After starting 57 games in 2013, Taylor Schwarz felt confident going into the start of the season.
“I feel like the nerves weren’t even there this year, especially since having last year under my belt,” the sophomore said. “I was just ready to get out there and play with my team.”
After pacing all of UF’s freshmen with 38 RBIs and logging nine home runs in 2013, Schwarz picked up right where she left off.
Through Florida’s first six games, the Palm Beach Gardens native leads the team in batting average (.500), hits (8), runs (8), home runs (2) and RBIs (8). She is also the only batter to record a hit in every game.
But besides Schwarz, the majority of Florida’s batters have struggled at the plate.
Of UF’s nine batters with at least 10 at-bats, six post a sub-.300 batting average and three players have more strikeouts than hits after Florida’s opening games in Tampa.
“That was our first time stepping on the field as one team because we’ve been playing each other for the past three, four weeks, maybe six weeks,” Schwarz said. “So definitely getting a chance to play with each other — it was a different atmosphere, different energy on that field.”
The Gators hope to improve their offense when they head to Las Vegas to compete in the Easton Desert Classic. Florida (6-0) starts action with a doubleheader today, playing Seattle (1-5) at noon followed by a game against Hawaii (3-2) at 2:15 p.m.
Despite having a strong outing at the USF Wilson-DeMarini tournament, Schwarz is not going to let her performance get to her head.
“I just took on that mindset that I’m not going to have a great game every game, but if it’s not my game, I need to be there for someone else who is having their game,” Schwarz said. “This past weekend, even though I was hitting pretty good, it’s only our first weekend.”
In the pitching circle, the Gators are hoping to continue to make strides.
Senior Hannah Rogers is one win away from becoming the second pitcher in Florida history to notch 100 victories.
Junior Lauren Haeger is coming off the first no-hitter of her career and boasts a team-best 1.08 ERA and 18 strikeouts through 13 innings.
Freshman Delanie Gourley won both of her first two collegiate starts, including an extra-inning win against then-No. 5 Michigan.
“I really wasn’t that nervous because I think I just transfer that into excitement and adrenaline,” Gourley said. “And I just really wanted to get started and kind of show what I had.”
In her 13 innings in the circle, Gourley recorded 12 strikeouts to only two walks and possesses a 2.15 ERA.
The only four runs the left-handed pitcher gave up so far came from a third-inning grand slam against Michigan.
“I knew exactly, right when I threw the pitch, I thought, ‘Oh no. This is going really far,’” Gourley said. “But it’s bound to happen. That was just unfortunately right there and ended up a grand slam. But it’s OK. I thought I held my composure and we ended up winning so that was good.”
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Taylor Schwarz swings during Florida’s 4-2 win against Mississippi State on Apr. 6, 2013, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
