When it comes to offense, UF coach Tim Walton lives by the motto, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
When the No. 2 Gators (25-1, 2-0 SEC) are outscoring opponents 221-25, something is going right.
Led by the powerful quartet of Aja Paculba, Kelsey Bruder, Brittany Schutte and Megan Bush, the Gators have pounded opponents with the long ball.
While the rest of the lineup has had its ups and downs, those four have combined for 34 of the team’s 49 home runs.
Bruder, who ranks fifth on the team with a .351 average, has hit six homers out of the No. 3 spot in the lineup.
Although many of her hard-hit balls have been right at fielders, she remains a key cog in the middle of the order.
“It’s our job as the heart of the lineup to produce almost all of the runs,” Bruder said. “We’ve produced sac flies or a single here and there, and we’ve also gotten the big hit when we need to.”
In addition to the consistent Bruder and Paculba, the one player whose reputation is quickly growing is Schutte.
“Schutte is feared by other teams,” Walton said. “Coaches approach me after the game and say, ‘She’s such a tough out.’ She can turn it around in a heartbeat with one swing of the bat.”
Expectations were high for the sophomore after she set five UF freshman hitting records with a .346 average, 19 homers and 59 RBIs last year.
The cleanup hitter has not disappointed in year two, as she ranks second on UF with nine home runs and has also drawn a team-high 23 walks.
After she exploded on to the scene last year, opponents have adjusted. Schutte has had to do the same.
“It’s more difficult this year because they know me better, so I’m limited on the pitches I get,” she said. “They’re definitely trying to get strikes that are off the plate.”
But with No. 5 hitter Megan Bush leading the team with 11 homers and 38 RBIs, opposing pitchers can hardly afford to pitch around Schutte.
“When you’re in the 3-, 4-, 5-spot, teams label you as the big hitters and want to be more careful,” Bruder said. “We feed off each other. When Brittany’s hitting good, they won’t pitch to her, so they try to pitch to me. There are really no gaps in our lineup.”
