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Tuesday, March 19, 2024
<p>The Gators began their championship run with a bang after Delanie Gourley no-hit the Rattlers in the opening game of the NCAA Regionals.</p>
<p>In a shortened five-inning contest (UF run ruled FAMU 8-0), Gourley struck out seven and only surrendered one walk.</p>
<p>She recorded Florida’s 15th no-hitter in program history and the first ever during the postseason.</p>

The Gators began their championship run with a bang after Delanie Gourley no-hit the Rattlers in the opening game of the NCAA Regionals.

In a shortened five-inning contest (UF run ruled FAMU 8-0), Gourley struck out seven and only surrendered one walk.

She recorded Florida’s 15th no-hitter in program history and the first ever during the postseason.

Delanie Gourley was an anomaly entering her freshman season on the UF softball team.

She was the first left-handed pitcher coach Tim Walton ever signed out of high school.

And when she entered the pitcher’s circle for the Gators, she simply dominated.

In 27 appearances last season as the No. 2 pitcher, Gourley compiled a 15-1 record with nine complete games and five shutouts.

She also added 127 strikeouts, becoming the third Florida freshman in the last four years to strike out at least 100 batters.

The other two pitchers were Hannah Rogers and Lauren Haeger.

Walton knew exactly what he was getting when he started scouting Gourley at Lakeside (California) El Capitan High School.

"As you recruit a kid as dynamic as Delanie, although she’s only 5-foot-4, her pedigree has been strong," Walton said.

"She’s been groomed to be a staff ace. She’s got great pitches, great out pitches."

Gourley also became the first Florida softball pitcher to throw a no-hitter in the postseason when she blanked Florida A&M on May 16.

She also averaged 8.26 strikeouts per seven innings, which ranks fourth all-time for a single season in UF history.

While Gourley achieved several accolades during her freshman season, there were some struggles.

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In Southeastern Conference play, Gourley had a 5.03 ERA in 10 appearances with eight of those being starts.

"I think we probably put and she put a little bit too much pressure on herself last year that she had to prove that she was going to be an ace, or that she was going to be a dominant pitcher at this level," Walton said.

For Gourley to take the next step in her development, Walton said she’s going to need to pitch to all sides of the plate to consistently compete at an elite level.

While she does change speeds very well at the moment, for Gourley to become the dominant ace she wants to be, she’ll have to add even more to her repertoire.

All of that comes with the hard work she’s put in this offseason with the coaches.

Gourley did end her freshman campaign on a high note as she pitched two shutout innings against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Women’s College World Series finale.

The two innings were good enough to earn the win that clinched the first national title in Florida softball history.

Walton and the rest of the coaching staff will look to build on that season-ending victory as Gourley enters her sophomore season as the expected No. 2 pitcher behind Haeger.

"When you watch her pitch, even at the College World Series, you see her pitch last year in the championship and her smile, and her charisma, and her presence was just unbelievable," Walton said.

"We’re just trying gain momentum on that and really try to give her the confidence that we have in her as we always have."

 Follow Luis Torres on Twitter @LFTorresIII

The Gators began their championship run with a bang after Delanie Gourley no-hit the Rattlers in the opening game of the NCAA Regionals.

In a shortened five-inning contest (UF run ruled FAMU 8-0), Gourley struck out seven and only surrendered one walk.

She recorded Florida’s 15th no-hitter in program history and the first ever during the postseason.

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