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BSB: Austin Langworthy launches Gators into CWS with walk-off dinger

June 12, 2018

FLORIDA 3, AUBURN 2 (11 INNINGS)

RUNS HITS ERRORS

AUBURN 2 6 1

GATORS 3 6 1

Photo via AP Images

GAINESVILLE, FL– You can now exhale, Gators fans!

The Florida Gators are headed to Omaha for the College World Series for the fourth straight year. Gainesville may be the home of the Gators, but Kevin O’Sullivan’s program has made a nearly annual trek to Nebraska.

There was nothing easy about this one, however. Florida needed extra innings and had to overcome just an incredible defensive effort by Auburn. It seems only fitting that the game was decided by a ball that hit the glove of Tigers RF Steven Williams and then went over the fence to send the Gators to a walk-off 3-2 victory.

Austin Langworthy entered the Super Regionals with no homers hit in McKethan Park. His solo shot to lead off the bottom of the eleventh was his second in consecutive nights. Both homers came off Cody Greenhill. Greenhill threw an inside fastball with a 1-2 count that bounced off Williams’ glove and into the palm trees in right field.

Florida led early when SEC Player of the Year Jonathan India homered to right center. For India, it was his 20th of the season. India is the first Gators player with 20 since 2007 when Matt LaPorta accomplished the feat.

Auburn SS Will Holland made a terrific play that led to an inning ending double play in the second, then followed it up by scoring the Tigers’ first run in the top half of the third. Holland singled, then stole second base and scored as Williams poked one through the hole between first and second.

Florida would respond in the fourth. Blake Reese hit a one-out double and Nick Horvath followed with a single to put runners on the corner. With two outs, O’Sullivan decided to get creative. With lefty Andrew Mitchell on the mound for Auburn, O’Sullivan put Horvath in motion followed immediately by Reese. With Mitchell’s attention focused on Horvath, the Gators centerfielder decided to dive to keep Mitchell’s attention, thus giving Reese time to get to the plate. Reese slid head first and made it safely to give Florida a 2-1 lead.

Photo via AP Images

Auburn tied it up in the top of the seventh. An error by Wil Dalton in right field put Luke Jarvis into scoring position A Tommy Mace wild pitch moved Jarvis to third before Josh Anthony hit a sacrifice fly to score the tying run.

Though Florida got the win, there is much that needs to be cleaned up before the College World Series begins on Sunday. The Gators went 1-14 with runners on base, 1-7 with runners in scoring position and 2-10 with two outs.

Florida pitching, however, was nothing short of phenomenal. Freshman Jack Leftwich started the game and pitched the first five innings allowing only 4 hits and walking two while striking out three. Fellow frosh Tommy Mace came in and pitched two innings in relief. Mace gave up one hit and an unearned run while striking out one Tiger. Michael Byrne finished the final four frames earning his third win of the season. Byrne allowed only one hit and struck out five and only walked one.

Florida is heading to the College World Series for the twelfth time in program history and the fourth straight season. Since O’Sullivan took over prior to 2008, Florida has reacehed the CWS seven times.

Florida will face Texas Tech to open CWS play on Sunday at 7:00 PM EST.

The Gator Chomp Blog will have a full preview in the days leading up to the first pitch.

W: Byrne (3-1)

L: Cody Greenfield (6-3)
FB: Gators add DL Adam Shuler via grad-transfer wire

June 11, 2018

Photo via Getty Images

The Gators have added depth to their defensive line with the announced commitment of Adam Shuler on Monday.

Shuler made the announcement via Twitter, but told the coaches of his decision during a visit to UF last weekend. Shuler was also on campus for the Orange and Blue game in April.

I will be going to ….The University of Florida!!! 🐊 Don’t ask no questions 👌🏾😎 #ShulerGang back home #88

— Adam Shuler (@Adam_goeshard) June 11, 2018

Shuler played defensive end with West Virginia for the past two seasons after redshirting his first year in Morgantown. He announced his intention to transfer in February.

Shuler recorded 37 tackles and 3 sacks last season while starting ten games and playing in twelve for the Mountaineers.

Shuler was a three-star prospect in the 2015 recruiting cycle and hails from Longwood, FL.

As a graduate-transfer, Shuler will be eligible to play for Florida in 2018 and has two years or eligibility remaining.
BSB: Brady Singer named finalist for Golden Spikes and Dick Howser Awards

June 8, 2018

Florida RHP Brady Singer has racked up a number of awards after a stellar junior season. On Wednesday and Thursday, Singer was announced as a finalist for two of the top honors in collegiate baseball.

Singer was named one of four finalists for the Golden Spikes Award on Wednesday. The honor is awarded to the top amateur baseball player in the United States annually. The award will be announced on June 28.

Singer is the fifth Florida player to be selected as a finalist, and could be the second to win the honor. Mike Zunino won the award in 2012.

On Thursday, Singer was also announced as one of the five finalists for the Dick Howser Trophy. The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association will announce a winner on June 16 at a press conference from the College World Series.

Singer was selected eighteenth overall in the 2018 MLB Draft by Kansas City earlier this week.

Singer has been named the SEC Player of the Year, the Baseball America National Player of the Year, and a first team All-American. Singer has posted a 11-1 record to go along with a 2.27 ERA. In 95 innings of work, Singer has retired 98 batters via strikeout and has limited opponents to a .188 batting average.

*You can help Singer with the fan vote portion of the Golden Spikes Award by clicking here and voting (fan vote runs until June 22). You can vote up to 25 times per day.
SB: Tim Walton agrees to 10-year extension with Florida

June 6, 2018

Photo via Getty Images

Florida fans, you can now exhale. After a few days of rumors, the Tim Walton to Texas saga has ended. The Gators head coach agreed to a ten year contract extension with Florida, the school announced on Wednesday. The contract goes through the 2028 season.

Walton just completed his thirteenth season at UF. His team has been to the Women’s College World Series in nine of the last eleven seasons, a feat no other program in the country can claim.

Walton has compiled a 722-148 (.829 win percentage) record while at Florida, and led the program to back to back national championships in 2014 & 2015.

Despite the success, Walton was the subject of rumors that he was interested in the Texas opening. Walton was asked about his interest in the position as the final question of the post-game press conference on Saturday. He stated, “I’ve got a great job,” to conclude his answer.

Today’s announcement makes sure that Walton has a great job for at least the next decade.

*Financial details of the contract have not been released.
FB: 4-star DT Jaelin Humphries commits to Florida

June 5, 2018

Photo by Keith Niebuhr / 247Sports

Florida Gators head coach Dan Mullen picked up some momentum on the recruiting trail Tuesday morning.

4-star defensive tackle Jaelin Humphries announced his commitment to Florida via Twitter.

110% committed to the University of Florida 🐊🐊@ChadSimmons_ pic.twitter.com/T3WtChXk1F

— Jaelin Humphries (@JaelinHumphries) June 5, 2018

Humphries was on campus for his official visit last weekend (June 1) and came away impressed, even posting on his Twitter account photos in the Gators white uniforms while standing next to Mullen.

Humphries is a 6’3, 303 lb DT from Lawrenceville, Georgia who has the versatility to play inside or outside on the defensive line. He made 130 tackles in the last two years at Mountain View High School.

Humphries chose the Gators over other finalists including; Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, and South Carolina.

247Sports has Humphries rated as the #13 DT in the 2019 recruiting cycle and the #201 prospect overall in the class.

This is Florida’s ninth verbal commitment in the 2019 recruiting cycle.
My Two Bits: Could Tim Walton bolt for Texas?

June 4, 2018

Photo via The Gator Chomp Blog

It was May 23. Florida Gators softball head coach Tim Walton was meeting with the media to discuss the upcoming Super Regional against Texas A&M that was set to begin the following day. 1,020 miles away something was brewing. By the midafternoon it was announced that the only head coach in the University of Texas’ program history, Connie Clark had stepped down after 23 seasons.

For a while, these two things seemed completely unrelated. However, during the WCWS opener for Florida, that changed. It was relatively harmless, but got the wheels turning none the less. During the broadcast it was mentioned that Walton would be interested in the job at Texas.

Could Walton leave Florida for Texas? We attempt to dissect it from all angles:

How successful has Walton’s program at Florida been?

Walton has built a powerhouse of a program since arriving in Gainesville in 2006. Walton took over a program that had failed to ever get past the NCAA Regionals. That changed in 2007 when the Gators earned a Super Regional trip to Texas A&M. Florida has earned nine WCWS appearances, beginning the stretch in 2008. The Gators won the 2014 and the 2015 National Championships behind the leadership of Walton and his staff. Walton has compiled a 711-148 record at Florida for a winning percentage of .828.

But what about Texas?

Texas has won the Big-12 regular season and conference tournament titles four times in the program’s twenty three seasons. The Longhorns have earned five trips to the WCWS, most recently in 2013.

Texas finished 2018 with a 33-26 record (10-8 in the Big 12) and fell in the Seattle, Washington regional. It was the Longhorn’s fourteenth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.

The Big-12 is also a much weaker conference (outside of Oklahoma) than the SEC. The conference has seven teams, four of which qualified for the NCAA Tournament, only the sooners advanced past Regionals.

All 13 SEC programs advanced to the NCAA Tournament, with nine qualifying for the Super Regionals.

Could UF realistically lose Walton to Texas?

Tim Walton is widely considered one of the top college softball coaches in the nation. Depending on his interest, there isn’t a program in the country that wouldn’t celebrate hiring Walton away from Florida.

Does Walton have any ties to Texas?

Walton played baseball at the University of Oklahoma for two years, winning the 1994 College World Series with the Sooners. He also began his softball coaching career at Oklahoma from 1999-2002 before taking over as the head coach at Wichita State in Kansas.

While that footprint is obviously in the Big-12 (Texas’ conference), he appears to have no associations with the state of Texas or the University of Texas, outside of recruiting.

What is the salary situation?

Based on my research, it appears that Walton earned a base salary of $305,000 in 2018 while Texas’ Connie Clark was in the final year of a three year deal with an estimated value of $200,000.

But Texas has the resources to spend virtually at will. What would it cost for Texas to lure Walton away from Florida?

Oklahoma’s Patty Gasso recently signed an extension that saw her annual compensation rise to $925,000 ($725,000 base salary, and $200,000 stay bonus every February). Grasso has won four national championships; 2000, 2013, 2016, and 2017.

While I doubt Walton could demand the same salary, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him seek something in the $700,000 range from one of the wealthiest schools on the planet. Texas is backed financially by ESPN’s Longhorn Network as well as wealthy donor Red McCombs (whom the softball stadium is named for).

Does Florida have a better roster than Texas?

Surprisingly, there is a lot of room for debate on this topic. While the Gators will return the SEC Player of the Year and the SEC Pitcher of the Year, both of whom were finalist for National Player of the Year, the Gators roster is surprisingly limited thereafter.

Florida loses their 2-3-4 hitters in the lineup as well as their second best pitcher. While Jordan Matthews and Hannah Adams have shown their abilities, it does appear the lineup will take a step back with several freshmen being relied on to play major roles on a team with championship ambitions. Some of those freshmen that will be expected to play expanded roles will likely be: Brittany Allen, Amanda Beane, Cheyenne Lindsey, and Hannah Sipos.

The Gators pitching staff will feature Kelly Barnhill, the two time SEC Pitcher of the Year. However, Barnhill has the propensity to allow homers if her pitches aren’t locating and struggled mightily in the postseason. Natalie Lugo will vie for the second starter with incoming freshmen Danni Farley and Elizabeth Hightower.

The Longhorns have a surprisingly experienced roster. They were led statistically by mostly younger players. The Texas leader in batting average (Janae Jefferson) was a freshman, the home run leaders (Taylor Ellsworth and Bekah Alcozer) are a rising junior and a rising senior. Fellow rising senior Brooke Bolinger is the top returning pitcher. Bolinger (the Texas #2 starter in 2018) finished with a 13-7 record to go along with a 2.20, but only allowed opponents to hit .195. In 117.2 innings of work, Bolinger struck out 123 hitters. Only three players graduated leaving much of the talent returning to Austin for 2019.

*Admittedly, I don’t know anything about the incoming class, however it can’t be a very large class with so few seniors leaving the program.

Has Walton had anything to say on the topic?

Coach Walton was asked about the job in the team’s press conference after the season ending loss to Oklahoma on Saturday. Admittedly, this was not a good time to bring it up, but Walton didn’t dismiss the rumor, which is why this article has been written. You can see the question and the answer in the video below.

Coach Tim Walton addresses the rumors of his supposed interest in the open @TexasSoftball job after Florida’s season ending 2-0 loss to Oklahoma on Saturday: https://t.co/59K7QtNzcY

— The Gator Chomp Blog (@GatorChompBlog) June 4, 2018

Prediction?

Ultimately, I can’t imagine Walton leaving Florida for Texas. Walton has a brand new stadium (upgrade) that is expected to be built in time for next season at Florida. The UAA has allowed Walton to have a lot of input on specific features and that’s not something that can be taken for granted. If Walton chooses to stay at Florida for the long term, there is a decent chance the stadium (or, at least, the field) will someday bear his name.

I would guess that Florida would offer a raise to nearly $500,000 annually, and that Walton remains a Gator for many years to come.

I really believe the only job that Walton could ever leave Florida for would be Oklahoma, if Patty Gasso retires/steps down at any point.

Does this mean he will stay? Absolutely not. This is just my best guess. I have no inside source or anything, but felt this warranted discussion.

What do you think, Gator Nation?
SB: Gators power past Georgia, into WCWS winner’s bracket

May 31, 2018

FLORIDA 11, GEORGIA 3 (5)

RUNS HITS ERRORS

GEORGIA 3 7 1

GATORS 11 7 0

Photo via Getty Images

Oklahoma City, OK– Survive and advance is he name of the game when it gets to tournament time. On Thursday, that’s exactly what the Gators did en route to a run-rule, 11-3 thrashing of rival Georgia.

The Bulldogs actually got out to an early lead when Justice Milz hit a two-run homer to left center in the top of the first inning. However, the Gators showed their resilience immediately.

Florida struck with five runs in the bottom half of the first, highlighted by Jordan Matthews’ two run double and Aleshia Ocasio’s three run homer to right field.

The Gators added one run in the second to up the advantage to 6-2 when Janell Wheaton grounded into a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded to score Amanda Lorenz.

The Bulldogs got one back in the third when Alyssa DiCarlo hit her 21st homer of the season.

Florida head coach Tim Walton made the decision to pinch hit for Matthews in the fourth inning, using sophomore Jordan Roberts off the bench. Roberts came through in spades, hitting a 1-0 pitch so far out of the park, UGA outfielder’s chose not to turn around. The Gators piled it on in the fifth. Hannah Adams led off the final frame with a solo homer and Georgia decided to turn to Amanda Ablan to pitch. Ablan struggled to find the strikezone, walking three straight Gators before being taken out for Keara Napoli. Napoli got Nicole DeWitt to fly out for the first out of the inning, but then walked Kayli Kvistad to put Florida within one run of a run-rule finish. It wouldn’t take long. Down 0-2 in the count, Janell Wheaton was hit by a pitch that scored Jaimie Hoover for the game ending run.

Aleshia Ocasio was a surprise starter, but comes away with her twenty-third win of the year. Ocasio finished with five innings pitched, 7 hits allowed, 7 strikeouts, and one walk. She allowed three runs, all earned.

For the Florida offense, it was a total team effort. Only Adams recorded multiple base hits, going 2-3. The Gators chased UGA’s starting pitcher, Mary Wilson Avant after only 1.2 innings of work. Avant allowed six runs while walking three and striking out only one.

In the second inning, Lorenz was walked with one out. This was the Gators 350th walk of the season, which set an NCAA record, surpassing Auburn’s 349 in 2016.

In 35 years of the Women’s College World Series, an opening day winner has won the national title 33 times.

The Gators will face UCLA contest in a winner’s bracket game on Friday at 9:30 PM EST. UCLA defeated Florida State 7-4 on Friday despite trailing 4-1 entering the sixth inning.

W: Ocasio (23-7)

L: Mary Wilson Avant (12-4)
BSB: Baseball America tabs Brady Singer as National Player of the Year

May 31, 2018

Jonathan India and Michael Byrne joined Singer as Baseball America first team All-Americans

Photo via Getty Images

On Thursday, Baseball America named Florida RHP Brady Singer the 2018 National Player of the Year.

Singer, a junior from Eustis, FL, was named the SEC Pitcher of the Year earlier this month and becomes only the second pitcher to earn the accolade, joining Trevor Bauer (UCLA) in 2011.

Singer finished with a 10-1 record and a 2.25 ERA in 13 starts. In 88 innings or work, Singer recorded 92 strikeouts while only walking 18. Singer kept opposing hitters to a .186 batting average.

Singer was selected #56 overall by Toronto in the 2015 MLB Draft, but elected to attend Florida to improve his draft stock. Singer is expected to be taken in the top five by most draft experts in the upcoming MLB Draft.

Singer is the second Gator named the Baseball America National Player of the Year. Mike Zunino earned the honor in 2012. Zunino is the every day catcher for the Seattle Mariners in the major leagues.

The Gators open play as the #1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament on Friday with a contest against Ivy League champion, Columbia. The game is slated for a noon start.
BSB: Gators look to defend title as #1 national seed

May 28, 2018

The Florida Gators are the #1 seed for the NCAA Baseball Tournament for the third third time in program history (2012,2016), something no other program has accomplished.

Florida has been atop the rankings all year, but a rough stretch had put the top seed into question.

The Gators (42-17) will begin regional play in the friendly confines of McKethan Stadium against Ivy League champion, Columbia (20-28). This will be the early game on Friday with a start time of 1:00 PM.

Regional #2 seed Jacksonville (39-19) will face #3 seed Florida Atlantic (40-17). First pitch is set for 6:30 on Friday.

Photo via NCAA Baseball / Twitter

Florida has faces Jacksonville twice this year in midweek contest, splitting the pair. The Gators won 10-3 on March 21 while the Dolphins took a 8-4 decision on April 17.

The Gators have lost six of their last seven, including being swept by Mississippi State in the final weekend of the regular season. However, the resume Florida built over the season was enough to overcome the recent struggles.

The Gators will look to get back on track with the SEC Coach of the Year (Kevin O’Sullivan), SEC Player of the Year (Jonathan India), and the SEC Pitcher of the Year (Brady Singer).

The Gainesville Regional has been paired with the Raleigh Regional featuring NC State (40-16), Auburn (39-21), Northeastern (36-19), and Army (36-22).

Stay with The Gator Chomp Blog as Florida embarks on a journey toward a second consecutive National Championship.
SB: “A holy s–t moment” leads Gators to Oklahoma City and the WCWS

May 26, 2018

FLORIDA 5, TEXAS A&M 3

RUNS HITS ERRORS

TAMU 3 10 0

GATORS 5 8 0

Photo by: Anthony Peña / The Gator Chomp Blog

Gainesville, FL– The Florida Gators are headed back to Oklahoma City thanks to a true freshman. OF Jordan Matthews hit a line drive shot over the wall in centerfield to lead the Gators to a thrilling victory over Texas A&M.

But let’s step back a moment and talk about how we got to that point. The Gators entered the seventh inning with a 2-1 lead. Aleshia Ocasio was in the circle, having relieved Kelly Barnhill in the sixth with the bases loaded. Ocasio pitched brilliantly to work out of the jam and somehow Florida escaped the inning with the lead intact.

Ocasio coasted through the first two batters, striking out Payton McBride (swinging) and Samantha Show (looking). Sarah Hudek then completed a 3-4 day at the plate with a first pitch single to right field, bringing up senior power hitter Tori Vidales. Vidales turned on a 3-1 pitch and sent a no-doubt homer to center to put the Aggies ahead.

Trailing 3-2, the Gators went to work in the bottom of the seventh. SEC Player of the Year Amanda Lorenz drew a leadoff walk. Two batters later, Kayli Kvistad reached with a walk to put two runners on for senior catcher Janell Wheaton. Wheaton struck out looking, leaving it up to Matthews. Matthews got down 0-2 early, took a couple of balls, and fouled off a few pitches, including one she barely made contact with. Then, with a 2-2 count took one deep to send the Florida crowd and the dugout observers into a frenzy.

Kelly Barnhill pitched 5 innings before getting into trouble. Barnhill allowed five hits and struck out only two in throwing 78 pitches.

Amanda Lorenz, who officially went 0-1 at the plate, reached on every at-bat during the Super Regionals (she reached on a fielder’s choice on Saturday). Matthews finished the game 3-4 with the homer and two runs scored in addition to three RBI. Janell Wheaton went 2-3 with an RBI to help the cause.

After the game, Jordan Matthews talked about her approach during the at-bat, “I was just trying to keep it simple, trying to hit it to the gap… and score Amanda (Lorenz, from second).” She continued “I didn’t know it was over until I was halfway to second.”

Janell Wheaton talked about how this team continues to embrace each moment and live within the present moment. She called the game “a story book ending.” For Wheaton, a senior from California, this was her final game at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

Florida coach Tim Walton took full responsibility for not taking Ocasio out prior to Vidales’ at-bat. Walton talked it over with pitching coach, Jen Rocha and had decided to make the move after the Hudek at-bat. Walton cited his gut on the change of heart. “I’m second guessing myself, it was a bad coaching move. I give the players a lot of credit for picking up the coaches there.”

That they did behind a true freshman who one year ago tore her ACL in her final high school at-bat. As Coach Walton said, “I can’t teach that stuff, that’s just one of those holy s— moments.”

The Gators advance to the Women’s College World Series for the ninth time and for the fifth time in the last six years. The WCWS begins Thursday in Oklahoma City.

Last season, Florida fell in the Championship Series to Oklahoma.

Stay tuned with The Gator Chomp Blog for a preview of the Women’s College World Series later this week.

W: Ocasio (22-7)

L: Trinity Harrington (13-7)