No matter what style of play Northwestern State (8-2) brings to Gainesville this weekend, the Gators figure to be ready for it.
Even though No. 3 Florida (9-1) is only 10 games into the season, it has already proven it can win slugfests and pitchers’ duels alike, which has given the team some early season confidence heading into the three-game series that starts Saturday at 1 p.m.
“I think that value is there. We can win 12-8, and we can win 1-0,” UF coach Tim Walton said. “That’s our game. I think with our scoring runs, everybody gets used to us throwing up home runs. … It’s just a fight. It’s good to know you can win a 1-0 game, but I hate to have to rely on pitching.”
Not only have the Gators shown they can win with or without run production; they have also proven they can produce those runs in a variety of ways.
In a 7-0 win over Campbell, eight of UF’s 11 hits went for extra bases, including a team-record six homers. But in a 12-4 win against Kansas only two of the Gators’ hits were for extra bases, as they did the majority of their scoring off steals and sacrifices.
“We’re just gonna have to keep playing to our strengths,” Walton said. “When it’s going good, keep going, and when its going bad, make some adjustments and try to shake some things up.”
Sophomore Michelle Moultrie has been the embodiment of the team’s versatility.
The center fielder, currently second on the team with a .346 batting average, has bunted for a single six times and stolen five bases.
However, she has also showcased her ability to hit for power, matching her home run total from all of last season with two so far.
“If Michelle can drop a bunt down, drop a bunt down, drop a bunt down and then hit a home run, obviously you can’t stop her,” Walton said. “You watch her hit the ball 250 feet, and then the next minute she hits the ball two-and-a-half feet and beats it out.”
Although Moultrie was known for speed and defensive skill as a freshman, Walton is not surprised with her new-found power.
“BP (batting practice)-wise, she crushes it, so it’s just about getting comfortable,” Walton said. “Her bunt game is gonna open up some things for her because she wasn’t able to bunt last year.”
