Don’t call it an outburst. It’s just Gator softball.
After finishing the Lipton Invite in their home stadium, Florida put up 51 runs in five games compared to its opponents’ total of zero runs. The offensive explosion by coach Tim Walton’s lineup included a season-high 16-run performance, but that is expected from the seventh-year head coach.
“I don’t know if it was really an outburst,” Walton said. “We’re always capable of those things. We just capitalized on a lot of mistakes. We minimized mental mistakes. We didn’t do anything really different.”
However, both senior Michelle Moultrie and junior Kelsey Horton looked different this weekend than they have all season.
Moultrie, who was an All-American last season, did not jump out to that fast of a start in the leadoff spot. After Walton’s decision to move her down in the lineup to No. 2 and even No. 3, Moultrie has been lighting up the scoreboard. In just the five games of the Lipton Invite, Moultrie recorded 10 of her 14 total RBI, three of her five total home runs and two of her four total triples on the season.
On Sunday, Moultrie concluded with a 2-for-3 performance, including an RBI, in a 4-0 win against Campbell.
“That’s Michelle’s level,” Walton said. “She swung the bat with a little more authority [this weekend] and was flying around the bases with two inside-the-park home runs. It’s nice to see her drive in runners.”
The dark horse performer of the weekend was certainly Horton, who collected a team-high four homers and 14 RBI in the tournament. She now leads the team with eight homers and 27 RBI. And now with junior Brittany Schutte out indefinitely with a facial injury she suffered Friday, Horton will be expected to fill her shoes and perform, even when the competition stiffens.
“Hitting is all about feel,” Walton said. “[If] you feel good, you feel consistent, then it doesn’t matter who you’re facing, you’re going to get some good hits. So going into (Southeastern Conference) play, I just got to have that good feeling.”
It seemed like the entire Florida roster had a good feeling this weekend against sub-par opponents, like Eastern Michigan and Gardner-Webb. However, the Gators will have to start a stiffer schedule starting Wednesday when they begin their Southeastern Conference schedule.
“We’re going to have to do a really good job maintaining our composure and poise,” Walton said. “We have a tough road in the SEC schedule so we have to be able to be disciplined when people are cheering against you. Hopefully we’ll be able to see that our team is a clutch and poised team.”
