The Gators began their season with a six-game winning streak, including a shutout win over Michigan and a run-rule win over South Florida. A series win over Louisiana-Lafayette in Cajunland provided an early-season test that proved fairly easy for the Gators. Ten straight wins followed, including a shutout over then-#8 Baylor at the Judi Garman Classic.
Tim Walton’s squad lost just one conference series this year, and that to Georgia in mid-March. Series sweeps over Kentucky; Texas A&M; South Carolina; Mississippi State; and Missouri highlighted the conference slate for the Gators, while they also enjoyed series wins over Alabama and LSU.
In the SEC tournament, the Gators made swift work of their competition, recording a victory over Alabama before run-ruling Tennessee in the semifinals and besting South Carolina in the championship game to earn the SEC tournament title.
The #2 seed in the NCAA tournament, the Gators brought South Florida; Ohio State; and Bethune-Cookman into Gainesville and emerged unblemished with a 3-0 record after wins over Bethune-Cookman and Ohio State twice.
Awards and accolades: Kelly Barnhill earned the SEC’s Pitcher of the Year award, while Amanda Lorenz was named the conference’s Player of the Year. The pair also were top four finalists for the National Player of the Year award. Barnhill and Lorenz, as well as teammates Nicole DeWitt and Aleshia Ocasio, earned nominations to the all-SEC first team.
Team strengths: The Gators were in the WCWS in 2017 and have been here many times before. The experience of playing in Oklahoma City is like no other, and the Gators know that full-well. Having that experience under their belts could prove handy for Tim Walton’s club… Amanda Lorenz is as clutch as they come, and the reigning SEC Player of the Year is a major catalyst to her team’s success. A .433 hitter during the season, she has hit .615 in the NCAA tournament with eight hits in thirteen at-bats, but has also earned twelve walks, creating base runners for her team. She holds an .808 on-base percentage in the tournament.
Team weaknesses: Beginning the Women’s College World Series against conference foe Georgia could give the Gators an opportunity for redemption, but also might be a recurrence of the only kryptonite that Walton and the Gators have seen this season. The Dawgs had the Gators’ number in their early-season three-game set that included an 11-1 run-rule victory.
Players to Watch:
Aleshia Ocasio — Gainesville’s resident do-it-all Energizer Bunny, Ocasio has pitched, played third base, and each outfield position during her career as a Gator. She provides a valuable arm behind Kelly Barnhill in the circle – 1.35 ERA and 179 strikeouts in 155.1 innings – as well as a solid bat in the lineup. Ocasio hit just .233 this season, but has come up clutch in Oklahoma City for the Gators in years past.
Hannah Adams — A spark plug at the top of the Gators’ order, Adams hit .276 on the year, but earned thirty-nine walks, and base runners are what Florida wants to see in front of Lorenz and Kayli Kvistad. Adams will need to keep her patient eye and reach base often in the WCWS, as the Gators will need as many base runners as possible against some of the nation’s best in the circle in Oklahoma City.
X-Factor: Aleshia Ocasio — Whether in the circle or the batting order, Ocasio will be a catalyst to any success the Gators have in Oklahoma City.
