Florida Softball Set For Rematch Against UNF

On Sunday evening, Gators softball did something they seemed to be incapable of doing: They lost. Florida dropped its first game of the season against Duke 8-1 after an error-laden night. Five of the eight runs scored by the No. 14 Blue Devils were unearned.

Florida’s looks for redemption when it takes on North Florida on Wednesday. It previously defeated the Ospreys 8-0 on Feb. 6.

Scouting UNF

In the history of the program, UF softball has never lost to North Florida. However, the Ospreys (10-3) enter Wednesday’s matchup on a four-game winning streak, led by senior Lauren Brock, who tops the team in batting average.

Another key player for North Florida is senior pitcher Allison Benning, who is a dual threat— she leads the team in OPS while also holding a 2.95 ERA. Meanwhile, UNF’s other starting pitcher, freshman Macie Hunolt, has only allowed two earned runs in 24 innings pitched.

Keys for the Gators

Sunday’s loss to Duke was the first game of the season where Florida (13-1) trailed by multiple runs. The Gators looked out of place, overthinking and whiffing on simple catching and fielding plays. Sophomore infielder Mia Williams scored the only run for the Gators.

https://twitter.com/GatorsSB/status/1891256060670837178

In order to rebound from the loss, Florida needs to follow the advice it would get from any youth coach: stick to the fundamentals — focus on getting on base, and the runs will follow. The Gators are currently third in the NCAA in total hits and ranks in the top 15 in runs per game. The team knows how to hit, it just needs to continue to execute even when it doesn’t have the momentum.

Florida could also use more consistent play from senior hitters like seniors infielder Reagan Walsh and left fielder Korbe Otis, who have had slow starts to the season. Walsh led the team in home runs and finished second in RBIs last season, while Otis had the most walks out of any player in the nation. Getting them going will be crucial for the Gators.

The team’s performance against Duke could be dismissed as an outlier in an otherwise exceptional season, but it’s important for Florida to not repeat its mistakes. There have been very few instances where the Gators have faced any adversity this season. Sunday was one, and many more will come during SEC play, making a quick adjustment critical.

Game Time

Florida softball will face North Florida in Jacksonville at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.