Top 5 MLB Postseason Pitching Performances

Once October rolls around, it is critical for a team to have good pitching. Whether it be your starters or the bullpen, shutdown pitching is a must-have if your team wants to take home the World Series crown when it is all said and done. In this Top 5 article, I give my take on what I think are the best postseason pitching performances in major league baseball history. Without further adieu, let us begin!

#5 Roy Halladay - 2010 NLDS Game 1


The year was 2010 and the Philadelphia Phillies were just two years removed from a world championship. After falling to the Yankees in the 2009 World Series, the Phillies were looking to get back to the Fall Classic behind a dominant pitching staff led by ace and 21-game winner Roy Halladay.

In Game 1 of the 2010 National League Division Series, Halladay had his work cut out for him as he was going up against the National League Central Division Champion Cincinnati Reds. The Phillies jumped out to a 4-0 lead early, and Halladay was cruising with the support of the home fans in Philadelphia.

As Halladay worked deeper into the game, the Reds still had zero runs on the scoreboard. They also had zero hits. Soon the sixth came and went, and so did the seventh. Still, Halladay had allowed no hits. Something indeed special was brewing in Philly as Halladay was inching closer to a very exclusive club.

The eighth came and went, and then it was on to the ninth. In the top of the ninth. Halladay induced two pop flies for the first and second outs. He was now one out away from history! Standing in his way was Reds' second baseman Brandon Phillips.

Halladay quickly got ahead of Phillips 0-2, and now one pitch was all he needed to complete just the second no-hitter in postseason history! Halladay wound up and threw a pitch that Phillips bounced in front of the plate. Catcher Carols Ruiz sprung out from behind the dish, picked the ball up, and fired it to first baseman Ryan Howard to complete the no-hitter!

Halladay was mobbed by his teammates and became just the second pitcher to throw a postseason no-hitter since Don Larsen in 1956 (Larsen threw a perfect game for the Yankees in the 1956 World Series). Halladay's final stat line was nine innings pitched, no runs allowed, no hits allowed, eight strike outs, and one walk. Halladay's lone walk to Jay Bruce in the fifth inning is what kept his no-no from being a perfect game.

But that is okay for Halladay considering he threw a perfect game earlier in the regular season on May 29th against the (then Florida) Marlins. The Phillies would go on to sweep the Reds and lose to the Giants in six games in the National League Championship Series.

#4 Curt Schilling - 2004 ALCS Game 6


It was Game 6 of the 2004 American League Championship Series, and the Boston Red Sox were in the midst of trying to overcome a 3-0 series deficit against the rival New York Yankees. After winning Games 4 and 5 in thrilling, walk-off fashion, the Red Sox were now in New York trying to force a Game 7.

On the mound for the Sox was the 37-year-old Curt Schilling. A 21-game winner during the regular season, Schilling was looking to redeem himself after getting shelled in a 10-7 Game 1 loss. Pitching with a bloody right ankle due to an operation he had on his achilles tendon, Schilling threw an absolute gem. He went seven innings, gave up just one run on four hits, struck out four, and walked none.

Schilling's effort would be enough as the Red Sox won the game 4-2. The Sox would then come out the very next night and smack the Yankees 10-3 in Game 7 to complete one of the greatest comebacks in MLB history! They would go on to sweep the Cardinals in the World Series and finally bring an end to an 86-year-old championship drought.

#3 Bob Gibson - 1968 World Series Game 1


In Game 1 of the 1968 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers, 22-game winner and Cardinal ace, Bob Gibson, toed the rubber. He proceeded to shred through the Detroit lineup as he was striking out Tiger after Tiger.

With a 4-0 lead, Gibson was approaching record territory after his 15th strikeout tied him with Sandy Koufax in the ninth inning. Gibson would take sole possession of the record after striking out the very next batter. For good measure, he even K'd the final batter to to end the game and give him a grand total of 17 strikeouts in a single World Series game. His final stat line was nine innings pitched, 17 K's, no runs allowed on just five hits, and just one walk! Gibson's strikeout record has not been touched ever since.

Gibson's performance was one of the most dominating the World Series has ever seen and would be higher if the Cardinals had went on to win the 1968 World Series. Gibson would win Game 4 but faltered in Game 7 as Detroit beat him 4-1. However, that does not take anything away from him as he went the distance in both Games 4 and 7. It is also worth mentioning that he struck out 10 in Game 4 and eight in Game 7!

#2 Madison Bumgarner - 2014 World Series Game 7


Madison Bumgarner had the postseason of his life in 2014 as he won his fourth straight postseason game after capping off an incredible Game 5 performance in San Francisco to give the Giants a 3-2 lead in the World Series. After the win, Bumgarner assured the San Francisco faithful that he would be available if the series went seven games.

After the Royals drubbed the Giants 10-0 in Game 6, it was time to see if Bumgarner would walk the walk. In the fifth inning with the Giants up 3-2, Bumgarner came out of the bullpen for relief. The baseball world took it all in as the lefty came out on two days rest to pitch for the rest of the game.

Bumgarner cruised through the Royals' lineup as he single-handedly tried to deliver San Francisco its third championship in five years. In the ninth inning, he got two quick outs before Alex Gordon ended up on third base due to errors in the outfield. With the tying run at third and the powerful Salvador Perez up, Bumgarner remained unfazed. He got Perez to pop up down the third base foul line to end the game and secure another World Series championship for the Giants!

In his four innings of relief, Bumgarner gave up just two hits and struck out four with no walks. After the final out was recorded, Bumgarner hugged catcher Buster Posey as his teammates came to swarm the both of them. As the Giants celebrated, baseball fans everywhere knew they had just witnessed an amazing and historic pitching performance.

After his dominant Game 7 relief performance, Bumgarner etched his name in baseball history for the lowest ERA (0.43) ever recorded in a World Series. To add icing to the cake, Bumgarner was also named 2014 World Series MVP after recording two wins, one save, 17 strikeouts, and just one walk!

#1 Don Larsen - 1956 World Series Game 5


Coming in at No.1 is the man I mentioned earlier in the article, Don Larsen. Prior to coming to the New York Yankees in 1955, Larsen was relatively a nobody and at one point had lost 21 games in 1954! He was by no means a dominant pitcher, but somewhat began to figure it out when he came over to the Pinstripes.

In the 1956 World Series against their perennial rival in the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Yankees gave the ball to Larsen for a crucial Game 5 with the series tied 2-2. He had pitched just 1.2 innings in Game 2 before being pulled on route to a no decision. Now in the biggest game of the series up to this point, manager Casey Stengel put faith in the 26-year-old righty.

Larsen went out against a Hall of Fame caliber Dodger lineup and got hitters out. He was on cruise control in the game as he kept putting up zero after zero on the scoreboard. As the Yankees led 2-0 and the game moved on into the later innings, fans and players were starting to realize something. Not a single Dodger had reached base yet.

As Larsen worked through the sixth inning, it was three up and three down. Into the seventh it was three up and three down. Into the eighth it was three up and three down. Now the former 21-game loser found himself just three outs away from history!

First up was All-Star right fielder Carl Furillo. On six pitches Larsen got him to fly out to right field for the first out. Next up was All-Star and future Hall of Fame catcher Roy Campanella. On the second pitch of the at-bat, Campanella grounded out to second base for the second out of the inning. Larsen was now an out away from immortality.

Stepping in to pinch hit for the pitcher was All-Star outfielder Dale Mitchell. Larsen did not hesitate with Mitchell as he jumped to a 1-2 count. The crowd at Yankee Stadium was now on its feet and on the fifth pitch of the at-bat Larsen struck out Mitchell for the 27th out and the first and only perfect game in World Series history!

Catcher Yogi Berra ran out and jumped into Larsen's arms while the rest of the Yankee team mobbed him! Larsen's perfect game would be the momentum the Yankees needed as they won the World Series in seven games. Larsen's final stat line was nine innings pitched, no hits allowed, no runs allowed, no walks, and seven strikeouts. In addition to giving his ball club momentum, Larsen's perfect game earned him MVP honors for the 1956 World Series.

Larsen's career for the most part was a forgettable won. He did not go to the Hall of Fame and finished his career 10 wins under .500. But for one spectacular moment on October 8, 1956, Larsen was the best pitcher on the field. For one game, he was absolutely untouchable in every facet of the word. For the first and last time of his career, he was perfect.

Honorable Mention:
Josh Beckett - 2003 World Series Game 6

Conclusion:
I hope you enjoyed this Top 5 article! My baseball beat does not stop as the Florida Gators will be playing the Miami Hurricanes in the College World Series this Saturday! Stay tuned for my article on that game as well as any other articles I may decide to write during the week!

*All stats accredited to Baseball-Reference.com & Wikipedia.com

*All photos accredited to dugoutlegends.com, boston.com, spokeo.com, abc7news.com, & libaseballmag.com

UF Baseball: #4 Florida Gators Are Going Back to Omaha!

The Florida Gator baseball team is going to its ninth ever College World Series after stomping FSU 11-4 in Game 2 of Super Regionals! After losing the regular season series, the Gators got the last laugh as they swept FSU in Super Regionals and outscored them 24-9 in the process.

#4 Florida went down 2-0 in the first inning after some uncharacteristic errors. But FSU would not enjoy this lead for too long as freshman phenom JJ Schwarz tied the game with a two-run blast to left field in the top of the second. From there the floodgates opened. Schwarz would hit another home run in the sixth and ended the night 3-4 with three RBI's and three runs scored.

Juniors Harrison Bader and Richie Martin joined Schwarz in the home run parade as they both left the yard in the third and fourth innings, respectively. Both of them had two hits a piece and Bader's three RBI's tied him with Schwarz for a game-high.

Just like last night in Game 1, six different Gators had at least one RBI. Sophomore Peter Alonso was among those to have just one RBI, but he also smacked three hits and scored three times as well. Behind him was true freshman Jeremy Vasquez, who had two hits and one RBI. A few spots after Vasquez in the nine-hole was fellow true freshman Dalton Guthrie, who had an RBI and two runs scored.

For pitching duties, the Gators gave the ball to sophomore A.J. Puk. The 6'7 lefty did his job and kept the Gators ahead when he left in the fifth inning. On 89 pitches, Puk threw four innings while giving up four runs (three earned) on four hits. He struck out six 'Noles, hit two batters, and walked three. It was by no means an over-dominating start, but it was enough to keep the Seminoles off balance. After Puk left, senior Bobby Poyner came in and threw five innings of shutout relief. He allowed just three hits and struck out two as he notched his fifth win of the season.

After putting a good ol' clobbering on FSU, #4 Florida's (49-16) first opponent in Omaha will be another in-state rival in the #5 Miami Hurricanes (49-15). The Gators and 'Canes will be meeting for the fourth time this season after hooking up for a three-game series in Gainesville all the way back in February. Florida took two out of three games from Miami to win that series.

For Florida, those past two wins against Miami now mean nothing. All that matters now is beating the 'Canes in Omaha and getting into the winner's bracket. That of course is easier said than done. Regardless, this is going to be an absolute great game! I do not have a set game time as of now, but I know that the game is going to be on Saturday. I can't wait!

On an unrelated note, American Pharaoh became just the 12th race horse to win the Triple Crown after his victory at the Belmont Stakes today. He is the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978! This is a truly historic event and I was happy I got to see the race in its entirety!

Also, my favorite boxer, Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto, won his boxing bout vs Daniel Geale via a technical knockout in the fourth round! It was a very great Saturday in my book for sports!

*All stats accredited to NCAA.com & Gatorzone.com

2015 Super Regionals: #4 Florida Romps FSU in Game 1

The #4 Florida Gators absolutely dominated the Florida State Seminoles with a 13-5 victory tonight! Do not let the final score fool you, this was a Gator blowout till FSU pushed across some runs in the late innings. The Gators take a 1-0 lead in the Super Regional and now just need one more win to return to the College World Series for the first time since 2012!

In the first Super Regional meeting between the Gators and 'Noles since 2005, the Gators hit the scoreboard early as they put up four runs in the first inning, two in the third, one in the fifth, and four again in the seventh. The heart of the lineup, composed of Buddy Reed, Josh Tobias, and JJ Schwarz in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th spots in the lineup, respectively, all had two hits in this game.

Six different Gators had at least one RBI. Senior third baseman Josh Tobias and freshmen catcher Mike Rivera led the team with three RBI's a piece. True freshman JJ Schwarz continued to wow the Gator faithful as he hit a bomb to deep left center for his 17th home run of the year. This was Schwarz's third career home run against the Seminoles. JJ also scored a team-leading three runs tonight. Right behind Schwarz was junior left fielder Harrison Bader and sophomore first baseman Peter Alonso, who both scored two runs each.

On the mound, sophomore ace Logan Shore threw a gem to notch his ninth win of the season. In 5.2 innings, he gave up no runs on just four hits. He walked just two and struck out five Seminoles. He threw 102 pitches and earned himself a well-deserved rest after a crucial opening game victory.

After Shore left, the Gators would use five pitchers out of the bullpen to seal the victory. FSU was able to put up five runs against the bullpen, but it was not enough to climb out of the uber deep hole they had dug themselves into.

Two crucial factors hurt the Seminoles tonight. First, they made four errors in the game. In their 14-8 loss to Florida on March 17th, the Seminoles made five errors. This game was in Gainesville as well. After reviewing both these game, I have come to the conclusion that the Gators' home field advantage in McKethan Stadium does indeed play a role as FSU has made nine total errors in its last two games there.

Second, FSU's starting pitching was terrible! Boomer Biegalski, their ace who was heralded for his performance in the ACC Tournament, got absolutely lit up by this potent Gator offense for five runs on six hits. After that, Florida would slowly continue to add on runs off of the bullpen.

I am not here to say what FSU needs to do to win this Super Regional. In fact, I pointed these two areas out to contrast them with Florida. The Gators are masterful on defense. In fact, they are on pace to set a record for fielding percentage as they sit at .985%. The record is currently .985% and has been held by the San Francisco Dons since 2011. I know these numbers are the same but there are more intricate decimal numbers that give the Gators the higher fielding percentage.

Giving the opposing team extra outs, especially in the postseason, hurts teams tremendously. For the Gators, this has not been a problem as they have been errorless through four games thus far in the NCAA Tournament. By simply making the easy plays, it is no wonder why Florida is a favorite to win the National Championship this year.

The other area where Florida exceeds FSU is starting pitching. Florida's ace came out and got the job done while FSU's ace fell victim to a powerful Gator lineup. Bullpen-wise, these two teams I would say are somewhat similar with a slight edge going to Florida. Most of the reason (besides the fact that Florida is just plain better) why FSU's bullpen gave up eight runs was due to errors in the field.

Florida's bullpen is usually lights out, but there are some times when nobody can throw a strike! When this happens, head coach Kevin O'Sullivan does not mess around! If he sees a reliever struggling, he gets that guy out of the game as soon as possible and replaces him with somebody else who can throw strikes.

I know Sully is going to have no patience with relievers who cannot hit their spots, especially as the games get bigger. Take Kirby Snead and Frank Rubio for example. Snead walked the bases loaded and could not throw strikes, Sully got him out of there. Rubio came in and gave up a two-run home run and three straight hits, Sully got him out of there. Sully is a pitching guy and because of this he knows when to give his pitchers the hook. It is a quality within him that I really respect and admire.

Looking ahead, the #4 Gators now just need ONE more win to get back to Omaha. I know Game 2 will not be a rout like tonight. FSU is going to come out with a revenge mindset and throw everything they got at Florida to avoid getting swept. However, the Gators will counter the feisty 'Noles with A.J. Puk. This 6'7 lefty has been on fire since getting arrested in April and will look to outdo teammate Logan Shore as he toes the rubber in a potential clincher.

Game time is set for 5 p.m. tomorrow on ESPN 2. It's the Gators! It's the 'Noles! There is a spot in Omaha on the line! This is going to be a great Game 2!

*All stats accredited to NCAA.com & Gatorzone.com

Top 5 World Series Game 6's

October is one of my favorite months for many reasons. There is my birthday on the 5th, Halloween, NFL and college football are in full swing and oh yeah, the MLB playoffs! My interest in sports history started with baseball. I recall reading many books when I was a youth that described all the historic players and moments that made baseball the sport it is today.

In this Top 5 article, I am going to be looking at the greatest World Series Game 6's in MLB history. Without further adieu, let us begin!

#5 1975 World Series

The Cincinnati Reds came into Game 6 of the 1975 World Series needing just one more win to claim their first championship in 35 years. On the other side were the Boston Red Sox, who had not won since 1918 after their infamous trade of Babe Ruth to the rival New York Yankees. It would not be easy for the Reds though, as they were on Boston's home turf at Fenway Park.

Up three runs in the eighth inning, it looked like the Reds had the World Series in hand with Boston down to its last six outs. But the Red Sox did not give in and fought back to tie the game at seven. Extra innings would be needed after the Red Sox failed to score with no outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning.

In extra innings, things would get wild at Fenway. In the top of the 11th inning, right fielder Dwight Evans leaped at the wall to rob Joe Morgan of a home run and throw out Ken Griffey at first base for an inning-ending double play.

The game continued on into the Boston night and in the bottom of the 12th, Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk dug into the box to lead off the inning. With the count 1-0, he crushed a ball down the left field line. Fisk watched his hit off the bat and leapt out of the box. He was not sure if it was going to be fair or foul. To help guide the ball, Fisk waved his hands to the right as he hopped down the line and then jumped for joy as the ball clanked off the left field foul pole. Red Sox fans rushed the field and mobbed the Game 6 hero at the plate.

Fisk had kept the Red Sox alive for a Game 7 at home, but it was to no avail as the Cincinnati Reds took the final game 4-3 to claim their third World Series title in franchise history.

#4 1977 World Series

The New York Yankees entered the 1977 World Series on a 14-year World Series drought. They had been in the Fall Classic three times since winning it all in 1962 and suffered two sweeps and a Game 7 loss. The opposing Los Angeles Dodgers were in the same boat as they came into this World Series on an 11-year drought.

Interestingly enough, these two teams were very familiar with each other as the Yanks and Dodgers had hooked up seven times in the World Series. The Yankees had LA's number as they had defeated the Dodgers in five of these meetings. However, LA got the last laugh when these two last met in the 1963 World Series as they swept the Yankees.

15 years later, the Yankees were out for revenge as they led the World Series three games to two. Game 6 was set in New York, so the Yankees had the support of the home crowd. In this same year, Yankees' owner George Steinbrenner had added slugging right fielder Reggie Jackson to the team in hopes the six-time All-Star could turn the Yankees back into a championship ball club. Steinbrenner's genius would show in a very big way this game.

In his second at-bat of the game, Reggie came to the plate with a runner on first and the Yankees down 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth. He did not hesitate at all as he hit the first pitch he saw out of the park to give the Yankees a 4-3 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth with the score still the same, Reggie again launched the first pitch he saw out of the yard to push the lead to 5-3. The Yankees would tag on two more runs to set up Reggie's finale. Up 7-3 in the bottom of the eighth, Reggie again did some first pitch swinging as he hit his third home run deep into center field.

The Yankees would go on to win the game 8-4 and win their 21st World Series title in franchise history. Besides the fact that he hit three home runs in a game, what is also spectacular about Reggie's feat is that he did it off of three different Dodger pitchers on just three pitches! This phenomenal Game 6 performance would earn Reggie World Series MVP honors for the second time in his career.

#3 2011 World Series

It was the bottom of the ninth, two outs, and runners on first and second. The Texas Rangers were leading the St. Louis Cardinals 7-5 in Game 6 and needed just one more out to claim the first championship in franchise history. Down to their last out, St. Louis's fate rested in the hands of third baseman David Freese.

Freese went down 0-2 in the count, and now the Cardinals had one strike left in their season. After taking a ball, Freese crushed the fourth pitch of the at-bat into deep right field. Texas's right fielder Nelson Cruz gave chase but could not make the catch as he crashed into the wall. Both Cardinal runners scored and Freese slid into third base with a game-tying triple. It was a completely new ballgame and the Cardinals were still very much alive!

The Rangers regained the lead on a two-run home run by Josh Hamilton in the top of the tenth, and the Cardinals again would need some magic to save their season. The Redbirds were able to cut it to one and had runners on first and second with two outs. Their season was now in the hands of outfielder Lance Berkman. With the count 2-2, St. Louis again was down to its final strike of 2011.

On the fifth pitch of the at-bat, Berkman smoked a ball into the right-center gap to tie the game at nine. Once again, the Cardinals had battled back to keep their season alive! In the bottom of the 11th, David Freese stepped to the plate looking to top his game-tying triple. And he did.

Freese hit a 3-2 pitch over the center field wall for a walk-off home run and an exhilarating Game 6 victory. The Cardinals would ride the momentum from this win to a 6-2 Game 7 victory for the 11th World Series title in franchise history.

#2 1986 World Series

12 years after losing the 1975 World Series, the Boston Red Sox were back at it against the New York Mets. Leading three games to two with Game 6 set in New York, the Sox were looking to end a 68-year World Series drought.

Like '75, this Game 6 required extra innings. The Sox put up two in the 10th and took a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the inning. Three more outs and the Curse of the Bambino was over! The Mets would not go down without a fight though.

With two outs, the Mets rallied off three straight hits to cut the lead to 5-4 and put the tying and winning run on third base and first base, respectively. The Red Sox went with a pitching change and brought in Bob Stanley to face outfielder Mookie Wilson. With the count 2-2 on Wilson and the Mets down to their final strike, Stanley threw a wild pitch that allowed Kevin Mitchell to score from third to tie the game! In the process, Ray Knight advanced from first to second to get into scoring position.

Now with the count full at 3-2, Wilson hit the ninth pitch of the at-bat down the first base line. It was a slow roller that looked like it would be easily fielded by first baseman Bill Buckner for the third out of the inning. But the Curse reared its ugly head as the ball went underneath Buckner's glove and allowed Knight to score the game-winning run!

The Mets were in complete jubilation after winning a game they had no business winning. The Red Sox, meanwhile, were in pure shock and disbelief. New York's dramatic Game 6 victory would give the Mets the momentum they needed to win Game 7 and claim just the second World Series title in franchise history. For Boston fans, Buckner's error was one of the worst moments in the history of Boston sports. Only after the Red Sox won it all in 2004 and 2007 did Red Sox fans finally forgive poor Buckner.

#1 1993 World Series

Coming in at No.1 is Game 6 of the 1993 World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Philadelphia Phillies. Toronto was the defending World Champions and led the series three games to two with Game 6 at their home field known as the SkyDome (now known as the Rogers Centre).

After jumping to an early three-run lead in the bottom of the first inning, the Blue Jays would enter the bottom of the ninth trailing 5-3 after giving up five runs in the top of the seventh inning. Philly's sporadic closer, Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams, came in to try and force a Game 7. He walked the first batter in the speedy Ricky Henderson, induced a fly out, and then gave up a single to six-time All-Star Paul Molitor to put the World Series winning-run at the plate.

Stepping in to the box in the biggest at-bat of his career was two-time All-Star Joe Carter. After working the count to 2-2, Carter smashed the fifth pitch of his at-bat over the left-field wall for a walk-off three run homer! Carter had just done what every boy playing in his backyard dreams about! He had hit a home run to win the World Series! Carter jumped with glee around the bases like a little kid as his teammates mobbed him at the plate.

The Blue Jays had won back-to-back World Series titles on just the second ever walk-off home run to end a World Series. For Mitch Williams, he would forever be infamously tied to Joe Carter's home run. After the game he received death threats and eternal blame from Philly fans for the loss. His career was never the same.

Honorable Mention:
1985 World Series, 2002 World Series

Conclusion:
I hope you enjoyed this Top 5 article! These were some great World Series Game 6's in baseball's history and games like the ones I mentioned above are the reasons why I enjoy watching the sport so much! Tune in for more of my upcoming articles!

*All stats accredited to Baseball-Reference.com & Wikipedia.com

*All photos accredited to masslive.com, siphotos.com, zimbio.com, wsj.com, & USAToday.com

Softball: GATORS ARE BACK-TO-BACK NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!

THE FLORIDA GATOR SOFTBALL TEAM HAS WON BACK-TO-BACK NATIONAL CHAMPIONS! After losing 1-0 in Game 2, the #1 Gators came back in the final Game 3 and defeated #3 Michigan 4-1 to claim their second straight National Championship. It was definitely an odd game as nine batters total (6 Gators, 3 Wolverines) were hit by a pitch. This set an NCAA record and was how most of the Gators got on base!

In her final collegiate game, Lauren Haeger cemented her legacy by going the distance and giving up just one run on five hits to earn her 32nd win of the season. She struck out five batters and walked just one. At the plate, Haeger went 1-1 with an RBI and scored a run. She reached base in all four of her plate appearances as she was hit by a pitch once and intentionally walked twice.

Haeger's teammates picked her up offensively this game as junior Taylor Schwarz singled in two runs after Haeger's RBI to give the Gators an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. In the very next inning, junior Kelsey Stewart doubled in sophomore Justine McLean to push the lead to 4-1.

From there on the Gator scoring stopped. They would leave the bases loaded in the second and sixth innings while leaving a total of 12 runners on base. Despite the Gators' poor offensive showing after the first two innings, Haeger's pitching and clean team defense were enough to hold Michigan to just one run. The final out of the game came on a ground ball that Michigan's Kelly Christner hit to first baseman Taylor Schwarz. She easily fielded it and stepped on first base to secure Florida's second straight National Championship.

This time around, I was a lot more cool and collected after the last out was recorded. During the game however, I was very anxious because I knew how quickly Michigan's offense could get going. When it was all said and done, however, the defending National Champions did exactly what I predicted in May. The opponent may not have been Auburn, but the series did go three games and more importantly the Gators won it all!

The Florida Gators join some elite company in UCLA and Arizona as the third team ever to repeat as National Champions! The Gators grinded it out in a very competitive SEC conference and had to face Kentucky in the Super Regionals and then #8 Tennessee, #5 LSU, and #4 Auburn in the WCWS on route to the Finals vs #3 Michigan. Their Game 2 loss to Michigan was their first non-conference loss all year.

Winning a National Championship is special, but to do it again the very next year is something just spectacular! It was on this very date (June 3rd) last year that the Gators defeated Alabama to claim the school's first softball National Championship. It is only fitting that they repeat on June 3rd.

The Gator softball team joins the men's basketball, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, swimming and diving, and women's golf, gymnastics, and tennis teams as the eighth Florida athletic team to win back-to-back National Championships.

After losing just two seniors in Hannah Rogers and Stephanie Toft, the Florida Gators had 14 players returning from the 2014 National Championship squad. With all this talent coming back, I had a good feeling the Gators could repeat as National Champions.

It also helped to have the legendary Tim Walton at the helm as head coach. Concluding his tenth season at Florida, Walton finally has his girls playing at the level he demands as the Gators reached the promise land yet again. Players may come and go, but Walton is here to stay.

The Florida Gators finish the season at 60-7. They successfully defended their National Championship and I am glad to be witnessing it as a student at UF. They will graduate five seniors with Lauren Haeger headlining the class. She seized her moment and will go out with her senior teammates as two-time National Champions. As expected, Haeger was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2015 Women's College World Series.

As for Michigan, their magical season comes to an end at 60-8. They finish as both Big 10 Regular Season and Tournament Champions. It is hard for Michigan to not think of what could have been had Sierra Romero decided to go home in the final inning of Game 1 when the Wolverines trailed 3-2.

Had Michigan taken Game 1, it very well could have been them celebrating their second ever National Championship after last night's 1-0 win instead of the Gators tonight. My hat goes off to Michigan, they played great all season and gave Florida real run for its money all the way until the final out of the 2015 season.

After recapping another National Championship victory, all I have left to say is this: Congratulations to the 2015 Florida Gator softball team! Back-to-back National Champions! It is great to be a Florida Gator!

*All stats accredited to Gatorzone.com, Wikipedia, & NCAA.com

2015 WCWS Finals: Gators Outlast Michigan in Thrilling Game 1

The #1 Florida Gators survived Game 1 of the WCWS Finals with a tight 3-2 victory over the #3 Michigan Wolverines.

The Gators jumped out to an early 3-0 all because of the efforts of senior Lauren Haeger. The National Player of the Year hit a two-run home run in her first at-bat and an RBI double in her second at-bat to single-handedly will the Gators to victory. Haeger would account for half of Florida's hits out of the third spot in the lineup as the Gators had just four total in the game. The other two hits came from Kelsey Stewart and Nicole Dewitt, who were first and second in the batting order, respectively.

Although her offense fueled the Gator victory, Lauren Haeger did not pitch this game. Instead, head coach Tim Walton went with true freshman Aleshia Ocasio. For five solid innings, Ocasio was lights out until Michigan tagged her for two runs in the top of the sixth inning. She exited the game with three strike outs, two earned runs, and five hits allowed in six innings of work. She would earn her 18th win of the season when it was all said and done.

In the top of the seventh, sophomore closer Delanie Gourley came in to shut the door and seal the crucial Game 1 victory. However, It was not going to be easy as she had to face the heart of the Michigan lineup. The inning started out rocky for Gourley as she walked the two-hole in Sierra Romero. Romero then advanced to second on a passed ball. The next batter, Kelly Christner, lined a single into right field and it was first and third with no outs and Michigan's clean-up hitter, Kelsey Susalla, up to bat.

The pressure was now on Gourley and she needed to make something happen quick on the mound before the game spiraled out of control. She threw a first pitch strike to Susalla before the left fielder smoked a ball to shortstop Kathlyn Medina. The sure-handed senior fielded the ball and stepped on second before spinning and throwing a strike to first base.

Susalla was safe and I thought the game was tied. To my surprise though, Romero had not left third! There was a point where Medina turned her back to the plate, but Romero decided to go home! So with one out, there were still runners on first and third. Stepping in now for Michigan was catcher Lauren Sweet.

Sweet worked the count to 2-2 before Gourley struck her out for the second out of the inning. The Gators were now just one out away from escaping this mess with the victory! With one out left to work with, Michigan's last hooray lied with Lindsay Montemarano.

The third baseman settled in the box and hit Gourley's first offering on the ground towards Medina. The senior again cleanly fielded the ball and threw it to first to end Michigan's rally and secure the win. Gourley's outing was a chaotic one, but at the end of the day she earned her fifth save and brought the Gators within a win of back-to-back National Championships.

Romero's base running gaffe did indeed end up being the deciding factor as the Gators were able to shut down Michigan for the win. After coming up just short, the Wolverines have to turn around and face the Gators' ace in Lauren Haeger.

Taking Game 1 was so important for the Gators as they now have two games to pull out just one more victory. I understand that a victory in Game 2 will give them an NCAA-record 16 straight postseason wins, but honestly I just want the title any way that Florida can get it.

Tomorrow at 8 p.m. on ESPN, the #1 Florida Gators (59-7) go for their 60th win of the season, the winning streak record, and a second consecutive National Championship. The #3 Michigan Wolverines (59-6) are going to do all they can to prevent all of this from happening and force a do-or-die Game 3. The pressure is definitely on Michigan, as they know they blew their chance to take Game 1 tonight.

Lauren Haeger has one final chance to cement her legacy as one of the best D1 college softball players as she will be on the mound for Game 2. She has been in this situation before, having pitched Game 2 of the 2014 WCWS Finals against Alabama. She will be ready. She will be prepared. She will be a two-time National Champion. All of Gator Nation will be watching, Lauren. Now it is your turn to arise to the occasion for one last time.

*All stats accredited to NCAA.com & Gatorzone.com

Gator Baseball: May Recap

What an exciting month of baseball it has been for the Florida Gator baseball team! They are heading to their first Super Regional since 2012 after defeating FAU 2-1 today. The Gators swept through their region and will be hosting either Florida State or Charleston this weekend in the Gainesville Super Regional. They finish this month 14-4 and took two out of three games in all three of their SEC series.

In the SEC Tournament that lasted from May 19th to the 24th, Florida opened with a loss against Arkansas before bouncing back to beat Auburn, LSU, and finally Vanderbilt for the 2015 SEC Tournament Championship. The momentum from their conference championship definitely resonated with the Gators as they went on to sweep through regionals.

Winning the SEC Tournament is by no means an easy feat! Let's now take a look at the regular season stat leaders who helped propel the Gators to a conference tournament championship and a Super Regional berth!

Offense

Hits: Buddy Reed (80) (Sophomore)


RBI's: JJ Schwarz (66) (Freshman)


Home Runs: JJ Schwarz (15) (Freshman)


Batting Average: Josh Tobias (.374) (Senior)


Slugging %: JJ Schwarz (.610) (Freshman)


On Base %: Josh Tobias (.449) (Senior)


Stolen Bases: Richie Martin (20) (Junior)


Runs Scored: Richie Martin (58) (Junior)


Strikeouts: Buddy Reed (51) (Sophomore)


Walks: Richie Martin (33) (Junior)


Defense

Assists: Richie Martin (173) (Junior)


Putouts: Mike Rivera (266) (Freshman)

Errors: Richie Martin (8) (Junior)


Fielding %: Harrison Bader (.1000) (Junior)


Pitching

Wins: A.J. Puk (9) (Sophomore)


Losses: Logan Shore (6) (Sophomore)


Strikeouts: A.J. Puk (93) (Sophomore)


ERA: Starting Pitcher and Relieving Pitcher - Logan Shore (2.64) (Sophomore) Taylor Lewis (1.27) (Junior)


Shutouts: Logan Shore (3) (Sophomore)


Saves: Taylor Lewis (7) (Junior)


Appearances: Taylor Lewis (28) (Junior)

The Florida Gators will now have to play some of their best baseball of the season to get to the College World Series for the first time since 2012. Whether it be FSU or Charleston, the Gators need to bring their A-game as FSU took two of three from Florida this season and Charleston upset the Gators last year in regionals. It is going to be a fun Super Regional to watch, and I cannot wait to watch and write about every game! Until then, Go Gators!

*All stats accredited to Gatorzone.com