Kyle Maistri
Pregame
In order to stay alive in their first ever World Series tournament, the Gators will have to beat ASA Player of the Year Angela Tincher. You may have heard the name on Sportscenter when Tincher threw a no-hitter against the USA national team earlier this season. UF will be facing premier pitching all tournament long and the offense is going to have to scratch out a couple to help Stacey Nelson on a sunny day in Oklahoma City.
1st Inning
UF couldn't have asked for a better start against Tincher. Kim Waleszonia lead off the game with a single through the right side. After stealing second, Paculba lays down a bunt which VT mishandles, allowing the runners to move up to second and third with no one out. Ticher is the best player in the nation for a reason. She gets ahead of each of the next three Florida batters and strikes them all out swinging to end a potentially disastrous inning. Nelson needs just seven pitches in the bottom half on her way to a one-two-three inning.
Both teams need to produce hits with runners in scoring position to win this game. Tincher and Nelson are incredible inside the circle, and one run might win it. UF might not get another chance as good as the one they just had.
2nd Inning
Tincher looks better than advertised, if that's possible. She's getting ahead of every hitter, making it extremely tough on the Gators. She adds two more notches on her strikeout belt in a flawless inning. Nelson appears equally up to the task, retiring the Hokies in order again.
Tincher can play defense too! Snagging a sharp line drive off the bat of Corrie Brooks.
3rd Inning
Though both pitchers are dominant in their own right, their approach to the game couldn't be any more different. Tincher has devastating stuff, and rarely ventures outside the strike zone. Nelson relies more on the ability to nibble on the corners and entice opposing hitters to swing at balls. Think Randy Johnson versus Greg Maddux, both in their prime. Tincher sits the Gators down in order. Nelson gives up her first hit of the game to Whitney Davis, but a nice 4-6-3 double play gets UF out of the inning.
4th Inning
Coach Tim Walton seemed unconcerned about the team's strikeouts after the off-day practice yesterday. "I bet we strikeout 10 times tomorrow too," he said. I wonder if he's concerned that Tincher has 10 after four innings. The Hokies' offense has been anemic all season long and not much is different today. Brooks makes a web-gem type play on a sharp ground ball down the line by Erin Ota. At the end of four innings, the game's pace is blistering as both offenses have combined for three baserunners.
5th Inning
A coach once told me, "You have to do two things as a pitcher: work fast and throw strikes." Check and check for Tincher. The UF hitters seem reluctant to step back in the box between pitches against the fire-balling right hander. The number of swing and misses are astonishing. She strikes out the side again. Of her 13 K's, 12 are swinging. If Thursday was the least impressive outing of the season for Nelson, today might be the most impressive. All season Nelson has allowed runners to reach base by walking and hitting batters. In a classic pitchers duel, she's allowed just one base runner, who reached on a single.
Brooks' defense at third has been incredible in this game. Both teams understand what's at stake.
6th Inning
Waleszonia ends a streak of five consecutive strikeouts for Tincher with a fly out to left field. Paculba breaks up a streak of 17 consecutive batters retired by Tincher when she bunts for her second single of the game. She's then thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning. Nelson gives up her second hit of the game to Caroline Stolle, who bloops one into right field with two outs. That hit breaks a streak of nine consecutive outs for the Hokies. Nelson gets the last out of the inning by fielding a bunt from Jenna Rhodes and making an accurate throw to Gardiner at first base.
Both pitchers are locked in. If this game goes nine or 10 innings, you have to wonder what affect that might have on the team that advances to play later tonight.
7th Inning
Francesca Enea records the Gators fourth hit as Hokies shortstop Misty Hall is unable to handle the hard-hit ground ball. Le-Nett Franklin comes in to pinch run and is thrown out at second base after she is unable to stay on the base with a headfirst slide. Tiffany DeFelice drops a hit into left field with two outs, and for the first time today, Ticher looks hittable. Danyell Hines pinch runs for DeFelice and successfully steals second base. Tincher strikes out Mary Ratliff for the third time today to end the threat.
In a game like this, one poor defensive play will lose the game for your team. In heartbraking fashion, Waleszonia misplays a deep drive to center field off the bat of Erin Ota. With the ball up against the fence, Ota is able to move into third. Walton calls a meeting on the mound, and Nelson intentionally walks the next two Hokies to load the bases with no outs, setting up a force at home. Nelson is not a strike out pitcher, and this gives the infield the ability to come home with the ball on a ground ball. 12 of VT's outs have come on the ground. This strategy puts a tremendous amount of stress on Nelson not to walk a batter. Incredibly, Brooks fields a sharp ground ball, comes home to Hilberth for one who completes the double play at first base. Nelson gets Jessica Everhart to ground out to Paculba to end the inning.
A gutsy call by Walton pays off. Any Mets fan can tell you that call doesn't always work. Ask Bobby V and Kenny Rogers.
8th Inning
Tincher gets her 16th and 17th strikeouts of the game after an improbable scoring chance was thwarted in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Gators didn't make any noise with the bat, but team moral has to be high after getting out of that jam in the seventh. The top of the order comes up for UF in the ninth if VT is unable to score. Nelson retires the side with no problems in the bottom half of the inning.
Tincher and Nelson are two tremendous competitors going at it.
9th Inning
Tincher runs into trouble after giving up a two-out single to Gardiner and Enea. DeFelice has a great at-bat reminiscent of yesterday's 21 pitch at-bat, ending in a HBP. Ratliff, who has struck out five times in two games at the World Series delivers yet another huge hit for her team this year. A line drive double that got through the infield and into left center scores pinch runner Kristen Adkins and Enea. Trying to make it a three-run double, DeFelice is thrown out at the plate to end the two-run inning. 2-0. Nelson gives up a one-out walk, but shuts the door on VT's season.
With the exception of Waleszonia's blunder in center field, the Gators played exceptional defense, especially on the infield. Nelson showed she can beat the best pitcher in the nation, and UF will take on UCLA at 6 p.m. central time.
