With just a week remaining in the regular season schedule, the Florida softball team looks to be returning to full strength at the perfect time.
If last weekend’s decisive doubleheader sweep of Mississippi State is any indication, every player on the roster is ready for whatever challenges the Southeastern Conference and NCAA tournaments may present.
And that includes junior catcher Tiffany DeFelice, who will be playing in only her third game back in the lineup since suffering a broken hand on March 31 when the No. 6 Gators (37-7, 17-4 SEC) take on North Florida (23-25, 9-7 Atlantic Sun Conference) in a doubleheader starting today at 4 p.m. in Gainesville.
DeFelice’s return not only adds another potent bat to an already loaded UF lineup, it also gives the young team another leader to look to on game day.
“She belongs back there,” freshman Brittany Schutte said. “She’s got that leadership role and I’m glad to see her back out there.”
Schutte, who became the full-time catcher in DeFelice’s absence, will likely see an increased workload at first base now that DeFelice is back in the mix.
The freshman sensation from Fountain Valley, Calif. has been having an incredible first season, and on Saturday tied Megan Bush’s freshman home-run record with her thirteenth of the year.
Schutte has also proven to be extremely versatile this season, starting games at first base, in the outfield and behind the plate while batting first sixth, then fifth, and now cleanup in the batting order.
In addition to the freshman home-run record, Schutte is only four away from the freshman RBI record currently held by Kristin Sandler, who had 43 in 1997.
She is also just five points off the freshman batting-average record currently held by junior Aja Paculba (.336), and has a 165 point lead on the freshman slugging-percentage record, which was set by Lindsey Cameron in 2003 (.571).
“I’m feeling pretty good,” Schutte said. “Just trying to be as consistent as I can throughout the season and carry it into postseason.”
But before they get to the postseason the Gators will have to deal with a dangerous North Florida team that has proven they can hang with anyone when they earned a 1-0 victory over then No. 16 Ohio State in March.
The Ospreys, who figure to be well rested after not playing since April 22, are lead by senior pitcher Devyn Findley, who is 17-13 with a 2.06 ERA this season.
