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SB: Gators sweep Day 1 of Bubly Invitational; Walton reaches 900 career wins

February 14, 2020
Photo by Brian Fox / ChompTalk.com

Gainesville, FL – The 8th ranked Florida Gators won both of their first two games in the Bubly Invitational on Friday. Florida beat North Dakota State in the first of the double-header, 5-0. In the second game, the Gators run-ruled Longwood in 5 innings by a score of 9-0. Both of Florida’s opponents kicked off the weekend with wins earlier in the day. NDSU cruised to a 9-0 win over SE Louisiana, while Longwood dominated Florida A&M, 8-0.

Game 1

Florida 5, North Dakota State 0

Win: Rylee Trlicek (3-0)

Loss: Lainey Lyle (0-2)

Game Recap

Both starting pitchers got off to strong starts as neither offense reached scoring position until the third inning. In the bottom of the third, Cheyenne Lindsey drove in Julia Cottrill on a single through the right side of the infield.

One inning later, Charla Echols led off with a double to left-center. Three batters later, Jade Caraway hit a 2-out infield single to bring home Echols. With the single, Caraway extended her hit streak to 7 games.

https://twitter.com/GriffinFoll/status/1228446222936993792?s=20

In the fifth, the Gators added on two more runs thanks to Kendyl Lindaman’s lead-off double off the centerfield wall, which led to Charla Echols’ 2-RBI single through the right side. The next inning, Hannah Adams scored on Kendyl Lindaman’s double to the gap in right-center to extend Florida’s lead to 5-0.

Despite the shaky performance from starting pitcher, Lainey Lyle, the Bison’s coaching staff decided to leave her in for the entire game. Lyle finished the game with 117 pitches thrown (69 strikes).

After recording the first out of the seventh inning, Florida starting pitcher, Rylee Trlicek, was finally pulled from the circle after throwing 79 pitches. Trlicek threw a gem, allowing no runs on 4 hits and no walks in 6.1 innings pitched. The freshman southpaw is now 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA to begin her career as a Gator.

Sophomore right-hander Elizabeth Hightower entered the game in relief for Trlicek and successfully recorded the final two outs to secure the 5-0 win for the Gators. It was a milestone win for Florida head coach, Tim Walton, who now has 900 career victories.

Game 2

Florida 9, Longwood 0 (5)

Win: Natalie Lugo (3-1)

Loss: Sydney Backstrom (2-2)

Game Recap

Florida’s offense needed just one inning to match its run total from the first game one (5). After the first two batters had reached base, Charla Echols belted a 3-run home run into the palm trees beyond the right-field wall. Shortly after with the bases loaded, Sophia Reynoso hit an infield single to score another run. The next batter, Cheyenne Lindsey, hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to bring home Jade Caraway to give the Gators an early 5-run lead.

An inning later, Echols hit another bomb over the right-field wall to nearly the identical spot as the first one. The homer scored 2 more runs and gave Florida a commanding 7-0 lead heading into the third inning.

It was a rough outing for Longwood starting pitcher, Sydney Backstrom. The junior right-hander gave up 7 earned runs on 6 hits and 1 walk in just 2 innings pitched.

Florida starting pitcher, Natalie Lugo, threw three solid innings, allowing no runs on no hits, 2 walks and 5 strikeouts. Lugo threw just 43 pitches before being pulled from the circle in favor of sophomore right-hander Danni Farley. Farley allowed back-to-back baserunners, but she was able to work her way out of the jam and maintain the shutout.

In the bottom of the fourth, Florida’s offense got back to work. Jade Caraway scored all the way from first base on Jaimie Hoover’s double down the left-field line. Sophia Reynoso followed that up with a double into the gap in right-center to score Hoover and extend the Gators’ lead to 9-0.

The lead gave Florida the leverage to allow up to a run in order to close the game out in the top half of the fifth inning via the 8-run rule. The leverage proved to be unnecessary as Danni Farley closed the game out for the Gators without allowing a run.

Notable Stats:
- Tim Walton leads all current D1 coaches with a .795 career winning percentage
- Kendyl Lindaman’s 4-hit day extended her hitting streak to 7 games
- Charla Echols’ 7-RBI day matches her season-total (she now leads Florida with 14)
- Florida’s 9-hole hitter, Cheyenne Lindsey, leads the team in batting average (.538)
- Florida now holds a combined 16-0 record versus NDSU and Longwood
Looking Ahead

After day 1 of the Bubly Invitational, the Gators lead with a 2-0 record. North Dakota State, Longwood and Southeastern Louisiana are all tied at 1-1, while Florida A&M sits in last place at 0-2. Florida will once again face NDSU and Longwood tomorrow at 11:30 AM/2 PM before facing SE Louisiana and FAMU to warp up the weekend on Sunday.
Series Preview: Florida vs Marshall

February 14, 2020

Photo by Kristen Oliff/ ChompTalk.com
College baseball is back! The Florida Gators will be hosting the Marshall Thundering Herd for a three-game series this weekend at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium. The Gators are coming off a rough 2019 season in which they were quickly eliminated in the Lubbock Regional.

The Marshall Thundering Herd finished last season with a 29-28 record as they failed to reach a regional. This will be the first matchup between the Gators and Marshall. Here is the series preview between the Florida Gators and the Marshall Thundering Herd.

Marshall Thundering Herd

The Marshall Thundering Herd will head to Gainesville, Florida to take on the Florida Gators led by their head coach, Jeff Waggoner. The Marshall head coach will begin his 14^th season as the Thundering Herd’s head coach. Marshall will hand the ball their redshirt-senior Wade Martin for the season opener. Martin was a Second Team All-C-USA in 2017.

Sophomore Brady Choban will get the start for the Thundering Herd on Saturday. Choban made five appearances and three starts last season.

JUCO transfer Jeffrey Purnell will get the start in the series finale. Purnell pitched for John A. Logan College last season and amassed an 8-0 record, 2.43 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 59.1 innings pitched.

The Marshall Thundering lineup will have a new look as they lost a lot of their offensive production from the 2019 season. Junior Geordon Blanton is Marshall’s most productive returning starter. Blanton batted .286 with 17 doubles, 18 stolen bases and had a .820 OPS. Zach Inskeep is another returner who was very productive last season. Inskeep hit .281 with 12 doubles, five home runs and had a .991 fielding percentage. 2019 Conference USA All-Freshman Luke Edwards will be one of the few starters returning from last season. Edwards batted .260 with eight doubles, two home runs and 18 RBIs.

Florida Gators

The Florida Gators baseball program has been looking forward to this day since the end of last season. Once again, Florida comes into this baseball season with very high expectations. The Florida Gators will be led by their head coach Kevin O’Sullivan, who’s entering his 13^th season as Florida’s head coach.

The Florida starting rotation will be led by right-handed Tommy Mace. On Saturday, junior right-handed pitcher Jack Leftwich will get the start. Finally, sophomore right-handed pitcher Nick Pogue will get the start in the series finale.

The Florida Gators offense was one of the top ranked offenses in the SEC. Their lineup did lose several of their key contributors such as Nelson Maldonado, Brady McConnell and Wil Dalton. However, this Florida lineup still has a lot of talent and brought in some of the top freshmen in the country.

Sophomore Jacob Young returns after an excellent freshman season. As a freshman, Young batted .311 with eight doubles, three home runs and 26 RBIs. Senior Austin Langworthy started last season slowly but was still able to put up good numbers. Langworthy batted .283 with 12 doubles, ten home runs and had a .860 OPS. Kendrick Calilao was another freshman who had a strong season. Calilao batted .276 with five home runs and 49 RBIs. Other Gators hitters to watch for this weekend are Jud Fabian, Cory Acton and Josh Rivera.

The series opens Friday night with the first pitch scheduled for 6:30 PM. Follow the action on Twitter @ChompTalk and check back for our recaps.
WBB: Gators top Ole Miss in thriller

February 13, 2020
Final: Florida 74, Mississippi 72

Photo by Kristen Oliff / ChompTalk.com

Gainesville, FL- The Florida Gators raced out to a double-digit advantage, watched it disappear, then proved resilient in the final few moments as they defeated Mississippi on Thursday.

The Gators found their stride shooting to open the game as they knocked down seven of their first eight shots and led by nine before the Rebels made it into the scoreboard. By the end of the first quarter, Florida had built a thirteen point lead on 9-14 from the field.

Despite the fast start Ole Miss was able to get back into the contest rather quickly as the Jekyll and Hyde nature of this year’s Florida team took full effect. The Gators made just two baskets in the second and were outscored 18-8. The two teams went into intermission with Florida leading 35-32.

The two sides played even in the third quarter. The Gators came out and immediately upped the advantage to seven at 39-32, but the Rebels continued to fight and claw back. A mid-range jumper by Deja Cage as the clock expired pushed Mississippi back to within three heading into the final period of play.

The fourth quarter was a back and forth affair as the Rebels took their first lead at 61-60 with 8:01 to play. Ole Miss held a four point lead (70-66) with 2:55 remaining, but Florida’s resilience kicked in.

Layups by Lavender Briggs and Kiki Smith pushed the Gators back to even with just over two minutes remaining setting the stage for an exciting finish.

Cage gave Ole Miss the lead on a second chance bucket, but freshman Faith Dut made the tying basket with a nice juke move that gave her the opening.

Briggs controlled the ball and was fouled along the perimeter, and was awarded a pair of free throws.

Briggs calmly and confidently sank both from the charity stripe and stole the ball on the other end to seal the victory.

Florida improved to 13-11 on the season while Ole Miss fell to 7-17 and 0-11 in league play.

Individual Stats:
- Lavender Briggs: 23 points, 11-13 FT, 8 rebounds, 4 assists
- Kiki Smith: 12 points, 3 rebounds
- Kristina Moore: 10 points, 4 rebounds
- Zada Williams: 9 points, 9 rebounds
- Faith Dut: Career high 9 points
Team Stats:
- FG% : 43
- 3FG : 27
- FT% : 66
- Reb+/- : +11
- Assists: 12
- TO: 12
- Bench Points: 18
What’s Next:

Florida will travel to Columbia to face the Missouri Tigers on Sunday. Mizzou is 6-18 overall and boasts just a 3-8 record in SEC action.
Gators Baseball: 2020 Position by Position Preview

February 13, 2020

Photo by Kristen Oliff / ChompTalk.com
The Florida Gators baseball team kicks off its 2020 season this Friday at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium against the Marshall Thundering Herd.

Florida will also go into this game as the #4 team in the D1Baseball Preseason Rankings.

In the 2019 season, the Gators weren’t their dominant selves. They finished the season with a 34-26 record and 13-17 conference record. Florida barely made it to the postseason but were quickly eliminated by Dallas Baptist in the Lubbock Regional.

The Gators baseball team is still very young but the talent gap between them and the top ranked teams in the country has closed. Their 2020 recruiting class finished #3 in the country and including top draft prospects that decided to honor their commitment and not sign pro contracts.

Starting Rotation

The Gators starting rotation is very similar to their rotation last season. Junior Tommy Mace will be the ace of the rotation as he was last season. Junior Jack Leftwich be the #2 starting in Florida’s rotation once again. The #3 starter was a bit of a surprise to many as sophomore RHP Nick Pogue was named the Sunday starter. Many believed freshman Hunter Barco would be #3 pitcher, but head coach Kevin O’Sullivan decided to go with the more experience pitchers.

Hunter Barco will still likely get some starts during Florida’s midweek games. Another top freshman that should get some starts on Florida’s midweek games is Brandon Sproat. The Pace (FL) graduate was drafted in the seventh round by the Texas Rangers but decided to attend Florida. Sproat has wowed many people with his power fastball and experts already see him as a top draft prospect for the 2022 MLB Draft.

Bullpen

The bullpen was one of Florida’s weaknesses as the Gators usually have one of the best pitching staffs in the country. They return most of their bullpen arms but now have a year of experience in the college baseball. Some of the top relief pitchers for the Gators last season were junior LHP Jordan Butler, sophomore RHP David Luethje, junior RHP Justin Alintoff and sophomore RHP Christian Scott. Sophomore RHP Nolan Crisp was the closer for most of 2019 but struggled towards the end of the season. He looks to redeem himself and earn his closer role once again.

Some newcomers that will help with the bullpen including one graduate transfer and four freshmen. The lone graduate transfer is left-handed pitcher Trey Van Der Weide from USC Upstate. During his time at USC Upstate, Weide was mostly used a relief pitcher but did start in 14 games.

The five freshmen that’ll be in Florida’s bullpen are RHP, Tyler Nesbitt, LHP Ryan Cabarcas, RHP Hunter Mink and RHP Nick Ficarrotta. Nesbitt was a top 200 draft prospect that was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 32^nd round but had already announced he was going to Florida. Ryan Cabarcas is a left-handed pitcher out of American Heritage High School in Plantation, Florida. Hunter Mink ad Nick Ficarrotta are both from Palm Harbor University High School.

Catchers

The Florida Gators have four catchers on their roster in Brady Smith, Cal Greenfield, Nathan Hickey and Matt Powell. Smith was the starting catcher last season but is expected to move to third base for this season. Smith could still get some playing time behind the plate if needed.

Cal Greenfield is a junior who hasn’t made much of an impact during his time at Florida. His offense hasn’t been up to par but he’s a plus defender with a strong arm. Nathan Hickey is a true freshmen with a big bat and is also very solid behind the plate. He’s competing with Cal Greenfield for the starting job but Hickey’s offensive upside may make him Florida’s starting catcher. Another freshman catcher is Matt Powell out of Bishop Verot Catholic High School. Powell could get some playing time as the season prolongs.

Infielders

The Florida Gators infield will look pretty different compared to last season. There’s no change at first base as Kendrick Calilao will be the Gators starting first baseman. Calilao was one of Florida’s most consistent hitters and will look to build off of last season. Other potential first basemen for the Gators this season are Hunter Barco, Jordan Butler and Kris Armstrong.

Cory Acton will move from third base to second base this season. Acton started most of last season at third but does have experience playing second.

Freshman Josh Rivera will replace Brady McConnell at shortstop. McConnell was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft. Rivera earned the shortstop role with his play during fall practices and is play in their scrimmages. Freshman Isaac Nunez is another middle infielder that should get some playing time.

Brady Smith will be the starting third baseman for the Gators this season. Smith had a very rocky start last season but turned it around in a big way. The junior out of TNXL Academy has some experience at third and has been good defensively at third base. Freshman Andrew Roberts will add some depth at third base. Seniors Nick Blasucci and Kirby McMullen will get playing time either at DH or third.

Outfielders

The Gators outfield will have some changes but all of the starters will be back from last season. Austin Langworthy is back for his senior season and will start at left field for the fourth year in a row.

Sophomore Jud Fabian will look to bounce back after an up and down freshman season. There’s a lot of high expectations on Fabian as many believe he’ll be Florida’s breakout star this season.

Right field will be the only change as Wil Dalton was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the eighth round. Jacob Young will take over at right field as he moves from second base to right field. Young had a terrific freshman season as he was Florida’s leadoff hitter and hit .311 with eight doubles and seven stolen bases.

Other outfielders on Florida’s roster are junior Brock Edge, freshman Tucker Talbott and freshman Austin Brinling. Brock Edge is a JUCO transfer from Santa Fe Community College. Edge batted over .300 in his career at Santa Fe. Tucker Talbott is out of the Providence School and Austin Brinling is from the Out-of-Door Academy.

The Gators open the season against the Marshall Thundering Herd on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM and it will be the final Opening Day at McKethan Stadium.
2020 Florida Gators Baseball Roster Released

February 13, 2020

Photo by Bobby McDuffie / Getty Images
The college baseball season is just one day away and the Florida Gators has released their 2020 roster. Here is the Florida Gators 2020 Baseball Roster:

1          Jacob Young            OF          6-0       175      R/R      So.       Ponte Vedra, Fla. / Ponte Vedra

2          Cal Greenfield                      C           6-1       205      R/R      Jr.        Chicago, Ill. / Jensen Beach (Fla.)

3          Garrett Milchin    RHP           6-5       215      L/R      R-Jr.    Windermere, Fla. / The First Academy

4          Jud Fabian              OF           6-2       195      R/L      So.       Ocala, Fla. / Trinity Catholic

5          Brandon Sproat   RHP            6-3       205      R/R      Fr.       Pace, Fla. / Pace

6          Kendrick Calilao 1B/OF        6-1       210      R/R      So.       Kissimmee, Fla. / The First Academy

9          Brady Smith       INF/C          6-1       200      R/R      Jr.        Niceville, Fla. / TNXL Academy

10        Tyler Nesbitt      RHP           6-3       180      R/R      Fr.       LaBelle, Fla. / LaBelle

11        Nathan Hickey     C/INF         6-0       205      L/R      Fr.       Jacksonville, Fla. / Providence School

12        Hunter Barco      LHP/1B      6-4       210      L/L      Fr.       Jacksonville, Fla. / The Bolles School

13        Andrew Roberts    INF           6-2       190      R/R      Fr.       Altamonte Springs, Fla. / Trinity Prep School

14        Christian Scott                 RHP           6-4       215      R/R      So.       Parkland, Fla. / Calvary Christian Academy

15        Jordan Butler      LHP/1B      6-1       195      L/L      Jr.        Tampa, Fla. / Alonso

16        Ryan Cabarcas     LHP           5-11     160      L/L      Fr.       Pembroke Pines, Fla. / American Heritage

17        David Luethje       RHP          6-5       205      R/R      So.       Vero Beach, Fla. / Vero Beach

18        Brock Edge            OF            6-0       190      L/L      Jr.        Lake City, Fla. / Columbia (Santa Fe College)

20        Nick Pogue            RHP         6-5       235      R/R      So.       Melbourne, Fla. / Eau Gallie

21        Nick Blasucci        INF           6-3       210      R/R      R-Sr.   Fort Myers, Fla. / Riverdale (Tallahassee CC)

22        Cory Acton               INF        6-0       190      L/R      So.       Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / American Heritage

23        Jack Leftwich           RHP      6-4       220      R/R      Jr.        Orlando, Fla. / TNXL Academy

24        Josh Rivera                INF       6-2       205      R/R      Fr.       Avon Park, Fla. / IMG Academy

27        Isaac Nunez                INF      6-0       190      R/R      Fr.       Orlando, Fla. / Lake Brantley

28        Matt Powell                C         6-1       190      R/R      Fr.       Fort Myers, Fla. / Bishop Verot Catholic

29        Austin Brinling           OF       5-9       170      L/L      Fr.       Bradenton, Fla. / Out-of-Door Academy

30        Hunter Mink               RHP    6-2       200      R/R      Fr.       Palm Harbor, Fla. / Palm Harbor University

32        Tucker Talbott           OF       6-2       195      R/R      Fr.       Atlantic Beach, Fla. / Providence School

33        Trey Van Der Weide LHP     6-3       230      L/L      Gr.       Longwood, Fla. / Lake Brantley (USC-Upstate)

34        Kris Armstrong          INF      6-4       230      S/R      So.       Jupiter, Fla. / The Benjamin School

37        Nolan Crisp                RHP    5-9       185      R/R      So.       Locust Grove, Ga. / Locust Grove

39        Justin Alintoff             RHP    6-2       220      R/R      Jr.        Jupiter, Fla. / Dwyer (Indian River CC)

44        Austin Langworthy    OF/LHP5-11    200      L/L      Sr.       Williston, Fla. / Williston

46        Nick Ficarrotta           RHP     6-3       170      R/R      Fr.       Palm Harbor, Fla. / Palm Harbor University

47        Tommy Mace            RHP     6-6       215      R/R      Jr.        Tampa, Fla. / Sunlake

52        Kirby McMullen        INF      5-11     200      R/R      Sr.       Ocala, Fla. / Forest

55        Ben Specht                 RHP     6-1       210      R/R      So.       Fort Myers, Fla. / Evangelical Christian

Out of the 35 players on the roster, 20 of them are players from the 2019 season. The Gators have 13 freshmen, 10 sophomores, eight juniors and three seniors and a graduate transfer on their roster.

Florida also brings a JUCO transfer in outfielder Brock Edge. The junior outfielder spent the last two seasons at Santa Fe Community College before signing with Florida. In his sophomore season, Edge batted .315 with 12 doubles, four home runs, 36 RBIs and a .870 OPS.

The Florida Gators landed a graduate transfer in the transfer portal. Left-handed pitcher Trey Van Der Weide transfers in from USC Upstate where he pitched for the past three seasons. In his collegiate career, Trey Van Der Weide made 62 appearances including 14 starts. He had an 8-11 record with a 4.76 ERA and 130 strikeouts in 153 innings pitched.

The Florida Gators open their 2020 season at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium on February 14th against the Marshall Thundering Herd at 6:30 ET. This will also be the last Opening Day at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium as Florida will move into their new stadium for the 2021 season.
MBB: Gators cruise past Texas A&M, 78-61

February 12, 2020
Final: Florida 78, Texas A&M 61

Photo by Mary Holt / Getty Images

Florida defeated Texas A&M 78-61 on Saturday to improve to 15-9 overall and 7-5 in SEC play.

How it happened:

After a tightly contested first half that saw the Gators enter the intermission with a three point advantage, Florida pounced on an inferior team in the second half.

The Aggies trailed by only six points with 14:23 to play, but Florida would continue making buckets and eventually saw its lead swell to as much as twenty two with 3:52 remaining in the game.

Florida’s usual several minute stretch of offensive ineffectiveness went missing for at least one night.

Backcourt mates Andrew Nembhard and Noah Locke led the way with 24 and 21 points, respectively, while Keyontae Johnson added 10 points.

Individual Stats:
- Andrew Nembhard: 24 points, 9-11 FG, 5 assists
- Noah Locke: 21 points, 5-10 3FG
- Keyontae Johnson: 10 points, 10 rebounds
- Kerry Blackshear: 8 points, 1-2 FG, 3 rebounds,
Team Stats:
- FG% : 52
- 3FG% : 44
- FT% : 86
- Reb+/- : +16
- Assists : 15
- TO : 14
- Bench Points: 9
What’s Next:

Florida returns to the O’Dome on Saturday as they honor legendary former coach Billy Donovan by naming the court after him. The Gators will take on Vanderbilt with the game slated for an 8:00 PM tip-off.

The Commodores are 9-15 on the season and dropped a 61-55 decision to Florida earlier this month.
SB: Gators run-rule UNF 10-2 in NCAA home opener

February 12, 2020
Final: Florida 10, UNF 2 (5)

Photo by Brian Fox / ChompTalk.com

Win: Rylee Trlicek (2-0)

Loss: Hailey Raulerson (0-2)

Gainesville, FL – The 8th ranked Florida Gators hosted the UNF Ospreys on Wednesday night in a non-conference showdown. Florida entered the game with a 4-1 record, coming off an exhibition loss to Team USA on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, UNF carried a 2-2 record into the game after competing in the Trojan Classic this past weekend in Troy, Alabama. It marks the fourth straight year Florida and North Florida have met, and UF held a 9-0 all-time record versus UNF entering the game.

Game Summary

The Gators needed just five innings to knock off UNF by virtue of the 8-run rule. Florida wasted no time getting its bats going as they hit through the entire lineup and scored seven runs in the first inning. Senior slugger Jordan Roberts got things started when she smashed a 3-run homer to dead center.

After recording just one out, Hailey Raulerson was pulled from the circle in favor of freshman Alyssa Dyhr. Dyhr pitched the next 2.1 innings, allowing 5 earned runs on 8 hits and 4 walks.

Florida starting pitcher, Rylee Trlicek, cruised through UNF’s lineup the first time around, but she ran into trouble in the third. After the first two batters had reached base, Kayla McGory ripped a 2-RBI double to left-field wall. Unfortunately for the Ospreys, McGory’s double would be their final hit of the night.

The Gators responded in the bottom half of the inning as Julia Cottrill drove in Kendyl Lindaman to extend their lead to 9-2. Cottrill had herself a night to remember, going 3-3 with two runs batted in.

In the top of the fourth, Elizabeth Hightower made her third appearance of the season as she entered the circle for the Gators. Hightower pitched a solid last two innings, striking out two batters while allowing no runs on no hits and two walks.

The 8-run rule came into play following Baylee Goddard’s bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the fourth. In the top half of the fifth, Florida didn’t allow any runs, which secured the run-rule victory.

With the win, Florida improves to 5-1 on the season, while UNF drops to 2-3.

Notable Stats:
- Florida head coach, Tim Walton, is now one win shy of 900 career wins
- Jordan Roberts (1-3, 3 RBIs, 2 Runs) hit her team-leading 4th home run
- Julia Cottrill (3-3, 2 RBIs) improved her season batting average to .471
Looking Ahead

The Gators will look to carry their momentum into the weekend as they prepare for a busy upcoming schedule. Florida hosts the Bubly Invitational, which starts on Friday, and will play six games in just three days. The Gators will play North Dakota State (twice), Longwood (twice), Southeastern Louisiana and Florida A&M.

When asked about how Florida will manage its pitching rotation during the busy stretch, head coach, Tim Walton, said the team will “definitely be using all six pitchers.” That includes senior pitcher Katie Chronister, who has faced only three batters so far this season. Walton went on to mention how he was “glad not to use Natalie [Lugo]” against UNF in hopes of getting her some rest before the busy weekend ahead.

As for UNF, the team will look to bounce back this weekend as they head to Jacksonville for their home opener and the start of the Osprey Invitational. UNF will face Alabama A&M (twice), Ball State (twice) and East Tennessee State.
SB: Gators fall just short to Team USA in exhibition play

February 12, 2020
Final: Team USA 5, Florida 3

Win: Monica Abbott (4-0)

Loss: Natalie Lugo (0-1)

Gainesville, FL – The Florida Gators (4-1) hosted the U.S. Women’s National Team (6-0) in its home opener on Tuesday night. While Florida kicked off its season in Tampa this past weekend, Team USA went undefeated across Tampa Bay in Clearwater, outscoring its opponents 37-3.

Florida welcomed back former Gator greats, Michelle Moultrie, Aubree Munro and Kelsey Stewart to Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. The three UF alumnae represent the second most from any individual college on Team USA’s roster behind only UCLA (four).

Game Summary

Both starting pitchers cruised through the first inning, going 1-2-3 through the opposing batting order. Senior pitcher Katie Chronister got the start in the circle for the Gators, while former Tennessee Volunteer, Monica Abbott, got the nod for Team USA.

Florida head coach, Tim Walton, wasted no time pulling Chronister after a perfect 1.1 innings pitched. Natalie Lugo entered the game in relief for Chronister, whom had only faced three batters this season prior to her start.

In the top of the 3rd, Team USA scored 4 runs during a 2-out rally. Starting middle-infielders, Ali Aguilar and Hannah Flippen, both singled up the middle to drive in two runs each. Team USA later extended its lead to five runs in the top of the fifth when Aguilar doubled off the wall in left-center to drive in her third run of the night.

Monica Abbott cruised through the first 5 innings, allowing just 1 baserunner due to an error. However, Team USA decided to pull Abbott entering the last two innings in favor of Rachel Garcia. The pitching change seemed to help the struggling Florida offense as Cheyenne Lindsey led off the inning with a bunt single. Three batters later, Kendyl Lindaman crushed a line drive 2-run home run off the scoreboard in left-center to cut Team USA’s lead to 5-2.

In the seventh inning, Keilani Ricketts entered the circle in relief. After allowing 2 baserunners, Team USA elected to pull Ricketts and put Garcia back in the circle to record the final two outs. The Gators brought in Bryn Thomas to pinch-hit, and Thomas came in clutch with an RBI-double to the gap in left-center. Two batters later, Abbott re-entered the circle to get the final out for Team USA. After walking the first batter to load the bases, Abbott managed to strike out leadoff hitter, Hannah Adams, to secure a 5-3 victory for Team USA.

Notable Stats:
- Florida struck out a season-high 14 times
- Monica Abbott improved to 4-0 in just her 3rd start this season while striking out 13
- Kendyl Lindaman hit her 2nd HR (2 RBIs) of the season
- Ali Aguilar’s 3 RBI performance gives her a team-high 10 RBIs this season
- The 3 UF alumnae hit a combined 0-9 in their return to Gainesville
Looking Ahead

The #8 Gators will look to bounce back Wednesday night at home against UNF.
This weekend, Florida hosts the Bubly Invitation and will play a busy 6-game schedule against 4 different teams: North Dakota State (twice), Longwood (twice), Southeastern Louisiana, and Florida A&M. As for Team USA, they will continue to play college teams around the nation in preparation for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Among the notable matchups remaining on Team USA’s schedule are #1 Washington (twice), #3 UCLA, #4 Arizona, and #9 Alabama. At the end of July, the U.S. Women’s National Team will travel to Tokyo in search of its fourth gold medal.
Gators reel in 4-Star WR Trevonte Rucker

February 11, 2020
Photo by Andrew Ivins / 247Sports
Nine months after decommitting to Florida, Ocala wideout Trevonte Rucker announced on Tuesday morning that he would be rejoining Dan Mullen’s second-ranked 2021 recruiting class.

https://twitter.com/TrevonteRucker/status/1227247046882680834?s=20

With the addition of Rucker, the Gators’ 2021 class jumps to No. 1, according to Rivals.com,

A product of Vanguard High School, which sits in Gainesville’s south backyard, Rucker is a touted 4-star recruit, according to Rivals.com. In his junior season, Rucker combined for 881 total yards of total offense.

After visiting Auburn during 2019’s Iron Bowl, a game that will go down as another instant classic in the series, Rucker said that Gus Malzahn’s Tigers were high on his list despite not having an offer for him.

However, on Jan. 7, an Auburn offer finally arrived for Rucker.

Nonetheless, Dan Mullen and the Gators found a way to reel Rucker back in — beating out Auburn, LSU, Penn State and Florida State, among others.

With the anticipated addition of Rucker, here’s a possible look at Florida’s receiving room in 2021:
- Jacob Copeland
- Justin Shorter
- Jordan Pouncey
- Dionte Marks
- Ja’Quavion Fraziars
- Xavier Henderson
- Trevonte Rucker
It’s not time to panic despite massacre against Michigan

February 10, 2020

TAMPA, FLA — Natalie Lugo had to feel good.

The junior right hander retired 10 of the last 11 batters she faced tracing back to her one-run complete game in the season-opening contest against Illinois State. Now after two UF wins, she put away the first two batters in Saturday’s showdown with Michigan.

Lugo held a 2-2 count against Wolverines first baseman Lou Allan before a single through the middle extended the inning. One baserunner turned to two, then three…then a five-run, two-out rally fueled by two more singles, a double and two errors.

The wheels fell off Lugo, who allowed more baserunners (6) in one inning against Michigan then she had in her first eight innings (5). The relief unit didn’t fair well either, as sophomore Danni Farley (3.0 IP, 3 hits, 4 BB, 3 K) relinquished two runs before sophomore Elizabeth Hightower allowed two home runs and an RBI double in the sixth.

Florida’s confidence crippled. The No. 7 Gators played timid softball against No. 17 Michigan, lasting just six innings before an 11-2 advantage evoked the mercy rule.

Yet, the weekend as a whole should be viewed as a positive for Florida’s pitching staff. Despite one embarrassing performance, the Gators executed aptly in the circle.

Lugo pitched a complete game against Illinois State in a 4-1 victory to jumpstart the 2020 campaign, and her performance should not be taken lightly. The Redbirds put up four runs on one of the best pitchers in the country — Michigan’s Meghan Beaubien — in a narrow 5-4 defeat.

Lugo came back against Fresno State in a tricky situation. She inherited two baserunners with no outs from Hightower with a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the seventh, but she struck out two batters down the stretch for the save.

Florida also got fantastic contributions from its touted freshman Rylee Trlicek.

The lefty from Hallettsville, Texas, showed a bit of nerves when she gave up seven hits and three runs in three innings against Fresno State for her first collegiate start.

But Trlicek returned with a vengeance in her next appearance. She got the ball against Georgia State on Sunday and hurled a five-inning no hitter (6 K), finishing only a hit batter away from a perfect game.

She also registered a save in the day’s second-leg triumph over USF, 6-1, allowing just one hit while striking out two.

The Gators needed multiple arms to emerge out of the inexperienced staff, and they got that last weekend in Lugo and Trlicek. Including the struggles of Farley and Hightower (4.2 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 3 HR, 2 2B, 2 BB, 5 K) and the rout to the Wolverines, Florida now has humbling experiences on tape to improve on as well as plenty of success to celebrate.

Current Record: 4-1

Last Week (Monday-Sunday): 4-1 at USF-Rawlings Invitational

W 4-1 vs. Illinois State (Friday)

W 6-4 vs. Fresno State (Saturday)

L 2-11 vs. Michigan (Saturday)

W 10-0 vs. Georgia State (Sunday)

W 6-1 vs. South Florida (Sunday)

Offensive Player of the Week: Charla Echols

For the second-straight season UF brought in a transfer from the Big Ten, and for the second-straight year the move translated into a massive offensive addition.

Echols left Tampa with a team-leading .467 batting average (7 for 15, 7 RBI, 2 HR, 3 BB). She’s also slugging .933, good for second on the team.

Echols managed an RBI in each game except one, going 0 for 2 against Georgia State with a walk and a run scored.

Pitcher of the Week: Rylee Trlicek

UF received a sterling performance from freshman pitcher Rylee Trlicek in perhaps the most impressive outing of the weekend.

Her five-inning no hitter was a truly outstanding way to secure her first collegiate win, and she backed up the performance with a solid relief effort.

Trlicek leads the Gators in strikeout-walk ratio (8.89) and WHIP (0.99).

Upcoming Games: (All at home)

Exhibition vs. USA Softball (Tuesday, 6 p.m.)

North Florida (Wednesday, 6 p.m.)

North Dakota State (Friday, 4:30 p.m.)

Longwood (Friday, 7 p.m.)

North Dakota State (Saturday, 11:30 a.m.)

Longwood (Saturday, 2 p.m.)

Southeastern Louisiana (Sunday, 11:30 a.m.)

Florida A&M (Sunday, 2 p.m.)

The Gators have an extremely soft home tournament slate bookended by midweek ties with North Florida and Jacksonville. These upcoming contests will pose an excellent opportunity to find rhythm in the circle while flushing out mistakes with low consequence.

Mark Stine is a contributing writer for Chomp Talk. Follow him on Twitter @mstinejr.