The UF softball team will have to face more than just the start of its Southeastern Conference season this weekend at South Carolina. The Gators will also have to try to fill the hole in their lineup left by injured center fielder Kim Waleszonia.
No. 2 UF (19-2) will be without Waleszonia, who went down with a tibial plateau fracture in her left knee Saturday, for just the third time in the team's last 237 games, with the other two coming the day after the injury.
Waleszonia hit second in the lineup and led the outfield from her spot in center field, so making up for the loss of the senior won't be a process that occurs overnight.
"I don't think we can ever replace Kim," second baseman Aja Paculba said. "The best thing we can do is just continue to play how we've been playing and fill the void by doing the things we know how to do."
Fortunately for the Gators, they have been doing a lot of things well lately. The team is riding an eight-game winning streak into the three-day conference-opening series against the Gamecocks (12-2) and has scored 59 total runs during the streak, allowing only 13 combined runs in those games.
For UF coach Tim Walton, though, none of that matters, as he views Friday as a new beginning for his team.
"19-2 - that's a good mark, but everything's kind of 0-0 now as we get ready for the SEC," Walton said.
Walton said he is still unsure of a long-term solution for replacing Waleszonia, but he plans to start freshman Michelle Moultrie in center field this weekend.
While Walton believes Moultrie is talented enough to perform at the plate, he still intends to take a wait-and-see approach on the fielding situation.
The coach was confident that Moultrie has the speed and athleticism to get on base, but the freshman's lack of experience in the field could be an issue in conference play, leading Walton to consider splitting time between Moultrie and senior Brooke Johnson.
"(Moultrie's) super fast. Anything that's on the ground, it's a hit," Walton said. "I think she's going to be the piece, and where we put her is yet to be determined."
If Moultrie does move up in the lineup, it will allow right fielder Kelsey Bruder to move back to her previous position in the middle of the order. Bruder, who has four home runs this season and is tied for second on the team with 18 RBIs, hit second Sunday in the Gators' first games without Waleszonia.
"I still need to provide protection for Francesca (Enea)," Walton said. "Kelsey provides that home-run power, that home-run threat. Whether she's struck out two times before or not, she's still going to potentially hit the next ball out of the ballpark."
Although Bruder won't be able to look over to center field to see Waleszonia, she thinks the senior's leadership will still help guide the team through the season.
"She'll be in the dugout with us, so we'll still have her loud voice and all her cheers and her enthusiasm," Bruder said.
