With all his team has accomplished in the last two seasons, it's hard to imagine UF coach Tim Walton could do something that hasn't been done in that span.
But he did just that Wednesday night: He was thrown out of the game.
In the sixth inning, Walton disputed a call with third-base umpire Diane Kendall after pinch runner Le-Net Franklin tripped over Central Florida shortstop Tiffany Lane while running to third and was called out. Clearly frustrated with the call and hoping for an interference call on Lane, Walton threw his hat on the ground, and Kendall threw Walton off the grounds, drawing cheers and applause from the crowd.
"I was going to get thrown out, there's no question about it. That's why I argued it. You just get to the point where you've got to defend your players," Walton said. "I wanted to make my point and let my players know that I had their backs."
Whether he intended it or not, Walton's ejection fired his team up. In the next at-bat, right fielder Alicia Sisco stepped up to the plate and singled, driving in pinch runner Lauren Heil.
That was all the No. 1 Gators (43-3) needed, as they beat the Knights (21-23) 3-0 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Sisco said the crowd's reaction to her coach's exit pumped her up, and that helped her add to the Gators' 2-run lead at the time.
"Alicia Sisco responded for me, and that's what you hope for," Walton said. "Whether it's a tight game or a blowout, as the head coach, you've got to defend your players. I don't allow my players to talk back to umpires, so I've got to go to battle for them."
Stephanie Brombacher (18-0, 0.91 ERA) got the win for UF, striking out 10 batters while giving up just three hits. Brombacher said she and senior pitcher Stacey Nelson are capable of winning games when the Gators' bats aren't hot.
"As long as we can go out there and put a few runs up on the board, me and Stacey are going to hold them," Brombacher said. "Three runs is plenty for us."
There were no seniors behind Brombacher in the field Wednesday night. The only senior who saw time on defense or at the plate was Ali Gardiner, who moved from her usual spot at first base to designated hitter.
The undefeated sophomore pitcher said the game provided a chance to see what the team might look like next season when Gardiner, Nelson and the rest of the seniors will no longer be with the team.
"Getting playing experience in different positions and seeing what we will look like next year is good for us and for everyone to see that next year we're still going to be around," Brombacher said.
With the victory, the Gators have now defeated all six in-state opponents they have faced. UF beat FSU, Florida International, South Florida, Florida Atlantic and Jacksonville earlier this season.
"We've got to beat the teams in-state because they're the regional teams," Walton said, adding that defeating teams in Florida also helps his recruiting efforts.
