In Alyssa Bache’s first season with the Gators, her time in the circle has been limited.
Slotted behind sophomore Hannah Rogers and fellow freshman Lauren Haeger in the pitching rotation, Bache’s 33.2 innings mark only 13.7 percent of No. 6 Florida’s total frames.
However, the freshman hurler has been effective, posting a 0.83 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in 11 appearances.
Coach Tim Walton has seen enough from Bache to believe she has improved enough during the course of the season to shoulder a greater workload for UF moving forward.
The Gators will need Bache to log more innings during the final four weeks of the season as Florida faces the likes of No. 2 Alabama, No. 24 LSU and Auburn.
“Yeah, in spots. … I’m very happy with her to this point in the season,” Walton said about how he plans to use Bache against ranked competition.
If Bache throws like she did in UF’s 14-3 win against Ole Miss on April 8, the Gators should do just fine with their No. 3 starter down the stretch.
Bache retired the first nine Rebels she faced Sunday and pitched four perfect frames in her five-inning outing, striking out a career-high five batters.
The only blemish for Bache was the fourth inning, when she yielded three earned runs on three hits and a walk.
“The second time through the lineup is a lot different for her,” Walton said. “The only inning they had a good inning on (there) was a walk to lead off the inning. Had a perfect game going on at that point.”
Bache pitched all five innings in the run-rule victory Sunday for her third complete game of the season. After enduring a rocky second trip through the lineup, Bache kept the ball in the infield, fanning two batters and inducing a popup in the final frame.
“It felt amazing, especially coming out of the fourth inning,” Bache said. “Being able to have two strikeouts (in the final inning) and go right out there, it felt good.”
While an effective performance against a sub-.500 squad like Ole Miss does not speak volumes, Bache’s outings earlier in the season against No. 4 Washington and No. 10 Tennessee were solid.
Bache pitched a combined 5.1 scoreless innings against the Huskies and the Volunteers, surrendering just seven hits, walking three batters and notching five strikeouts.
“She did a great job against Tennessee,” Walton said. “Again, one time through the lineup. Second time through the lineup, they kinda caught on to her a little bit. You know, she’s a freshman and she’ll get better as we go through (the season).”
Bache is one of several freshmen who have stepped up for the Gators in recent games.
Bailey Castro hit three home runs in the weekend sweep of Ole Miss, and Sami Fagan earned Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week honors after hitting a three-run homer in a 9-1 defeat of No. 21 Florida State on April 4.
“We’re feeling really good, especially with the upperclassmen — with the few that we have — and even the sophomores are helping us out a lot,” Bache said. “Everybody’s doing good. I mean everybody’s just doing good.”
Contact Joe Morgan at joemorgan@alligator.org.
