Kelly Barnhill stood alone in the circle, poised and prepared to pick apart an Alabama offense she has defeated countless times in her celebrated career as a Gator.
It was Barnhill who delivered a two-hit complete game win over the Crimson Tide less than a month ago to seal a second-consecutive SEC Tournament Championship for the Gators.
Saturday, however, was different.
Perhaps it was the fact that Barnhill was facing elimination on such a grand stage as the 2019 Women’s College World Series. Perhaps the butterflies never ceased during the three-plus hour weather delay prior to the first pitch. Perhaps her typical stuff was simply just not there today.
Whatever it was, Barnhill (34-14) and the Gators failed to show up when they needed it most.
No. 5 Florida fell to No. 8 Alabama in a 15-3 mercy rule defeat at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. The Gators are eliminated from the WCWS with the loss, while the Crimson Tide will go on to face No. 6 Arizona.
It took less than one inning before Barnhill was relieved and the game completely unraveled.
KB Sides led off for the Crimson Tide in the bottom of the first with a piercing double. With no outs and a runner already in scoring position, UF intentionally walked Bailey Hemphill to control the damage. Kaylee Tow, however, stepped up to the plate next and belted an 0-2 offering deep over the right field fence.
Five batters later, Merris Schroder clocked a three-run homer of her own to stretch the lead to an improbable 6-0. Alabama had gone through their entire order once before taking the field for a second time.
Though the Gators reached base in every inning of play against the current SEC Pitcher of the Year in Sarah Cornell (22-1), Alabama’s growing lead proved insurmountable.
Alabama tallied four more runs in the third and five in the fifth against relievers Elizabeth Hightower and Natalie Lugo to extend the lead to 15-0 and bring the mercy rule into effect.
A fifth-inning emotionally-charged offensive effort from Florida saw home runs by Kendyl Lindaman and shortstop Sophia Reynoso to bring the game to 15-3. It was a powerful moment, but the desperate heroics proved far too late.
Along with the team being sent home early, the college careers of two of Florida’s most decorated players also ended in Oklahoma City on Saturday. Barnhill ended her career along with first basemen Amanda Lorenz, who goes down as one of Florida’s most prolific sluggers in history.
“(Barnhill and Lorenz) have delivered to the nth degree as far as how much they have meant to this program and how much they have put into this program,” coach Tim Walton said on the impact of his two senior leaders in an ESPN interview. “Really proud of the two of them and their careers. They have just been heck of teammates (sic) and just great people to coach.”
Follow Jack Braverman on Twitter @jack_braverman. Contact him at jbraverman@alligator.org.
Kelly Barnhill struggled on Saturday as UF's season came to an end.
