchers who can't throw consistent strikes or who try to nibble on the corners. But against the really good pitchers we get exposed because we are forced to either swing the bats or get struck out. I've commented on that passive hitting strategy all year and said they'll win a lot of games that way, but they won't win a national title unless they get aggressive at the plate.

 

[Blacklabgator]

These last few teams just don’t seem to have the hitting he’s had in years past

 

[Scott512]

Washington/Oregon final. **** Boomer Sooner. **** UCLA.

I am okay with that.

Getting back to coach Walton they have to pay him and the last 11 years including the the record-setting 70 win season in 2008 the Gator girls have gone on to win 2 National Championships play in 5 championship series and six National semi-finals in the Women's College World Series. Truly remarkable and I have to catch myself and realize how great gator softball has become under this coach and give them a respect on that because I am sometimes critical of him and the team. Think about where Women's College Softball was 10 or 15 years ago was pretty much the den pac-10 domination Non-Stop. Now teams from all over the country can make it. Look at the Seminole girls they should have beaten UCLA I don't think they have a great coach she made a stupid pitching change in that game against the Bruins and it cost them the game. But they are pretty much on par with the Florida Gators now. Recruiting will get tougher in the state because the Florida State Seminoles are very good too. Walton has his hands full with recruiting but he continues to do a fine job. If he needs more money they have to give it to him. The gator girls have been in five Championship Series in the last 11 years. It's remarkable and who saw that coming in 2008?

 

[Scott512]

Florida State is about to make the national semi-finals against UCLA and it should have been against Florida. Can you imagine how crazy that would have been if it Gators had won last night I'm getting ready to play the Seminoles? I guess it wasn't meant to be.

How good the Gator girls will be next year will depend a lot on Kelly Barnhill and if she can up her game especially in tough situations.

 

[Ocalaman]

I'm hoping Washington upsets Oklahoma. I do not want to see the Sooners win a third straight title. They get a free ride every year and the Big 12.

Will it be an upset, really? Washington is the team in the winner's bracket and Oklahoma has to beat them twice today to advance. I understand that Oklahoma is 2-time defending national champs, they were seeded 4 & Washington 5. I, also, hope the Huskies win. Just not sure I'd call it an upset.

 

[Ocalaman]

Florida State is about to make the national semi-finals against UCLA and it should have been against Florida. Can you imagine how crazy that would have been if it Gators had won last night I'm getting ready to play the Seminoles? I guess it wasn't meant to be.

How good the Gator girls will be next year will depend a lot on Kelly Barnhill and if she can up her game especially in tough situations.

I never pull for FSU in any game in any sport. But their softball program has gotten better and better the last 5-6 years. They've had 2 high quality pitchers each year, a stud or 2 at bat and good role players. One weakness has been defense, but it's gotten better. Still want them to lose.
As for the Gators, Barnhill must develop an offspeed pitch and mental toughness. They've got to be more aggressive at the plate. I know On-base-percentage and working the count is all part of Walton's coaching style and the "Gator way". But stop watching balls go down the middle until you've got 2 strikes!! There are 4 great seniors to replace and several of the underclassmen need to step up big time - Hoover, Roberts, Reynoso; plus this year's freshmen have to improve significantly, especially at the plate - Adams, Romanello, Matthews, Lugo (on the mound). Then at least one of the incoming pitchers has to be ready for prime time and a couple of the day-to-day players have to be ready to start and contribute. There will be more questions about next year's team than there have been in a long time and it will interesting to see how they develop and if they can once again compete for titles.

 

[ChiefGator]

Many teams would be happy to make the post season, sure we are disappointed especially with a call that we don't agree with.

 

[Scott512]

I never pull for FSU in any game in any sport. But their softball program has gotten better and better the last 5-6 years. They've had 2 high quality pitchers each year, a stud or 2 at bat and good role players. One weakness has been defense, but it's gotten better. Still want them to lose.
As for the Gators, Barnhill must develop an offspeed pitch and mental toughness. They've got to be more aggressive at the plate. I know On-base-percentage and working the count is all part of Walton's coaching style and the "Gator way". But stop watching balls go down the middle until you've got 2 strikes!! There are 4 great seniors to replace and several of the underclassmen need to step up big time - Hoover, Roberts, Reynoso; plus this year's freshmen have to improve significantly, especially at the plate - Adams, Romanello, Matthews, Lugo (on the mound). Then at least one of the incoming pitchers has to be ready for prime time and a couple of the day-to-day players have to be ready to start and contribute. There will be more questions about next year's team than there have been in a long time and it will interesting to see how they develop and if they can once again compete for titles.

All true. I can't say I'm rooting for FSU in softball but I sort of don't want UCLA to win because they were so lucky and the first game against the Seminoles certainly against the Gators when they had the Umpire helping them out. I guess what I'm saying is I don't hate FSU softball as much as I do FSU football and FSU basketball.

I also don't want Oklahoma to win I certainly don't hope they win both games against Washington today but there's a pretty good chance that happens. the Sooners have quite the home field advantage to and they take advantage of it.

 

[Gator87]

All true. I can't say I'm rooting for FSU in softball but I sort of don't want UCLA to win because they were so lucky and the first game against the Seminoles certainly against the Gators when they had the Umpire helping them out. I guess what I'm saying is I don't hate FSU softball as much as I do FSU football and FSU basketball.

I also don't want Oklahoma to win I certainly don't hope they win both games against Washington today but there's a pretty good chance that happens. the Sooners have quite the home field advantage to and they take advantage of it.

F the , that is all.