It appears that juniors Kelsey Bruder and Stephanie Brombacher have developed a formula for winning in the NCAA Tournament.
For the fourth time in the last five games, Bruder got the first RBIs and Brombacher made them count as No. 4 Florida (48-8) defeated No. 13 Arizona State (44-17) 5-2 on Sunday to advance to its third consecutive Women’s College World Series.
“To get to the (WCWS) once is a really good team, to get there again is a little better team, and to make it a third time you start to build a program,” coach Tim Walton said. “I think we’ve established that we have a good foundation here and we’ve got a great program.”
Bruder once again propelled the Gators’ offense, this time putting UF on the board with a two-run home run in the third before adding a solo shot in the fifth to stretch the lead to four.
The right fielder is now 10 for 15 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in the team’s five NCAA Tournament games this season.
“I can’t say I’m doing anything different than I have been all season,” Bruder said. “It’s just clicking for me right now.”
Bruder’s run production has been immensely helpful to the team due not only to its magnitude, but also its timeliness.
Six of Bruder’s 10 RBIs have represented the first runs of a game, as she has been responsible for opening the scoring with an extra-base hit four times in the last five matchups.
“I’ve said this time and time again it’s easier to pitch when you have a lead,” Bruder said. “If we can jump on them early it just makes Stephanie (Brombacher)’s job easier.”
Whether it’s due to pitching from ahead or being in a groove, Brombacher has been making it look easy the last two weeks.
Florida’s ace surrendered just a single earned run in Sunday’s super regional finale, allowing seven hits in her fifth consecutive complete game.
Through her five NCAA Tournament starts Brombacher has amassed an ERA of just .90 and has struck out 33 batters compared to just five walks.
The only time Brombacher seemed to be tested was in the seventh inning of Game 2, when the Sun Devils loaded the bases and got as close as 5-2 before Brombacher ended the inning and the series.
“We didn’t get to see that (Arizona State) offense like it was in the last inning,” coach Tim Walton said. “That is what the offense is all about, they string hits together like they’ve done all year long. I think we stepped up and that just shows how good Stephanie was pitching all along.”
With the win, the Gators officially punched their ticket to the WCWS in Oklahoma City for the third straight season.
The team will face No. 5 UCLA (45-11) at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday before taking on either No. 16 Hawaii (49-14) or No. 9 Missouri (51-11) in Game 2.
“It’s so much fun to play in front of everybody and play for our school,” said junior Megan Bush, who also contributed a home run in Sunday’s win. “It’s really fun to get back out there, so I’m really exited.”
Although Bush, Bruder and Brombacher have all been to the WCWS twice before, each acknowledged that the feeling is different in a year when many expected the team would struggle.
“I said it before, Stacey Nelson is irreplaceable,” Bruder said.
“She’s a phenomenal pitcher but the offense has stepped up, as has our pitching staff. A lot of people didn’t think we’d get back here but its great to prove them wrong.”
