The
Gators are one win away from a fourth straight Women’s College
World Series appearance while a black SUV is missing one of its
side mirrors.
On
Friday, Florida (50-10) rode Brittany Schutte’s power and steady
pitching to a 9-1 five-inning Super Regional victory over Oregon
(42-14).
The
sophomore right fielder smashed the vehicle with a long foul ball
while it was cruising down Museum Road moments before launching
into a two-run blast, her first of two on the day.
“I’m sorry,” Schutte said with a smile when asked about the car’s
driver.
After a two-hour-and-six-minute rain delay, the Gators lineup
menaced Oregon ace Jessica Moore, forcing the Ducks to use three
pitchers.
“I
didn’t want to show them Jess any more than what we had,” OU coach
Mike White said. “She wasn’t having her best day.”
The
Gators jumped on Moore early. Michelle Moultrie singled to right on
the sophomore’s second pitch of the day and stole second on her
third. After Kelsey Bruder doubled to deep right, the stage was set
for Schutte’s marquee day.
“It
started with a steal,” Walton said. “That’s one thing you’ve got to
look at.”
In
the first, Schutte drove a middle-up pitch to right-center before
shooting one just inside the left-field foul pole in the third. The
third-inning blast tied UF’s single-season record for team home
runs at 109.
In
her third at-bat, Schutte was walked by Ducks reliever Sam
Skillingstad.
“It’s awesome,” Bruder — who went 2-for-2 with a walk — said. “The
better she hits, the better pitches I’ll see. So hopefully if she
can continue to do that, I might see a couple more.”
After a regional dominated by freshman Cheyenne Coyle and other
bottom-of-the-lineup hitters, Nos. 1-5 in the Gators arsenal
combined for six hits and seven RBIs on Friday.
In
the circle, Stephanie Brombacher started and worked three innings
before giving way to Hannah Rogers, who pitched two innings of
one-hit ball with three punch-outs.
When asked what adjustments Oregon needs to make Saturday, first
baseman Monique Fuiava said simply, “Hit the ball. Hit it somewhere
far, anywhere.”
All
season, the Ducks have relied on pitching and defense, but after
giving up nine runs and committing a few defensive blunders, they
are clinging to postseason life heading into Game 2 of the
best-of-three series.
“We
simply got out-hit, out-pitched and out-defended,” White said.
“You’re not going to win any games if you don’t win a couple of
those.”
Florida and Oregon play again Saturday at noon. If the Gators win,
they’re Oklahoma City bound. A Ducks win would force a deciding
Game 3 at 2:30 p.m.
