No. 1 Florida marches into May with the same swagger that earned it back-to-back national championships.
But before defending the nation’s top honor, the Gators must go through the Southeastern Conference gauntlet beginning on Thursday.
UF (52-4, 20-4 SEC) heads into the postseason with the second-highest winning percentage in Florida softball’s 20-year history (the 2008 team went 70-5).
Florida closed on a strong note, finishing 6-1 to end the regular season and outscoring opponents 54 to 13.
Florida started the break by taking a series against then-No. 18 Texas A&M, its lone loss coming on May 1 in College Station after a sixth-inning slip-up spiraled into a four-run Aggie rally with three of the runs unearned.
But UF bounced back with a dominant pitching attack. Florida’s three hurlers — Delanie Gourley, Aleshia Ocasio and Kelly Barnhill — allowed just one run in the next four games.
After a 7-1 win over Florida State on May 4, the Gators closed the season by thoroughly outclassing the Arkansas Razorbacks in Gainesville. Florida swept the series, 9-0, 5-0, 8-0.
Barnhill elevated her already high-profile status as one of the most dominant first-year pitchers in the nation in the final game, throwing her first career no-hitter.
Barnhill let just one Arkansas batter reach base in the regular-season finale, and she was recognized for the performance with her second SEC Freshman of the Week award.
Opposing batters are hitting just .133 against Barnhill, which would be the best mark in program history if the season ended today.
Sophomore Kayli Kvistad and freshman Amanda Lorenz remain the driving forces behind UF’s offense. Lorenz is on pace to close the season with the highest-freshman batting average in school history at .401.
She’s been swinging with more power recently, too.
Hitting five of her seven home runs in April, Lorenz adjusted to her first regular season as well as anyone could’ve expected her to.
But for Lorenz and for the rest of the Gators, the regular season is over.
After overpowering opponents and amassing a dominant 52-4 record, UF turns their focus to the Southeastern Conference Tournament, which begins this Wednesday at 4 p.m. in Starkville, Mississippi., when the Gators will face either Ole Miss or Georgia.
As the conference’s top seed, Florida earned a first-round bye and is slated to face the winner of Wednesday’s Ole Miss-Georgia contest.
The Gators will rely on an assortment of veterans and young players to contribute on offense and defense.
Florida’s pitching staff was the best in the country this season.
Gourley (18-3), Ocasio (19-1) Barnhill (15-0) were the first trio of UF pitchers to each have 15 victories in a season.
With varying styles, each pitcher provides coach Tim Walton the ability to create favorable matchups, which translates to a nightmare for the opposition.
In addition to a conference-best ERA of 0.89, the Gators’ pitching will play a crucial role in the tournament.
Florida’s offense is also producing well, operating at a plus-290 run differential.
But despite being the class of the SEC once again, Florida is guaranteed nothing in the postseason.
If it needs a reminder, it doesn’t have to look further than last season.
The Gators held the best record and top seed, confident after a championship run the year prior.
But Florida faltered in the semifinals, losing 2-1 to Tennessee.
If it wants to add the third conference championship of Walton’s tenure, it will have to beat the best teams in the best conference in collegiate softball.
Rarely challenged, Florida has been head and shoulders above the competition this year.
It just can’t let its guard down.
The conference title is Florida’s to lose.
Kelly Barnhill (center) celebrates with teammates during Florida's doubleheader sweep against Jacksonville on Feb. 17, 2016, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
