When sophomore right-hander Alyssa Bache learned she would be the Gators’ starter in their first contest of the NCAA Tournament, she was ready to make a statement.
Bache, Florida’s No. 3 pitcher, had not started since Florida’s 8-0 win against Florida State on April 17.
“Coach (Tim Walton) told me a couple of days ago and ... I was just really excited and ready to play to help my team out any way I could,” Bache said.
The sophomore delivered, allowing only two hits and walking one batter in seven innings. Bache fueled No. 2 seed Florida (53-7) to a 7-1 victory against Hampton (34-25) on Friday night at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
“Sunday night when we saw the selection (show), I figured it was a good opportunity for her to get some action,” Walton said. “I pitched her against Florida State in the middle of the week, so it tells you have I have confidence in her. ... I felt like it was a good matchup for her to get her feet wet. Obviously, when you have a pitching staff of three, it’s tough, but I have confidence in all three of them.”
Florida will face USF in its next match in its Gainesville Regional on Saturday at 1. If UF loses, it would face either Georgia Southern or Hampton at 6.
The Pirates took a 1-0 lead against the Gators in the top of the first. Hampton’s Margaret Wilkins advanced to second base after reaching on a throwing error by shortstop Katie Medina – an errant toss that sailed over first baseman Taylor Schwarz’s glove.
“I haven’t seen [Medina] throw a ball over anybody’s head in any game she’s played in two years,” Walton said. “It was an uncharacteristic mistake.”
Then, Hampton’s Bianca Vallejo dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Wilkins to third. The next at-bat, Taylor McCoy grounded out to score Wilkins.
“You just have to be prepared for anything,” Bache said. “As that unearned run happened, I just shook it off and just kept throwing.”
Added Walton: “It’s good stuff for those kids to come out, play Florida and score a run and have the lead. It’s a game. They could have beat us easily. We knew that.”
Florida’s offense came alive in the third. After freshman Kelsey Stewart drew a walk and stole second, freshman Kirsti Merritt walked. Junior Stephanie Tofft advanced both runners with a single to right field to load the bases.
Sophomore Lauren Haeger singled up the middle, scoring Stewart to the tie the game at 1 with no outs.
The Gators jumped ahead 2-1 when Merritt scored on a Schwarz sacrifice fly. Senior Kelsey Horton increased Florida’s lead to two runs on a single to left field to score Tofft. After junior Briana Little knocked a triple – her second of the year – Horton scored to give UF a 4-1 advantage.
Two innings later, Horton followed with a solo home run past the center-field fence to give UF a 5-1 lead.
“I just made some adjustments from my first and second at-bats,” Horton said. “I was more aggressive earlier in the count and just hit the first pitch, because it was a good one.”
After freshman catcher Taylore Fuller knocked her third home run of the season to increase the lead to five and sophomore Bailey Castro walked, Hampton coach Trena Peel switched starting pitcher Jailynn Jackson with Bobbi Langlois.
Florida tacked on an extra run in the sixth when Haeger singled to center to score Merritt, who advanced from second base.
USF defeated Georgia Southern 1-0 in walk-off fashion in eight innings on Friday afternoon. The Gators will likely face Bulls ace Sara Nevins, who pitched three hitless innings in relief Friday.
Florida faced Nevins on Feb. 27 and won 3-1. The Bulls eliminated the Gators in last year’s NCAA Tournament regional in Gainesville.
“The other pitchers on their staff, the other players on their staff have be tired of hearing Sara Nevins because they have a full, complete team,” Walton said. “But she’s really good. She’s one of the best pitchers in the country. We know that. They know that.”
Walton said it’s "a pretty good assumption” that junior ace Hannah Rogers would start Saturday against Nevins.
“It would be one of her first Saturday starts though,” Walton said. “But to be honest with you, both pitchers have been throwing the ball well. Lauren (Haeger) has been throwing the ball well. I feel good about that.”
Contact Landon Watnick at lwatnick@alligator.org.
Sophomore right-hander Alyssa Bache throws a pitch during UF’s 7-1 win against Hampton at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium on Friday. Bache allowed only two hits in her first start since April 17.
