Florida softball fulfills Tim Walton's desire to mash in win over Florida A&M
Coach Tim Walton wanted Florida softball to mash the ball around Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in the Gainesville Regional. The Gators fulfilled his desire Friday.
For one inning, it appeared Florida softball’s late season SEC issues reared its ugly head. The Gators loaded the bases and scored a run, but Cassidy McLellan flew out to end the inning to leave three runners on base. That was the end of that, though.
In the next four innings, UF followed through on coach Tim Walton’s desire to “mash the ball,” and rolled to a 12-0 run-rule win over Florida A&M in five innings at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium to open the NCAA Gainesville Regional. It’s Florida’s biggest win and most runs scored since the 15-2 thrashing of South Carolina on April 11. Taylor Shumaker and Jocelyn Erickson served as the engine of the offense.
Erickson generated three doubles, and Shumaker had five RBIs — including a three run shot in the fifth. That gave the Orange and Blue 100 home runs for the season for the fifth time in program history and third season in a row. “It always feels nice to have your lineup coming together,” Shumaker said.
“We’ve always had a really cohesive lineup, and the ability to build off each other was something we really stressed. ” The Gators followed through on that practice preaching as well, especially from its No. 9-3 hitters.