Through her first five appearances in the pitcher’s circle, sophomore Kelly Barnhill has given up 12 hits.
And with a team-best ERA of 0.25 and 51 strikeouts, Barnhill now carries the title of SEC Pitcher of the Week.
“I’ve seen more growth in her than I’ve seen in any other athlete I’ve ever coached from freshman to sophomore year,” coach Tim Walton said.
Barnhill notched a memorable freshman campaign, composing a 15-1 record and striking out 164 batters.
Now, however, Walton said she’s flashing more potential than a season ago. Her ability to end innings fast gives her a case for being the No. 1 option in the circle.
That would mean surpassing senior Delanie Gourley and junior Aleshia Ocasio, who are both decorated pitchers with First Team All-America honors.
“She can neutralize the best players and best hitters,” Walton said. “Her stuff is really good. And when she’s confident and throwing three pitches for a strike, she’s as tough to beat as anyone in the country.”
In a win against then-No. 6 Michigan, Barnhill pitched a complete game, tossing 98 pitches and giving up her only earned run of the season.
The next day against No. 25 USF, she followed up with a one-hitter and 12 strikeouts.
While Walton’s usage of Barnhill is on par with Gourley and Ocasio, he knows that she’s still looking for every available opportunity to improve her game.
“She’s a competitor. She’s a perfectionist,” Walton said. “She wants to have very good mechanics, and she wants to throw hard, she wants to strike people out, she wants to move the ball.”
The Gators, now ranked third in the country, will need Barnhill as well as consistent offensive performances with another five-game weekend looming.
Florida starts out the Citrus Classic in Orlando today with a battle against Syracuse followed by a matchup against Fordham. Both teams average over four runs per game, and if their loss to Maryland taught the Gators anything, it was not to overlook an opponent.
“To be a great team, we are going to have to shut more people out,” Walton said.
“We’re going to have to make some of those special plays that we didn’t make against Maryland.”
The first matchup against the Orange begins at 1:15 p.m. at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
Contact Skyler Lebron at Slebron@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @SkylerLebron.
Kelly Barnhill pitches during UF's doubleheader sweep of Jacksonville on Feb. 27, 2016, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
