Bandwagon Jumping: Florida Softball

by mlmintampa on Feb 18, 2008 7:46 AM EST in Florida Sports Grab Bag

Are you bummed out by the Gators' fall in the SEC East? Are you in a February Funk with no college football to entertain you? Can I interest you in an undefeated Gator team? I see you nodding yes!

Gator Softball has started the season 13-0 defeating North Carolina and Stetson on Sunday afternoon. Unlike basketball or football, the softball team can actually play defense. They are out scoring opponents 92-9 (including 1-0 and 8-0 wins Sunday) and have a .971 fielding percentage. You would like to see that higher, but that is to be expected early and it's only led to two unearned runs anyway.

Softball is really a pitcher's game, with the short distance (compared to baseball) from rubber to plate. So it's not surprising that UF's four pitchers have a 0.60 ERA. That's the other amazing thing about pitching in softball; because your arm swings, instead of rotates like baseball, a softball pitcher is nearly indestructible. Every pitcher is Satchel Paige and can pitch both ends of a doubleheader.

The Gators are built for the long term, too. There is only one senior on the squad. If you jump on the Bandwagon now, you'll get at least two seasons.

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scoot over

I'm down with the softball team. I am also a fan of the gymnastics team, who is closing the gap on UGA (slowly, but surely).

I will still fight through every second of the remaining basketball season and cheer the highs and lament the lows. But the great thing about being a Gator is that the next sport is always right around the corner and it is rare that UF does not adequately compete in any sport.

Hopefully the baseball team will come through this season. I have always wondered how a college team located in the State of Florida can fail to dominate in baseball. We are obviously missing out on something that FSU and UM have been capturing for years.

by skigator93 on Feb 18, 2008 10:42 AM EST reply actions

Oh, yeah

Sign me up. A team that plays defence despite their youth is a real nice change of pace. You paying attention, chaps?

Too bad we'll never catch Stanford - they compete in everything. If the NCAA ever made indoor nerf field hockey a varsity sport, Stanford would have a team ready to go before the rest of the nation even finished laughing.

by peachy rex on Feb 19, 2008 5:14 AM EST reply actions