University of Florida Athletics Communications
Alabama Takes Game One of Super Regional, 3-0
(Gainesville, FL.) – No. 16 seed Alabama put up three runs in the fifth on a pair of Florida errors to down the top-seeded Gators, 3-0, in the first game of the best-of-three Gainesville Super Regional on Thursday evening in front of 1,800 softball fans at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Junior Alexis Osorio threw a three-hit shutout for the Crimson Tide (46-16) to improve to 23-7 on the season in the circle. Offensively for the Gators (53-8), sophomore Amanda Lorenz went 2-for-2 with a pair of walks.
Sophomore righty Kelly Barnhill (23-3) worked the first five innings and allowed three runs (all unearned), while junior Aleshia Ocasio tossed pair of scoreless frames for the Gators in relief of Barnhill.
Scoring was scarce early as only one baserunner reached second base in the first four innings of the game. During that span, Barnhill rattled off nine-straight strikeouts between the first and fourth innings.
In the fifth, Alabama had its leadoff hitter, Bailey Hemphill reached base on a leadoff walk. That base on balls was followed by a fielder's choice, two errors and a pair of sacrifices that plated three Crimson Tide runs.
Florida has its best chance to score in the bottom of the fifth when two batters were hit by a pitch and Amanda Lorenz walked, but UF was unable to score. The inning culminated with a 12-pitch at-bat, which included seven foul balls, by junior Janell Wheaton who flew out to left to end the threat.
The two SEC foes will meet Friday at 7 p.m. for game two. A Florida win would force a decisive game three on Saturday at 5 p.m. The winner of this best-of-three series heads to Oklahoma City next week for the NCAA Women's College World Series.
Coaches Corner
Opening Statement:
“When you coach this game long enough, you’re going to see things you’ve never seen before. Both teams had zero hits with runners in scoring position so it is a new way to win but give them credit for taking advantage of the situation. I thought they did a really good job putting pressure on us in that one inning where we kind of fell apart. Overall, we are going to find out where we’re at and find out the toughness. We are still a young team and I think the good thing about our team is that we have had a lot of resiliency. We’ve worked really hard to get to this point, we’ve had a really good season and I look forward to watching them come out tomorrow and pick their heads up, pick their spirits up and get back after it again” – Tim Walton
From the Players
On refocusing for tomorrow’s game:
“I think we play better with our backs against the wall anyways so I am really excited to see what we have in us tomorrow. We can’t do anything about it now, we’re just going to fight tomorrow.” - Amanda Lorenz
On stadium energy:
“We’re big on energy, we had some great energy today and we’re going to keep that momentum going and we’re just going to, like Amanda [Lorenz] said, try to get hits with runners in scoring position and keep the momentum going. We have our backs against the wall but we’re going to keep fighting hard.” – Aleshia Ocasio
NCAA Tournament Notes
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(Gainesville, FL.) – No. 16 seed Alabama put up three runs in the fifth on a pair of Florida errors to down the top-seeded Gators, 3-0, in the first game of the best-of-three Gainesville Super Regional on Thursday evening in front of 1,800 softball fans at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Junior Alexis Osorio threw a three-hit shutout for the Crimson Tide (46-16) to improve to 23-7 on the season in the circle. Offensively for the Gators (53-8), sophomore Amanda Lorenz went 2-for-2 with a pair of walks.
Sophomore righty Kelly Barnhill (23-3) worked the first five innings and allowed three runs (all unearned), while junior Aleshia Ocasio tossed pair of scoreless frames for the Gators in relief of Barnhill.
Scoring was scarce early as only one baserunner reached second base in the first four innings of the game. During that span, Barnhill rattled off nine-straight strikeouts between the first and fourth innings.
In the fifth, Alabama had its leadoff hitter, Bailey Hemphill reached base on a leadoff walk. That base on balls was followed by a fielder's choice, two errors and a pair of sacrifices that plated three Crimson Tide runs.
Florida has its best chance to score in the bottom of the fifth when two batters were hit by a pitch and Amanda Lorenz walked, but UF was unable to score. The inning culminated with a 12-pitch at-bat, which included seven foul balls, by junior Janell Wheaton who flew out to left to end the threat.
The two SEC foes will meet Friday at 7 p.m. for game two. A Florida win would force a decisive game three on Saturday at 5 p.m. The winner of this best-of-three series heads to Oklahoma City next week for the NCAA Women's College World Series.
Coaches Corner
Opening Statement:
“When you coach this game long enough, you’re going to see things you’ve never seen before. Both teams had zero hits with runners in scoring position so it is a new way to win but give them credit for taking advantage of the situation. I thought they did a really good job putting pressure on us in that one inning where we kind of fell apart. Overall, we are going to find out where we’re at and find out the toughness. We are still a young team and I think the good thing about our team is that we have had a lot of resiliency. We’ve worked really hard to get to this point, we’ve had a really good season and I look forward to watching them come out tomorrow and pick their heads up, pick their spirits up and get back after it again” – Tim Walton
From the Players
On refocusing for tomorrow’s game:
“I think we play better with our backs against the wall anyways so I am really excited to see what we have in us tomorrow. We can’t do anything about it now, we’re just going to fight tomorrow.” - Amanda Lorenz
On stadium energy:
“We’re big on energy, we had some great energy today and we’re going to keep that momentum going and we’re just going to, like Amanda [Lorenz] said, try to get hits with runners in scoring position and keep the momentum going. We have our backs against the wall but we’re going to keep fighting hard.” – Aleshia Ocasio
NCAA Tournament Notes
- The Gators still hold a 16-6 (.761) in Super Regional competition.
- Florida is now 6-1 against Alabama when playing in the NCAA Tournament.
- Alabama is the fourth SEC team to match up with Florida in the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament.
- 2007 |Texas A&M* | L, 2-1 (2-0, 2-3 & 2-0) Joined the SEC in 2011
- 2015 | Kentucky | W, 2-0 (7-0 & 1-0)
- 2016 | Georgia | L, 2-0 (3-0 & 3-2)
- This is the first meeting between the Gators and Alabama at the NCAA Super Regional round.
- The two programs have faced off five times at the NCAA Tournament. All which have been at the Women’s College World Series.
- In the 67th meeting between the two programs, Florida dropped to 31-36 overall against Alabama.
- Janell Wheaton threw out Demi Turner in top of the first inning trying to steal second base.
- It’s the 14th time this season Wheaton has thrown out an opposing baserunner.
- Kelly Barnhill struck out the side 2 times during tonight’s contest.
- On the season she has now stuck out the side 46 times.
- Recorded her 17th game of 10 or more strikeouts.
- Amanda Lorenz has reached base safely in 59 of the 61 games played this season.
- She finished the game 2-for-2 at the plate with two walks.
- It’s her 22nd multi-hit game of the season and extended her hitting streak to three games.
FOLLOW THE GATORS
FloridaGators.com
Head Coach Tim Walton on Twitter