‘A different journey’ lands Florida in the Women’s College World Series for 11th time

On Thursday, the Florida Gators will play within the Ladies’s School World Sequence for the eleventh time. However that is the primary time they ever needed to win a Tremendous Regional on the street. After they did, they misplaced the primary sport at Virginia Tech.

Though Oklahoma is the prohibitive favourite within the WCWS, Florida’s resilience and skill to deal with the second ought to serve them effectively in Oklahoma Metropolis.

The Gators open the sequence at 7 p.m. towards Oregon  State on Thursday.

“I feel one factor about Florida tradition is that we don’t dwell on the previous,” infielder Skylar Wallace stated. “Every single day you go on the market, you attempt to get higher and do the very best which you can to win a ballgame. Sadly on Friday, we didn’t do what we wished to do and our intentions weren’t there the precise means, however we got here again on Saturday a distinct group.”

The Gators program, and head coach Tim Walton, have been right here earlier than. Walton guided Florida to back-to-back championships in 2014 and 2015 and the Gators final made the WCWS in 2019. So there may be some institutional data about the way to method this section of the season.

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“That’s why you come to Florida to play for championships and to win SEC championships go to the World Sequence,” infielder Hannah Adams stated. “I imply, at instances I feel the expectations can get to you however I feel this group has actually embraced simply taking it one sport at a time and actually not letting the final sport have an effect on our subsequent sport or final at bat have an effect on the following at bat simply making an attempt to embrace each single second and never take something with no consideration.”

They’ve actually gotten sizzling on the proper time, successful 12 of their final 16. Whereas pitching has been robust all yr, the bats have come alive currently. That, and dependable protection, has been the important thing to Florida making the run to the World Sequence. Apparently, the Gators didn’t face any of the opposite seven groups within the Sequence this yr. However that adjustments Thursday night time.

“You realize, it’s a distinct journey,” Walton stated. “We’ve been right here 10 earlier instances by way of Gainesville, Florida, and to pack our luggage and you recognize, to get on the street and head to Blacksburg and you recognize, go in and win and never solely win however win the way in which we did and to have the ability to deal with not solely the adversity however the street journey and all of the enjoyable issues that go along with being on the street that is an thrilling time for us.”