For the fifth time in six seasons, the Gators are bound for Oklahoma City.
No. 2 seed Florida (57-7) utilized strong pitching and defense to defeat UAB (40-19) 1-0 on Sunday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium, winning the Gainesville Super Regional and advancing to the Women’s College World Series for the first time since 2011. UF’s appearance will mark the fifth time in the progam’s 17-year history it has reached the WCWS.
“Very special feeling for these young players,” coach Tim Walton said of his team, which is comprised of 12 underclassmen, one junior transfer and only three upperclassmen who have been to the WCWS.
“They don’t understand what they’ve accomplished in such a short period of time.”
UF will face seventh-seeded Tennessee (49-10) on Thursday at 2:30.
Florida scored the game’s only run in the top of the fourth. Following a single from sophomore Lauren Haeger, senior pinch runner Ensley Gammel checked in and stole second with two outs.
In the next at-bat, freshman Taylor Schwarz fought to a 3-2 count and doubled off the left-center field wall, recording a double and scoring Gammel.
“My hit was just a clutch hit, and it just so happened to be the only run we scored today,” Schwarz said.
In the third, fifth and sixth innings, UF stranded a runner on third. After UAB pitcher Lannah Campbell retired the side in the top of the seventh, Florida was three outs away from clinching the win.
After UAB’s Kristen McGrath grounded out, Anna Kimbrell doubled to left center with a line drive that fell only a few feet short of traveling over the fence. Then, Blazers right fielder Chandler Orr popped up to second base for the second out.
Lauren Webster followed with a single down the middle past junior pitcher Hannah Rogers. But as Blazers pinch runner Hailey Glynn advanced to third and ran toward home, second baseman Kelsey Stewart dove and fielded the ball.
The freshman then tossed it with her bare hand to freshman catcher Aubree Munro, who tagged out Glynn to seal the win.
“I never had a doubt the ball was going to go through the infield,” Stewart said. “I was just laying my body out there, trying to get the ball stopped.”
Pitching her second complete game in as many days, Rogers fanned seven batters, allowed four hits and walked only two Blazers.
The Gators, who were picked to finish seventh in the Southeastern Conference in the 2013 Coaches’ Poll, will now face a Volunteers squad they took to extras in three contests this year. Florida won two games in the March series.
Walton said Sunday that he picked the Volunteers to win the national title during the preseason.
“I think they have one of the best teams in the country,” Walton said.
“I’ve always thought that. Great pitching staff, great defense, great offense, great athletes. No surprise that they’re in the World Series. The surprise, I guess, is they’re the 7 seed and we’re the 2 seed.”
Contact Landon Watnick at lwatnick@alligator.org.
Coach Tim Walton studies the field during Florida’s 11-1 win against USF on May 18 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Junior ace Hannah Rogers throws a pitch during Florida’s 11-1 victory against USF on Saturday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Rogers struck out seven batters Sunday, leading the Gators to a 1-0 win against UAB and a trip to the Women's College World Series.
