Rounding the last turn, the Gators now have the finish line in sight. And with help from the veterans on the team, Florida has a chance to outsprint the competition.
With only 11 games left on the regular season schedule, junior Ensley Gammel and the rest of the Gators (38-5, 18-2 Southeastern Conference) look to wrap up what’s left in the regular season and move onto the postseason.
Gammel, who has been to the past two Women’s College World Series and SEC Tournaments with Florida, said she loves this part of the year and looks to help the younger players adjust to the pressure.
“Every postseason is always really exciting and I’m really excited to see where we end up this year,” Gammel said. “I don’t always have to be like, ‘Let’s go!’ because they (the freshmen) want to win just as much as we do. I really think we can lead by example and experience.”
At this point last year, the Gators were 37-7 behind five seniors who were part of the winningest class in UF softball history. Florida then went 19-4 en route to their second appearance in the WCWS Championship in three years.
But even with only one senior in Michelle Moultrie, junior Kelsey Horton said her team can make a deep run with help from the rest of the upperclassmen.
“My role has changed a little bit this year, leading the team more vocally,” Horton said. “I just try to remember how I felt looking up to those five seniors. They were kind of our rock. Now I try to do the same kind of things for the younger players.”
Of course, it’s not like the freshmen and sophomores aren’t carrying their load for the team. In fact, the underclassmen account for 58 percent of the team’s total hits and RBI and 49 percent of the home runs. The entire pitching staff, which ranks fourth nationally in ERA, consists of a sophomore and two freshmen.
“It’s definitely different, especially for the people who are older because they are such a minority on the team,” freshman Lauren Haeger said. “We take what [Moultrie] says very seriously and same with Horton or even the sophomores, they are leaders on the team, too. It’s a new thing for all of us.”
Florida is just one of five schools in the country to start at least five freshmen in every game this season. But because the Gators rely so heavily on their youthful players, it is important for them to not crack under pressure in the home stretch and let their nerves get to them.
Horton learned that with experience.
“I guess I get a little nervous thinking about [the postseason],” she said. “But once I get in the game, I’m not nervous at all. I was more nervous watching the (Gators’ NCAA Tournament) basketball games.”
Kelsey Horton connects with a pitch in Florida's 5-2 win against Auburn on April 15, 2012. Horton hit a home run in Florida's 10-4 win against Missouri in the SEC Tournament final on Saturday.
