Sunday, August 7, 2016

UF Baseball: Sully's Guys, Where Are They Now? '14 - '16

Concluding my three-part series, here are the Gator baseball players who were drafted in these past three years of the Kevin O'Sullivan era between 2014 and 2016.

2014

Taylor Gushue (131st Overall in the 4th Round)

From Boca Raton, Florida, Taylor Gushue was a guy I played against in high school when he was at Calvary Christian Academy. Halfway through his senior year, Gushue graduated early so he could enroll at the University of Florida for the 2012 season. It was a brilliant decision. In his first ever collegiate at-bat, he hit the first pitch he saw over the fence against Cal State Fullerton.

This would set the tone for a decent three-year collegiate career for Florida's next great catcher, as Gushue slashed .273/.360/.430 with 158 hits, 16 home runs, 103 RBI's, 78 runs scored, and five stolen bases.

Gushue's accolades include:

  • 2014 Louisville Slugger Second-team All-American
  • 2014 Johnny Bench Award Semifinalist
  • 2014 First-team All-SEC
  • 2014 SEC Player of the Week on May 19th
  • 2013 SEC Academic Honor Roll
  • 2012 SEC Freshman of the Week twice on February 20th and May 5th

After his junior season, Gushue entered the 2014 MLB Draft and was selected 131st overall in the fourth round by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Just two years removed from college, Gushue is currently in High-A ball with the Bradenton Marauders. He has slashed .232/.299/.362 with 190 hits, 16 home runs, 109 RBI's, 92 runs scored, and one stolen base.

Casey Turgeon (735th Overall in the 24th Round)


Hailing from Palm Harbor, Florida, Casey Turgeon spent his three years at the University Florida as a reliable infielder for Kevin O'Sullivan's ball club. In addition to his fantastic .983 career fielding percentage, Turgeon handled himself well at the plate as he slashed .268/.365/.372 with 188 hits, 13 home runs, 94 RBI's, 111 runs scored and 23 stolen bases.

Some of Turgeon's collegiate awards and honors include:

  • 2014 Gainesville Regional All-Tournament Team
  • 2014 NCBWA National Player of the Week & SEC Player of the Week on May 6
  • 2012 Perfect Game First-team All-American
  • 2012 Baseball America Second-team All-American
  • 2012 Gainesville Regional Most Outstanding Player
  • 2012 SEC All-Tournament Team
  • 2012 SEC Freshman of the Week on May 7th

Forgoing his senior year, Turgeon entered the 2014 MLB Draft and was selected in the 24th round by the St. Louis Cardinals. He has made some progress in the minors, as he is currently playing for the Cards' AA affiliate the Springfield Cardinals. Turgeon has slashed .261/.379/.373 with 173 hits, eight home runs, 68 RBI's, 114 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases as he looks to keep climbing the ranks towards the pros.

Ryan Harris (794th Overall in the 26th Round)


Out of Jupiter, Florida, Ryan Harris was a bullpen guy for Sully during his three years at the University of Florida. In 80 appearances spanning that time, Harris posted a career ERA of 3.08 with a 10-6 record, five saves, 111 innings pitched, 82 strikeouts, and 31 walks.

After his junior season, Harris was picked up by the Boston Red Sox in the 26th round of the 2014 MLB Draft. After two seasons in the Red Sox's system, Harris was released from the Class A Greenville Drive at the beginning of 2016. He finishes his minor league career with 34 games played, a 3.17 ERA, a 4-4 record, four saves, 54 innings pitched, 41 strikeouts, and 21 walks.

Keenan Kish (1025th Overall in the 34th Round)














An outer-stater Gator from Worcester, Pennsylvania, Keenan Kish played three years for Sully before missing all of 2014 with a hip injury. While healthy, Kish pitched in 28 games and recorded no wins or losses. However, he did have one save to go along with his 47 innings, 47 strikeouts, and 15 walks. 

A member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll all three seasons as a Telecommunications (Media & Society) major, Kish would not have to rely completely on his degree after college as the Cincinnati Reds came calling his name in the 34th round of the 2014 MLB Draft. 

Kish is currently beginning his rehab assignment for the Arizona Reds in the rookie league, as injuries have continued to plague him past college. He should return to the Dayton Dragons once the assignment is completed. Hopefully Kish can remain healthy and begin to pad his lofty stat sheet of one inning pitched and one strikeout.

2015

Richie Martin (20th Overall in the 1st Round)


Coming to UF from Brandon, Florida, Richie Martin held down the position of shortstop during all three of his college seasons. He boasted a career fielding percentage of .956 and at the dish he slashed .284/.375/.374 with 194 hits, seven home runs, 81 RBI's, 136 runs scored and 45 stolen bases.

A wiz on the field and in the classroom, Martin garnered many awards in his collegiate career like:
  • 2015 Brooks Wallace Award Finalist
  • 2015 Academic All-District 4 Team
  • 2015, 2014, & 2013 SEC Academic Honor Roll

Projected to be a high pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, Martin forewent his senior year and was drafted 20th overall in the first round by the Oakland Athletics. With his selection, Martin became the first Gator since 2013 to be taken in the first round.

Battling injury his first season, Martin is currently in High-A ball with the Stockton Ports. In two minor league seasons he has slashed .215/.319/.293 with 94 hits, three home runs, 37 RBI's, 65 runs scored and 16 stolen bases.


Harrison Bader (100th Overall in the 3rd Round)


A spark plug for Sully during his three seasons in Orange and Blue, Harrison Bader came to Florida from Bronxville, New York. A near impeccable defender in the outfielder, Bader left Florida with a .985 fielding percentage! With a bat, he was even deadlier as he slashed .313/.393/.466 with 202 hits, 20 home runs, 112 RBI's, 117 runs scored and 36 stolen bases.

The heart and soul of the 2015 squad during his junior year, Bader brought home numerous awards which included:

  • 2015 Dick Howser Award Semifinalist
  • 2015 Perfect Game Second-team All-American
  • 2015 NCBWA Third-team All-American
  • 2015 NCAA College World Series All-Tournament Team
  • 2015 NCAA Gainesville Regional All-Tournament Team
  • 2015 Louisville Slugger Player of the Week on February 16th
  • 2015 SEC Player of the Week on February 16th
  • 2014 Second-team All-SEC
  • 2014 NCAA Gainesville Regional All-Tournament Team
  • 2014 SEC All-Tournament Team
  • 2013 SEC All-Freshman Team

After an incredible three seasons at Florida, Bader entered the 2015 MLB Draft and was selected 100th overall in the third round by the St. Louis Cardinals.

Since his selection, Bader has FLOWN up the minor league ranks as he is currently in AAA playing for the Memphis Redbirds. Bader's minor league numbers are stellar, as he has slashed .289/.354/.481 with 177 hits, 25 home runs, 74 RBI's, 99 runs scored and 26 stolen bases. It is highly possible in this upcoming September that Bader could get called up to the big leagues with the Cardinals, making him the first on this list to make it to the show!

Eric Hanhold (181st Overall in the 6th Round)


From Tarpon Springs, Florida, Hanhold worked out of the bullpen for most of his career with spot starts sprinkled in the mix. In a three-year career that featured 53 appearances, Hanhold maintained a career ERA of 4.74 with a 5-7 record, three saves, 108.1 innings pitched, 83 strikeouts, and 40 walks.

Once his junior season concluded Hanhold entered the 2015 MLB Draft and was taken 181st overall in the sixth round by the Milwaukee Brewers. In two minor league seasons, he has made it to High-A ball with the Brevard County Manatees and has been converted into a starter.

As of now, Hanhold resides on the 7-day disabled list. When he returns, he can build off of his 30 appearances that feature a 5.52 ERA, a 2-17 record, 137 innings pitched, 87 strikeouts, and 41 walks.

Danny Young (242th Overall in the 8th Round)


Hailing from Boca Raton, Florida, Danny Young was a viable bullpen option in his three seasons at Florida. Appearing in 67 games, Young sported a fine ERA of 2.91 with a 10-4 record, three saves, 117.2 innings pitched, 83 strikeouts, and 40 walks. All of his accolades are academic as he made the SEC Honor Roll in 2013 and 2014.

Entering the 2015 MLB Draft after his junior year, Young was chosen 242nd overall in the eighth round by the Toronto Blue Jays. Retaining his role as a reliever, Young has had some rough outings with the Class-A Lansing Lugnuts. In 29 appearances over two minor league seasons, his ERA sits at 5.85 with a 1-2 record, 40 innings pitched, 22 strikeouts, and 19 walks.

Taylor Lewis (270th Overall in the 9th Round)














Transferring to UF from Chipola College, this Claxton, Georgia, product served as a shutdown closer for Sully's team in 2015. In his lone season as a Gator, Lewis appeared in 31 games and maintained an incredible ERA of 1.33 with a 6-2 record, seven saves, 54 innings pitched, 32 strikeouts, and 15 walks. His lone accolade was making the 2015 SEC All-Tournament Team.

Lewis's strategy of playing JUCO ball for a couple of years before transferring to a D-1 school worked out perfectly as he entered the 2015 MLB Draft and was selected 270th overall by the Atlanta Braves in the ninth round.

In two minor league seasons, Lewis had made a swift climb as he now plays in AA for the Mississippi Braves. In 48 appearances out of the pen, Lewis holds a 2.04 ERA with a 6-6 record, three saves, 75 innings pitched, 70 strikeouts, and 18 walks. With the current disarrayed state of the Atlanta Braves, Lewis may not have to wait much longer before he sees some playing time in the big leagues.

Josh Tobias (294th Overall in the 10th Round)


Another out-of-stater Gator in this draft class, Josh Tobias came to UF from Greensboro, North Carolina. He was a four-year letterman who saw substantial action every season, but saved his best performance for last. In his senior season, Tobias led the team in batting average with a .355 clip after not even touching .300 in his three previous campaigns.

Tobias's senior season did him well as it boosted his career numbers and increased his draft stock tremendously. For his stats, Tobias finished with a career slash line of .301/.378/.424 with 188 hits, 11 home runs, 82 RBI's, 122 runs scored and 22 stolen bases.

Being a four-year starter, Tobias of course brought home some awards like:

  • 2015 ABCA Second-team All-American
  • 2015 D1Baseball Second-team All-American
  • 2015 Baseball America Third-team All-American
  • 2015 NCBWA Third-team All-American
  • 2015 Perfect Game Third-team All-American
  • 2015 Second-team All-SEC
  • 2015 Senior CLASS Award Finalist
  • 2015 & 2014 SEC Community Service Team
  • 2014 SEC All-Tournament Team
  • 2014, 2013, & 2012 SEC Academic Honor Roll
  • 2012 SEC All-Freshman Team

When the 2015 MLB Draft rolled around, Tobias's improvement was recognized as he was selected 294th overall in the 10th round by the Philadelphia Phillies.

In two minor league seasons, he has made it to High-A ball with the Clearwater Threshers. He owns a slash line of .314/.376/.460 with 202 hits, 12 home runs, 97 RBI's, 84 runs scored and 19 stolen bases. Clearly, Tobias has carried the offensive production of his senior year onto the next level.

Bobby Poyner (411th Overall in the 14th Round)


Joining Tobias as the other Gator senior in this draft class, Bobby Poyner grew up in Wellington, Florida, before coming to UF. Mainly a bullpen guy who gave Sully spot starts when needed, Poyner appeared in 89 games throughout his four-year career with an ERA of 3.10, a 14-10 record, eight saves, 180 innings pitched, 136 strikeouts, and 27 walks.

A finance major, Poyner also took care of business in the classroom as he made the SEC Academic Honor Roll every year from 2012 to 2015. Upon graduation, Poyner was chosen by the Boston Red Sox in the 14th round of the 2015 MLB Draft.

He is currently in High-A ball with the Salem Red Sox after two minor league seasons. In 49 appearances, Poyner sports a 2.96 ERA with a 3-3 record, 24 saves, 76 innings pitched, 73 strikeouts, and 13 walks. These are very good numbers for the 23-year old.

Mike Vinson (730th Overall in the 24th Round)













From Miami, Florida, Mike Vinson threw just two seasons for Sully after missing all of 2014 with an injury. Appearing in 24 games, Vinson left Florida with an ERA of 4.39, a 3-0 record, 26.2 innings pitched, 23 strikeouts, and nine walks. His lone collegiate award was making the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll in 2013.

Despite seeing action in only seven games in 2015, Vinson was selected in the 24th round of the 2015 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers. He last played in Low-A ball with the Connecticut Tigers before being released on July 26th. With his playing days possibly over, Vinson's minor league stats sit at a 6.75 ERA, a 2-4 record, two saves, 40 innings pitched, 43 strikeouts, and 26 walks in two seasons of minor league ball.

Aaron Rhodes (855th in the 28th Round)


The final member of the 2015 draft class, Aaron Rhodes came to UF from the baseball-rich area of Venice, Florida. As a reliever during his three-year career, Rhodes appeared in 50 games and maintained an ERA of 3.20 with an 8-2 record, three saves, 104 innings pitched, 96 strikeouts, and 39 walks. Rhode's lone collegiate accomplishment was being named the 2014 SEC Pitcher of the Week and Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week for April 29th.

Foregoing his senior season, Rhodes entered the 2015 MLB Draft and was selected in the 28th round by the Los Angeles Angels. Baseball would not be Rhodes's calling, however, as he retired after one season with the Orem Owlz in rookie ball. He finishes his minor league career with a 6.86 ERA, an 0-2 record, 21 innings pitched, 23 strikeouts, and four walks.

2016

A.J. Puk (6th Overall in the 1st Round)


From Cedar Rapids, Iowa, A.J. Puk is an intimidating figure on the mound at 6'7. If that wasn't enough, he's also a lefty who touches 97 mph consistently. Many thought that he could be the No. 1 pick in this past draft, but Top 10 is nothing to scoff at.

In his three years as a starter for Sully, Puk maintained a 3.39 ERA, a 16-9 record, one save, 194 innings pitched, 251 strikeouts, and 90 walks. Despite his control issues and inability to work deep into games sometimes, Puk was the victim of poor run support in his junior season at Florida as he notched 11 no decisions.

Though it's clear that Puk did regress a tad this past year, his career as a whole should be remembered in a positive light. Here are the awards and honors Puk accumulated while he was a Gator:

  • 2015 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team
  • 2015 NCAA Gainesville Regional All-Tournament Team
  • 2015 SEC All-Tournament Team
  • 2015 Louisville Slugger Player of the Week on May 11th
  • 2015 & 2014 SEC Academic Honor Roll

As expected, Puk was selected high in the 2016 MLB Draft as the Oakland Athletics nabbed him with the sixth overall pick in the first round. Since being drafted, Puk has entered Low-A ball and currently plays for the Vermont Lake Monsters. His minor league stats after a few months sit at a 2.92 ERA, an 0-1 record, 12 innings pitched, 12 strikeouts, and four walks. Hopefully Puk can live up to his potential and be a mainstay in Oakland's starting rotation in the future.

Dane Dunning (29th Overall in the 1st Round)


Coming to UF from Fleming Island, Florida, Dane Dunning was a force out of the pen and as a spot starter in his three-year collegiate career. Appearing in 66 games, Dunning maintained an ERA of 3.26 with a 12-6 record, two saves, 163 innings pitched, 174 strikeouts, and 46 walks.

Dunning's fantastic junior year (his ERA was a career-low 2.29) upped his draft stock immensely as the Washington Nationals took him with the 29th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft.

As a current member of the Auburn Doubledays in Low-A ball, Dunning has been moved back into a starter's role. Over these last couple of months, his stats reside at four games started, a 3.75 ERA, an 0-1 record, 12 innings pitched, 11 strikeouts, and two walks.

Logan Shore (47th Overall in the 2nd Round)


From Coon Rapids, Minnesota, Logan Shore was A.J. Puk's roommate during his three years at UF and is arguably one of the best pitchers to come through the program in recent memory. All but one of Shore's 53 appearances were starts. In those outings, Shore posted a career ERA of 2.41 with a 30-11 record. He had double-digit wins in both his sophomore and junior campaigns.

It gets better though. Shore tossed five total complete games in his career and two shutouts (Miami & Georgia) his junior year. He knew how to eat up innings as he threw 313.1 frames while striking out 248 and walking 63. This past season, he passed Russ Kibler for the most consecutive victories in school history when he won his 13th straight decision against Georgia on April 23rd.

As one of the best pitchers to come at Florida, it can easily be assumed Shore earned himself some hardware. Here's his list of awards:

  • 2016 Louisville Slugger First-team All-American
  • 2016 ABCA/Rawlings South All-Region First Team
  • 2016 ABCA/Rawlings First-team All-American
  • 2016 SEC Pitcher of the Year
  • 2016 First-team All-SEC
  • 2015 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team
  • 2014 Perfect Game National Freshman of the Year 
  • 2014 SEC Freshman of the Year
  • 2014 Louisville Slugger Third-team All-American
  • 2014 Baseball America Freshman All-American
  • 2014 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American
  • 2014 NCBWA Freshman All-American
  • 2014 Perfect Game Freshman All-American
  • 2014 First-team All-SEC
  • 2014 SEC All-Freshman Team
  • 2014 SEC Freshman of the Week on May 12th

After a spectacular career in Gainesville, Shore would be reunited with Puk as the Oakland Athletics selected him 47th overall in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft. Playing along side A.J. on the Vermont Lake Monsters, Shore has pitched just one game. In that contest he went two innings, walked one, and surrendered a hit.

Buddy Reed (48th Overall in the 2nd Round)


My favorite player during my time at UF, Buddy Reed hails from Finksburg, Maryland. Holding down center field during his three years for the Orange and Blue, Reed was a formidable defender as he posted a fielding percentage above .980 every season and finished with a career .983 fielding percentage.

Offensively, Reed was a catalyst due to his switch hitting abilities and speed. The 6'4 speedster slashed .275/.353/.383 with 195 hits, eight home runs, 85 RBI's, 134 runs scored and 47 stolen bases.

Buddy was always a guy I wanted up to bat with the game on the line. Some of his clutchest moments include a walk off single against Miami his sophomore year, a walk off catcher's interference his junior year against Eastern Michigan, and a walk off home run against Dartmouth his junior year as well. I saw both the Miami hit and Dartmouth home run in person.

To make this story even better, UF was Buddy's only college offer coming out of high school. Three years later, he was a winner of numerous awards and a second round draft pick. First the awards. Here are all of Buddy Reed's collegiate accolades:

  • 2016 SEC All-Defensive Team
  • 2015 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team
  • 2015 NCAA Gainesville Regional All-Tournament Team
  • 2015 SEC All-Tournament Team
  • 2015 SEC All-Defensive Team
  • 2015 SEC Player of the Week on February 23rd (for his walk off vs Miami)
  • 2015 College Baseball 360 Primetime Performer of the Week on February 23rd

Projected to go in the early rounds, Buddy entered the 2016 MLB Draft after his junior year and was selected right after Logan Shore by the San Diego Padres as the 48th overall selection in the second round. Buddy is currently in Low-A ball with the Tri-City Dust Devils, and so far he has slashed .231/.298/.269 with 24 hits, zero home runs, seven RBI's, 15 runs scored and 47 stolen bases.

Peter Alonso (64th Overall in the 2nd Round)


From the almighty Plant High School in Tampa, Florida, Peter Alonso was a power surge for the Florida Gators in his three-year career at first base. Really coming to form his junior year (he led the team with a .374 batting average), Alonso finished his college career with a slash line of .316/.407/.517 with 174 hits, 23 home runs, 124 RBI's, 102 runs scored, and three stolen bases. His defense was also pretty good as he logged a .988 fielding percentage for his career.

Alonso had just a few awards his first two seasons, but that all changed by the time his junior year concluded. His achievements include:

  • 2016 ABCA/Rawlings Second-team All-American
  • 2016 ABCA/Rawlings South All-Region First Team
  • 2016 Second-team All-SEC
  • 2015 SEC All-Tournament Team
  • 2014 NCBWA Second Team Freshman All-American
  • 2014 SEC All-Freshman Team

Pete's impressive junior year, like Dane Dunning, propelled him up the draft board as the New York Mets took him with the 64th overall pick in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft. Currently, Pete is in Low-A ball with the Brooklyn Cyclones. 

He continues to produce offensively as he is slashing .292/.370/.521 with 28 hits, four home runs, 18 RBI's, 15 runs scored, and zero stolen bases. It won't take him too long before he anchors down first base for the big league squad at Citi Field.

Shaun Anderson (88th Overall in the 3rd Round)


A good friend of mine, Shaun Anderson hails from my hometown of Coral Springs, Florida. Seeing limited action in his first two seasons, Anderson evolved into a star closer by the time he was a junior. In 66 appearances (which included one Tuesday road start against FSU as a sophomore), Anderson posted a 2.72 ERA with a 3-2 record, 14 saves, 86 innings pitched, 89 strikeouts, and 16 walks.

Anderson tied a school record with 13 saves this past season and broke a record this same year with a 0.97 ERA. Prior to his junior year, Shaun was only acknowledged for his academics as he made the honor roll both in 2014 and 2015. After 2016, his contributions in-between the lines were rightfully heralded as Shaun earned:

  • 2016 ABCA/Rawlings Second-team All-American
  • 2016 Louisville Slugger Second-team All-American
  • 2016 First-team All-SEC

After a historic season, Shaun was selected 88th overall in the third round by the Boston Red Sox in the 2016 MLB Draft. He has been assigned to the Lowell Spinners and has been converted into a starter. Two starts into his minor league career, he has an ERA of 27.00 with four strikeouts in three total innings pitched. Hopefully things will get better for Shaun moving forward.


Scott Moss (108th Overall in the 4th Round)














From Deltona, Florida, Scott Moss redshirted his freshman year in 2014 and did not see any game action until 2016. Even so, he appeared in just 14 games and sported a 1.57 ERA, a 3-0 record, 23 innings pitched, 31 strikeouts, and nine walks. His most memorable game came in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament, where he delivered six shutout innings and struck out seven against LSU in a spot start.

Despite just one season of play, the two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll found himself as a high pick in the 2016 MLB Draft when the Cincinatti Reds selected him 108th overall in the fourth round.

Now in the rookie league as a member of the Billings Mustangs, the 6'5 lefty has had a decent start to his minor league career. In five starts, he has 2.25 ERA, a 1-0 record, 16 innings pitched, 10 strikeouts, and four walks.

Low-key would be the best word to describe Moss's Florida career since he would have had two more years of eligibility as just a redshirt sophomore. However, choosing between being the No. 2 guy in the starting rotation or taking his $577,400 signing bonus may not have been too hard of a decision for him to make.

Kirby Snead (312th Overall in the 10th Round)














A local product from Alachua, Florida, Kirby Snead was a dependable lefty arm for Sully out of the pen. Making only one start which came his freshman year, Snead appeared in 101 games throughout his three-year career! With a plethora of opportunity, Snead thrived as he posted a 2.75 ERA with a 7-1 record, four saves, 111.1 innings pitched, 88 strikeouts, and 23 walks.

After his junior year, Snead entered the 2016 MLB Draft and was selected 312th overall by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 10th round. Currently, he has been assigned to the Dunedin Blue Jays in High-A ball and in seven games he has held an ERA of 3.21 with a 0-1 record, 14 innings pitched, nine strikeouts, and three walks.

Conclusion:
I hope you enjoyed this series! I had an absolute blast conducting research for these articles and learning about all these great players that Coach O'Sullivan has brought in throughout the years.

With the conclusion of this series, I will be taking a short break from writing as I study for the LSAT which I will be taking in September. I will be writing my weekly articles recapping Gator football, but any supplementary projects have been sidelined for now. As always, I am excited for another fall semester of Gator athletics and I hope to be there to cover most of the action when I can.


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Saturday, June 25, 2016

2016 Gator Baseball: A Year In Review

Entering 2016 with the No. 1 ranked recruiting class, the Florida Gator baseball team concluded one of the greatest seasons in school history with a 52-16 (19-10 SEC) record. They advanced to the College World Series for the fifth time in the Kevin O'Sullivan era before being ousted in the first two games.

Prior to the College World Series and the postseason in general, Florida found themselves in the loser's bracket of the SEC Tournament after losing the opening game to LSU in extra innings. From there, Florida cooked up their SEC mojo of past seasons as the Gators defeated Alabama, Mississippi State, and LSU in the semifinals to earn their way to the SEC Championship.

Florida would not defend their SEC title, as the Texas A&M Aggies crushed the Gators 12-5 in the title game. Despite the rout, Florida still earned the No. 1 seed for the second time in school history and cruised through their regional as they defeated Bethune-Cookman, UConn, and Georgia Tech. Of these three, only UConn presented a challenge as the Gators won that game by a score of 6-5. 

In the Gainesville Super Regional, Florida met a familiar opponent in the rival Florida State Seminoles. The Gators had swept the 'Noles in the super regional last year and were looking for that same result this time around.

However, Florida's plans for a sweep got a tad sidetracked when the 'Noles beat Alex Faedo and took Game 1 by a score of 3-0. Now with their backs against the wall, Florida would need to revive their offense to keep their incredible season alive.

The Gators answered the call. Logan Shore threw a gem in Game 2 as Florida won 5-0 and JJ Schwarz smacked a grand slam in the winner-take-all game as the Gators prevailed 7-0 and were once again on their way to Omaha at Florida State's expense.

In Omaha, the Gator offense disappeared. Playing the underdog Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, Florida lost their opening game 2-1 as Logan Shore received no run support. In the elimination game, Alex Faedo threw extremely well but received no run support either as Florida trailed 3-0 entering the bottom of the ninth.

Peter Alonso hit a two-run homer in his final collegiate at-bat to trim the lead to 3-2, but Florida's season would reach its heartbreaking conclusion as Jonathan India was thrown out at second base trying to extend a single into a double.

Despite becoming the third No. 1 overall seed to be eliminated from the College World Series in just two games (it happened to Florida before in 2012 and Arizona State in 2010), Florida has nothing to hang their heads over in 2016.

They accomplished many fantastic feats this past season! Some of which include:

  • Winning 10 of 13 three-game weekend series (six of them coming via sweep)
  • Defeating nine teams from the state of Florida (the only D-1 Floridian schools that the Gators did not face this season were FIU, Florida A&M, Jacksonville State, and Stetson)
  • Posting a record of 34-5 at McKethan Stadium, which featured a 29-game home winning streak that dated back to the 2015 season
  • Going 14-0 in midweek games
  • Winning 17 straight games from the end of February to the last week of March
  • Appearing in their third straight SEC Championship game
  • Recording the second highest amount of wins (52) in school history for the second consecutive year
  • Recording the highest amount of regular season wins (44) ever in school history
  • Defeating eight teams ranked in the final ESPN.com/USA Baseball Top 25 polls
  • Having eight players selected in the 2016 MLB Draft
  • Sweeping Florida State in the three games scattered throughout the regular season and coming back to defeat them in the Gainesville Super Regional for the second straight year
  • Reaching the College World Series for the 10th time in school history and representing their conference well as the ONLY SEC team to advance to Omaha
  • Being ranked in the Top-5 for the entire year

Of course, this team was only as good as the players who suited up and took the field. Let's now take a look at some of the individual accolades that various players on this Gator squad earned this season:

  • ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-Americans
    • P - Logan Shore (Junior)
  • ABCA/Rawlings Second Team All-Americans
  • Louisville Slugger First Team All-Americans
    • P - Logan Shore
  • Louisville Slugger Second Team All-Americans
    • RP - Shaun Anderson
  • Louisville Slugger Freshman All-Americans
    • 3B - Jonathan India
  • ABCA/Rawlings South All-Region First Team
    • 1B - Peter Alonso
    • P - Logan Shore
    • RP - Shaun Anderson
  • ABCA/Rawlings South All-Region Second Team
  • SEC Pitcher of the Year
    • P - Logan Shore
  • First Team All-SEC
    • P - Logan Shore
    • RP - Shaun Anderson
  • Second Team All-SEC
    • C - Mike Rivera (Sophomore)
    • 1B - Peter Alonso
    • SS - Dalton Guthrie
  • Freshman All-SEC Team
  • SEC All-Defensive Team
    • C - Mike Rivera
    • SS - Dalton Guthrie
    • OF - Buddy Reed (Junior)
  • School Records
    • Shaun Anderson - 13 saves (tied Josh Fogg's mark set in 1998)
    • Shaun Anderson - 0.97 ERA (surpasses Taylor Lewis's mark of 1.33 in 2015)
    • Alex Faedo - Nine strikeouts in a single-game in the College World Series vs Texas Tech
    • Logan Shore - Won his 13th consecutive decision (surpassing Russ Kibler's mark of 12) in a 6-0 shutout win over the Georgia Bulldogs

MLB Draft Selections
  • A.J. Puk (Junior): 1st Round (6th overall) to the Oakland Athletics, pitcher
  • Dane Dunning (Junior): 1st Round (29th overall) to the Washington Nationals, pitcher
  • Logan Shore (Junior): 2nd Round (47th overall) to the Oakland Athletics, pitcher
  • Buddy Reed (Junior): 2nd Round (48th overall) to the San Diego Padres, outfielder
  • Peter Alonso (Junior): 2nd Round (64th overall) to the New York Mets, first base
  • Shaun Anderson (Junior): 3rd Round (88th overall) to the Boston Red Sox, pitcher
  • Scott Moss (Sophomore): 4th Round (108th overall) to the Cincinnati Reds, pitcher
  • Kirby Snead (Junior): 10th Round (312th overall) to the Toronto Blue Jays, pitcher

Of these eight, I would say only Scott Moss and Kirby Snead might have a viable chance of returning for their respective junior and senior years. I don't see this being the case, however, as junior pitchers Mike Vinson and Aaron Rhodes of the 2015 squad both left Florida after being taken in the 24th and 28th rounds respectively. Considering that both Moss and Snead were chosen in the first ten rounds, I would not be surprised if they both left for the pros.

Now that I have acknowledged the award winners and MLB draftees, it's time to take one final look at the stat leaders for the 2016 campaign:

Offense

Hits: Dalton Guthrie (85)

Doubles: Peter Alonso (18)

Triples: Buddy Reed (6)

Home Runs: Peter Alonso (14)

RBI’s: Peter Alonso/JJ Schwarz (60)

Batting Average: Peter Alonso (.374)

Slugging Percentage: Peter Alonso (.659)

On Base Percentage: Peter Alonso (.469)

Stolen Bases: Buddy Reed (24)

Runs Scored: Buddy Reed (57)

Strikeouts: Buddy Reed (62)

Walks: JJ Schwarz (45)

Sacrifice Flys: Dalton Guthrie/JJ Schwarz (6)

Sacrifice Bunts: Buddy Reed/Mike Rivera (5)

At-Bats: Dalton Guthrie (279)

Defense

Assists: Dalton Guthrie (183)

Putouts: Peter Alonso (493)

Errors: Jonathan India (12)

Fielding Percentage: Nelson Maldonado/Nick Horvath (.1000) (Freshman/Sophomore)

Pitching

Wins: Alex Faedo (13)

Losses: Alex Faedo/A.J. Puk/Dane Dunning (3)

Strikeouts: Alex Faedo (133)

Starting Pitcher ERA: Logan Shore (2.31)

Relieving Pitcher ERA: Shaun Anderson (0.97)

Shutouts: Logan Shore (2)

Saves: Shaun Anderson (13)

Appearances: Shaun Anderson (36)

Innings Pitched: Logan Shore (105.1)

Hit By Pitch: Alex Faedo (11)

Balks: A.J. Puk (1)


Final Takeaway:
Before giving my final thoughts, here are my Top 10 Gator games of the 2016 season:

  1. Logan Shore shuts out Miami - 2/26
  2. Florida hits two ninth inning home runs to defeat South Carolina - 5/29
  3. JJ Schwarz hits a grand slam to put away Florida State in Game 3 of super regionals - 6/13
  4. Facing elimination, Logan Shore throws eight shutout innings vs FSU in super regionals - 6/12
  5. Alex Faedo dominates Harvard as he K's 13 batters - 3/12
  6. Logan Shore throws a complete game vs Vanderbilt - 5/13
  7. Buddy Reed hits a walk off home run against Dartmouth in extra innings - 3/5
  8. Florida nearly no-hits Miami - 2/29
  9. Shore shuts out Georgia to win a school-record 13th consecutive decision - 4/23
  10. LSU defeats Florida in the longest SEC tournament game ever played - 5/25

Alright my listing is done for the remainder of the article. So you've now seen the statistics and awards for what has been one of my favorite seasons of Gator baseball. Without a National Championship though, what does 2016 really mean in the greater context of Gator baseball?

What it means is this: the 2016 Florida Gator baseball team has now established itself within the ranks of Kevin O'Sullivan's 2015, 2012, 2011, and 2010 squads. This year's team was historically good with their 44 regular season wins, but yet was unable to win either the SEC regular season or tournament titles.

The SEC is arguably the best conference in college baseball though, so I can give Florida a pass on not winning it all. Not to mention that SEC regular season champion Mississippi State and SEC Tournament champion Texas A&M both failed to get past super regionals that they were hosting. In fact, of the seven SEC teams invited to the tournament, only Florida made it to the College World Series (as I pointed out earlier in the article).

This Florida Gator team will always be special to me. In my last spring semester as a student, I had an absolute blast following this team and even conversing with some of the players who I happened to run into on campus. A brief stint in Omaha is disappointing, but it doesn't take away from an amazing 2016 Gator baseball season.

As eight Gators prepare to take the next step into the minor leagues, the 2017 road to Omaha has already begun. Florida will have two seniors, my boy Frank Rubio and Ryan Larson, accompanied by eight juniors, potentially 11 sophomores, and another outstanding freshmen class from Sully.

Florida has some holes to fill. For instance, who is going to man center field now? Who's going to hold it down at first base? Which guys are going to complement Alex Faedo in the starting rotation? Who is going to come in and slam the door in the ninth inning of a one-run game?

Fortunately, all of these questions can be answered with the insertion of someone already on the roster or in Sully's 2017 recruiting class. I won't worry about Florida's position needs now. I'll save that for another article at another time.

2016 was a great ride for Florida Gator baseball. I am both blessed and happy that I was able to cover this season as extensively as I did. It's something I will truly never forget as long as I live.

Go Gators! Thank you for another wonderful baseball season!

*All stats accredited to FloridaGators.com, BaseballNews.com, ABCA.org, & SECSports.com



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Wednesday, June 22, 2016

2016 College World Series: Florida's Season is Over

Yet again, another Gator baseball season has concluded without a National Championship as No. 1 Florida (52-16) lost to the No. 5 Texas Tech Red Raiders (47-19) by a score of 3-2 yesterday.

In his final start as a sophomore, Alex Faedo (13-3, 3.18 ERA) threw about as well as any Gator fan could have wanted. He tossed 7.2 innings, allowed two earned runs on seven scattered hits, walked none, and struck out nine Red Raiders on 107 pitches.

Faedo's one mistake came in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs and a man on third base, he gave up a two-run bomb to Big 12 Player of the Year Eric Gutierrez. After the homer, Faedo proceeded to retire eight straight batters before Gutierrez tagged him for a single in the seventh inning.

After Faedo's departure, Scott Moss came in with two outs in the eighth inning. Needing eight pitches, the sophomore lefty induced a ground ball to end the Tech threat.

In the ninth, Dane Dunning came in for what would be his final collegiate appearance. Tech hit nothing but ground balls off of Dunning, yet somehow was able to up their lead to 3-0. Their only hit off of him came via a swinging bunt that was right down the third base line to start the inning.

After Florida failed to turn a double play on another grounder, Tech had a man on first base with one out. What followed is something that has been engrained in my memory probably forever.

A grounder was hit to third baseman Jonathan India. The freshman was behind the bag when he fielded it, so he had no choice but to go to first with the throw. Rearing back, India fired a rocket to Peter Alonso that short hopped and ricocheted off the extending first baseman's mitt.

Seeing this, Tech runner Tyler Neslony took off towards third base. Alonso saw him the whole way and left his feet as he made a hasty throw back to India. Alonso's throw skipped past the Gator third baseman and Neslony came in to score a crucial insurance run for Tech. Who hit the ball that started this fiasco? Eric Gutierrez of course.

After the errors from India and Alonso, Faedo hit a batter and Florida failed to turn yet another double play before the inning ended with a groundout to second baseman Deacon Liput. Dunning's last college outing was indeed a chaotic one.

Offensively, Florida squandered their chances in this game.

Don't let a 3-2 score fool you. For seven innings, the Gators had no response to Tech starter Davis Martin (10-1, 2.52 ERA). The freshman was phenomenal as he tossed seven shutout innings of three-hit ball, fanned three Gators, and walked three.

Florida had three legitimate chances to score off of Davis in this game.

In the bottom of the first with a runner on first base and two outs, JJ Schwarz hit a shot to left center field. It had the potential to be a home run, but was definitely going to be extra bases if it landed. Sadly, it never touched down as Tech center fielder Tanner Gardner made a sensational grab and banged into the wall to end the inning.

The play was eerily similar to the catch that Buddy Reed did not make as Coastal Carolina plated what would be the inevitable game-winning run in the College World Series opener.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Gators had runners on first and second before Danny Reyes grounded into an inning-ending double play. Their next opportunity would come a couple innings later in the bottom of the sixth.

With the score 2-0, Jeremy Vasquez led off the inning with a pinch-hit single from the nine-hole. Next, leadoff man Dalton Guthrie drew a walk to set up first and second with nobody out. Looking to avoid another double play, Florida head coach Kevin O'Sullivan had Buddy Reed sacrifice bunt to move the runners over. It worked. Now it was one out with runners in scoring position and the big bat of Peter Alonso coming up.

Tech would have none of it. They intentionally walked Alonso to get to clean-up hitter JJ Schwarz. This was not an unfamiliar spot for the sophomore, as he hit one of the biggest home runs in program history with the bases loaded in super regionals.

The count quickly went to 3-0, and Florida was on the cusp of ending the shutout. A taken pitch and big hack later, it was 3-2. With the crowed on pins and needles, Davis delivered and JJ... grounded right back to the pitcher.

Davis fielded the come backer and threw to Tech catcher Tyler Floyd for the force out at home. Floyd then threw to first base for the final out. However, Floyd's throw was errant and sailed past the first baseman down the right field foul line.

It looked like Florida would at the very least score a run if not tie the game! But this was all for not. The umps ruled that it was runner's inference on JJ for running out of the base path. The inning was over and a huge scoring opportunity had been lost.

Florida would not make anymore offensive noise until the final frame against Tech closer Hayden Howard. Leading off the inning, Buddy Reed collected his final collegiate hit as he singled to lead off the ninth. Then, on a 2-2 count, Peter Alonso blasted a 425-foot dinger to left field and cut the lead to 3-2. It was his 14th homer of the season and his second hit of the contest in three at-bats.

With a little bit of life, Florida needed to string together just a couple more hits to force extras and save the season!

Next up was JJ Schwarz, who followed up his bases-loaded groundout with a four-pitch strikeout. Sophomore catcher Mike Rivera was next, and he popped up to second base on a 2-2 count. Now down their final out, Florida's hope rested in Jonathan India.

Down 0-2 in the count, India took a ball and fouled off two pitches before roping a hit into left field. It took some time for Tech's left fielder Tyler Neslony to get the ball, so India tried to get into scoring position and take second base.

Unfortunately for India and Florida, Nelsony made an incredible throw and gunned out India to end the game and Florida's season. Fittingly enough, both the players involved with the game's decisive scoring play took part in the game's final out.

Final Takeaway:
For a student/fan who has been following the Gators closely since Opening Night, went to 23 games (one being on the road against Miami), watched nearly every game on TV or my computer, and has served as this team's unofficial beat writer, this is a real disappointing end to a great season.

Before I elaborate more on this season, here are my final tidbits on the Texas Tech game and the College World Series as a whole:

  • Peter Alonso, Buddy Reed, Jeremy Vasquez, and Jonathan India conclude the College World Series as the only Gators to record a hit in both games.
  • This is the fourth time in school history (1998, 2010, 2012), that Florida has gone 0-2 in Omaha.
  • This is the second time in school history (2012) that Florida has earned the No. 1 overall seed and failed to win a single game in Omaha. 
  • As a team, Florida went 13-61 (.213) with three walks and 11 strikeouts in the CWS. The Gators left eight total men on base between both games.
  • Florida was just one victory away from tying the single-season school record (53). The team's 16 losses are the fewest ever among all 10 of the Gator teams that have made it to the CWS.
  • This is the first time in his college career that Alex Faedo has lost back-to-back starts.
  • Speaking of Alex Faedo, he now holds the school record for strikeouts in a single CWS game after his 9 K effort against Texas Tech. 
  • Both of Jeremy Vasquez's base knocks in the CWS were pinch-hit singles.
  • Florida continues to make it into teams' record books as their loss today was Texas Tech's first ever CWS victory. Keep in mind they were Coastal Carolina's first CWS win as well.

This feeling is all too familiar for Gator fans like myself. In 2011, Florida had an incredible team that finished runner-up in the College World Series. The next year in 2012, everybody in the country expected the Gators to win it all hands down. Florida received the No. 1 overall seed and was out of Omaha in two games.

History has indeed repeated itself. Florida was a win away from playing for a National Championship in 2015, came back even better in 2016, got the No. 1 overall seed, and was out of Omaha in two games.

I could not be more proud and disappointed in this team at the same time. They had the makeup of a championship-caliber squad, but just couldn't put it all together when it mattered the most. The best pitching staff in America, eight MLB draft picks, and a top-ranked recruiting class still wasn't enough to push Florida over the top.

In the upcoming weeks, I will be writing my final recap of the 2016 Florida Gator baseball season. This will be one of my final articles about the baseball team as I prepare to dedicate more time to studying for the LSAT I will be taking in September.

The ending to the 2016 campaign wasn't pretty, but it was a great ride throughout the entire season. I am proud of my Gator boys. This will truly be a season I will never forget.

Oh yeah, almost forgot. As for No. 5 Texas Tech, they will be taking on Coastal Carolina (50-17) in another elimination game for the right to play TCU (49-16) in the semifinals. Game time is at 8 p.m. on June 23rd and it can be seen on ESPN2.

*All stats accredited to FloridaGators.com

Monday, June 20, 2016

2016 College World Series: Coastal Carolina Upsets #1 Florida

The No. 1 Florida Gators (52-15) are now one loss away from elimination after losing 2-1 to the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (50-16) in the opening round of the College World Series.

Despite attacking the Chanticleers with ace pitcher Logan Shore (12-1, 2.31 ERA), the Gators ran into trouble as Coastal plated runs in the third and sixth innings. Both runs were charged to Shore as he scattered five hits across five innings, fanned seven Chants, walked two, and threw 84 pitches in his first loss of 2016.

Every hit that Shore allowed in the game was for extra bases. Two of them came off the bat of Chanticleer third baseman Zach Remillard. Doubling and tripling off of Florida's ace, Remillard finished 2-4 while driving in both of the Chants' runs in the contest.

After Remillard's triple in the top of the sixth with no outs, Shore was pulled from the game. From there, things got a little more chaotic as Florida tapped into their bullpen. With a runner on third, lefty specialist Kirby Snead entered in the sixth inning and threw just one pitch as he plunked designated hitter G.K. Young in the back.

After Snead's second hit batsman of the season, Dane Dunning came in and reestablished a sense of order. He induced a ground ball and caught Chanticleer third baseman Zach Remillard in a rundown between third and home. After a brief pickle, Remillard was out and Coastal had runners on first and second.

After striking out second baseman Tyler Chadwick, the first round draft pick ended the inning in dramatic fashion when he picked off G.K. Young at second base. It was a well executed trick play as Dunning was not on the mound and acted as if he was recomposing himself. While this was happening, Young unknowingly strayed too far off the bag and Dunning turned around and fired a bullet right to shortstop Dalton Guthrie for the third out.

Dunning threw the most of any Gator reliever tonight as he went 2.2 innings, allowed no runs on three hits, and struck out three. After Dunning's brilliant performance ended with him hitting a batter, Kevin O'Sullivan surprised us all and went with A.J. Puk for relief in the top of the eighth inning. This was the first time Puk made an appearance out of the bullpen since April 21, 2015, against Bethune-Cookman.

The shock and awe of the sixth overall pick's arrival into the game would wear off instantly, as he nailed Tyler Chadwick in the head on the fourth pitch of the at-bat. Thankfully, Chadwick was fine after taking 97 miles per hour to the dome. After nearly killing a man, Puk was out of the game after one batter and closer Shaun Anderson was called upon to hold off another potential Chanticleer rally.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Anderson induced an inning-ending ground ball to keep the deficit at 2-1. As always, Shaun was on point. In 1.1 innings, he allowed no runs on just one hit with two strikeouts.

Offensively, Florida had seven hits in the game and plated their only run in the fifth inning. The Gators' temporary tying run came when Deacon Liput doubled with one out and scored on an RBI single from pinch hitter Jeremy Vasquez. Liput's double was the only extra base hit of the game for Florida. No Gator had more than one hit.

Despite Florida's anemic offensive performance, a bunch of credit needs to be given to Coastal's ace Andrew Beckwith (13-1, 2.02 ERA). Switching between both over-the-top and submarine angles in his pitching delivery, the Chants' junior was unhittable as he threw his first complete game of the season on 98 pitches.

He struck out seven Gators and produced 15 ground ball outs. I can't help but tip my hat off to Beckwith for his incredible performance on the biggest of stages against the No. 1 team in the country.

Final Takeaway:
Needless to say I am shocked at tonight's result. I thought Florida would handle Coastal Carolina with ease, but boy was I wrong. Before previewing the Gators' elimination game, here are my final tidbits on tonight's opening round loss:

  • The first replay review in College World Series history occurred in the top of the third inning when a foul ball call on a Zach Remillard hit down the line was overturned and ruled a fair ball. The result was a Remillard double and Coastal's first run of the ball game. In all honesty the Chants deserved to have two runs score on the play, but this misjudgment from the umpires would not hurt Coastal in the long run.
  • This was Logan Shore's first losing decision since May 24, 2015, when the Auburn Tigers defeated him at the Mac. He had won 17 straight decisions prior to tonight.
  • A majority of the hits off of Shore were indeed well hit, but bad positioning played a role. The outfield got burned twice (with Buddy Reed making a rare mistimed jump at the wall), Ryan Larson ran back on a fly ball that was 40 feet in front of him, and Coastal did a good job at putting balls down the right field and left field lines for extra base knocks.
  • The Gators grounded into two double plays tonight.
  • This is the sixth time in school history that Florida has lost their opening round game in the College World Series. In elimination games immediately following a first round loss, Florida boasts a 2-3 record.
  • This is Coastal Carolina's first College World Series victory in school history.
  • Since the eight national seeds were established in 1999, the 12 No. 1 overall seeds who have made it to Omaha have a record of 7-5 in the first round. Florida is the only No. 1 seed to lose in the first round twice with the first instance occurring in the 2012 College World Series.
  • With Florida's loss, they become the final of Omaha's three national seeds to enter the loser's bracket.

As I have just explained in the tidbits, Florida's fortunes usually do not bode well when they drop the first game in Omaha. As it stands right now, Florida would have to win four straight elimination games just to get to the College World Series Finals!

I know that in the past two seasons Florida has gone into the loser's bracket of the SEC Tournament and made it to the title game, but the College World Series is completely different. Unlike the SEC Tourney, Florida will have to beat Coastal Carolina/TCU twice to get to the National Championship. 

The format of the College World Series is done right with the fact that it does not create a one game semifinal that ignores the undefeated record of the team in the winner's bracket. I agree with Omaha's bracket setup 100%, but it sure provides a deep hole for the Gators to climb out of.

The last team to enter the loser's bracket and win the College World Series was South Carolina in 2010. If Florida can rekindle some of South Carolina's magic from six years ago, then they may have a shot to cap off what has already been an incredible season with a National Championship.

It won't be easy, but it's doable. This team is resilient, having fought through the loser's bracket of the SEC Tournament to reach the title game and overcoming a 1-0 series deficit to the Florida State Seminoles in super regionals.

Tuesdays' elimination game will be a battle of national seeds as the No. 1 Florida Gators put their season on the line against the No. 5 Texas Tech Red Raiders (46-19). Tech lost a heartbreaker of their own, as TCU (48-16) used a three-run homer with one out in the top of the ninth inning to erase the Red Raiders' 3-2 lead and win the game 5-3.

Florida will most likely go with sophomore right-hander Alex Faedo (13-2, 3.25 ERA) to keep their season alive, while Texas Tech will probably counter with freshman right-hander Davis Martin (9-1, 2.73 ERA) as they seek to extend their season as well.

Game time for the elimination bout is at 5 p.m. on June 21st. It can be seen on ESPN2. Hopefully the Gators' bats wake up. Their season is depending on it.

*All stats accredited to FloridaGators.com & Wikipedia.com


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Friday, June 17, 2016

2016 Gator Softball: A Year In Review

The Florida Gator softball team entered 2016 as the odds-on favorite to win a third straight national championship. Unfortunately, a 56-7 (20-4 SEC) overall record would not cut it for the Gators as the rival Georgia Bulldogs swept them in the Gainesville Super Regional.

Following the formula of past championship seasons, the Gators did not win the SEC Tournament as Auburn bounced them in the semifinals. Once regional play began, Florida obliterated their opponents by a combined score of 24-0 to set up what looked like a very winnable matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs in super regionals.

However, the Gators were not themselves in super regional play as they mustered a total of just eight hits and three runs in two games. After Georgia blanked Florida by a score of 3-0 in Game 1, it looked like the the Gators would force a winner-take-all contest with a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning.

With two outs and a runner on first, Gator sophomore Aleshia Ocasio was one strike away from extending the super regional. Georgia had other plans though. With the count 0-2, Bulldog pinch hitter Kaylee Puailoa crushed Ocasio's offering over the center field fence for a walk-off two run bomb. 


The two-time defending National Champions had been eliminated and Georgia was on their way to the third Women's College World Series appearance in program history. This was perhaps one of the most shocking Gator losses I had ever seen in my time here at the university.

For the first time in school history, Florida had lost a super regional at home. They had previously been 14-1 in Gainesville Super Regionals prior to the 2016 season. In addition, they became the second No. 1 overall seed in history to not reach the Women's College World Series.

In spite of a heartbreaking finish to this season, the Gators accomplished much as a team in 2016! Some of these feats include: 

  • SEC Regular Season Champions for the sixth time in program history and second consecutive season
  • A 25-0 start to the season
  • 31 victories via shutout 
  • A 22-2 record at home (excluding the postseason)
  • Eight series victories (Auburn, Tennessee, LSU, Ole Miss, UL-Lafayette, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Arkansas), six of which were sweeps
  • All seven of their losses were to SEC opponents (Auburn twice, Alabama twice, Texas A&M Georgia twice)
  • Lost consecutive games just once the whole year (unfortunatley it came during super regionals)
  • A season series sweep of rival Florida State for the second straight season (1-0 & 7-1)
  • Defeated 11 teams ranked in the final ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 polls
  • Lost less than 10 games for the fifth time in program history
  • Resided in the No. 1 spot of the polls for most of the season before finish with the final ranking of No. 8

Now that I have listed the team's success, let's take a look at some of the individual players who garnered some accolades:
  • NFCA First Team All-Americans
  • NFCA Southeast All-Region First Team
  • SEC Freshman of the Year
    • OF - Amanda Lorenz
  • First Team All-SEC
    • P – Delanie Gourley
    • P – Aleshia Ocasio
    • OF – Amanda Lorenz
    • DP/UT - Kayli Kvistad
  • Freshman All-SEC Team
    • P – Kelly Barnhill
    • OF – Amanda Lorenz
  • SEC All-Defensive Team
    • C - Aubree Munro

With the award winners listed, let's take look at the final stat leaders for 2016:

Offense

Hits: Amanda Lorenz (73)

Doubles: Amanda Lorenz (14)

Triples: Kelsey Stewart/Janell Wheaton (2) (Senior/Sophomore)

Home Runs: Kayli Kvistad (11)

RBI’s: Kayli Kvistad (60)

Batting Average: Amanda Lorenz (.403)

Slugging Percentage: Kayli Kvistad (.637)

On Base Percentage: Amanda Lorenz (.528)

Stolen Bases: Kelsey Stewart (15)

Runs Scored: Kelsey Stewart (58)

Strikeouts: Taylore Fuller (39) (Senior)

Walks: Amanda Lorenz (48)

Hit By Pitch: Nicole DeWitt (19)

Sacrifice Flys: Kayli Kvistad (4)

Sacrifice Bunts: Taylore Fuller (7)

At-Bats: Kelsey Stewart (211)


Defense

Assists: Nicole DeWitt (86)

Putouts: Aubree Munro (457)

Errors: Kelsey Stewart (11)

Fielding Percentage: Janell Wheaton/Kirsti Merritt/Amanda Lorenz/Justine McLean/Aleshia Ocasio (1.000) (McLean is a junior)

Pitching

Wins: Aleshia Ocasio (22)

Losses: Delanie Gourley (4)

Strikeouts: Delanie Gourley (224)

ERA: Aleshia Ocasio (0.77)

Complete Games: Delanie Gourley (13)

Saves: Aleshia Ocasio (6)

Appearances: Delanie Gourley/Aleshia Ocasio (35)

Innings Pitched: Delanie Gourley (157.2)


Final Takeaway:
2016 featured one of the tougher season-ending losses with a walk-off loss in Gainesville. Although Florida did not become the second team in NCAA history to pull off a three-peat, there still is a special place in the record books for this Gator softball team.

Florida has the most softball national championships among any SEC school and is the only non-Pac-12 team to win back-to-back titles (UCLA and Arizona have repeated as national champions on many occasions).

It can be argued that Texas A&M is tied with Florida as they have two titles as well. However, the Aggies won both those titles as a member of the Southwest Conference. So keeping that in mind, Florida is the league leader with two national titles while Alabama sits behind them with one.

Florida head coach Tim Walton's journey for his third National Championship in four years will be a difficult one as five of his seniors will be graduating. They are Aubree Munro, Kelsey Stewart, Taylore Fuller, Kirsti Merritt, and Taylor Schwarz. I'll elaborate on each one.

Aubree Munro














Playing all four years behind the dish, Aubree concludes her collegiate career with a slash line of .251/.350/.386, 104 hits, 55 runs scored, 8 home runs, 73 RBI’s, four stolen bases, and a .997 fielding percentage. Her career accolades include: 

  • 2016 NFCA Southeast All-Region First Team
  • 2016 All-SEC Second Team
  • 2016 SEC All-Defensive Team
        • 2016 USA Softball National Team
        • 2015 NFCA All-American
        • 2015, 2014, & 2013 SEC Academic Honor Roll
        • 2015 & 2014 National Champion
        • 2015 & 2014 WCWS All-Tournament Teams
        • 2013 SEC Tournament Champion

        The road doesn't end here for Aubree though. She was recently selected by the USSSA Pride in the sixth and final round of the 2016 National Pro Fastpitch Draft. She was the second-to-last pick!

        Kelsey Stewart













        Instantly contributing from her freshman year forward as a middle infielder, Kelsey finishes her collegiate career with a slash line of .395/.460/.565, 355 hits, 257 runs scored, 15 home runs, 145 RBI’s, 113 stolen bases and a .963 fielding percentage. Her career accolades include:

        • 2015 SEC Player of the Year
        • 2015 & 2014 NFCA First Team All-American
        • 2015, 2014, & 2013 NFCA All-Southeast Region Second Team
        • 2015 & 2014 National Champion
        • 2015 & 2014 WCWS All-Tournament Team
        • 2015 & 2014 All-SEC First Team
        • 2015 & 2014 SEC All-Defensive Team
        • 2013 SEC Tournament Champion
        • 2013 NFCA All-Southeast Region Second Team
        • 2013 All-SEC Second Team
        • 2013 SEC All-Freshman Team
        • 2013 SEC All-Tournament Team

        Kelsey will also be continuing her playing career and will be reunited with Aubree, as she was selected by the USSSA Pride in the second round of the 2016 National Pro Fastpitch Draft. Among her draft class, Kelsey was the highest Gator selected!

        Taylore Fuller












        Seeing much of the field since her freshman campaign as a utility player, Taylore finishes her collegiate career with a slash line of .244/.399/.477, 126 hits, 127 runs scored, 36 home runs, 141 RBI’s, 24 stolen bases, and a .980 fielding percentage. Her career accolades include:

        • 2015 SEC Academic Honor Roll
        • 2015 & 2014 National Champion
        • 2013 SEC Tournament Champion
        • Eight career grand slams, which is the third most in NCAA history and second most in Florida Gator history.


        Like her two teammates before her, Taylore will be continuing her softball career as she was selected in the sixth round of the 2016 National Pro Fastpitch Draft by the Scrap Yard Dawgs.

        Kirsti Merritt















        Seeing substantial playing time as an outfielder from the moment she stepped on campus, Kirsti finishes her Gator tenure with a slash line of .308/.464/.534, 205 hits, 206 runs scored, 36 home runs, 170 RBI’s, 72 stolen bases, and a .984 fielding percentage. Her career accolades include:

        • 2016 All-SEC Second Team
          • 2015 NFCA All-Southeast Region First Team
          • 2015 All-SEC First Team
          • 2015 & 2014 National Champion
          • 2015, 2014, & 2013 SEC Academic Honor Roll
          • 2014 NFCA All-Southeast Region Third Team
          • 2014 WCWS All-Tournament Team
          • 2013 SEC Tournament Champion
          • 2013 SEC Tournament MVP
          • 2013 SEC All-Tournament Team
          • 2013 SEC All-Freshman Team
          • A top-10 diving catch in the clinching game of the 2014 Women's College World Series


          Kirsti will be rejoining both Aubree and Kelsey as she as was selected by the USSSA Pride in the fourth round of the 2016 National Pro Fastpitch Draft.

          Taylor Schwarz














          Rounding out the senior class, Taylor slowly began to see less and less starts as her senior year wound down. Nonetheless, the Gator first baseman finished her career with a slash line of .252/.402/.423, 121 hits, 115 runs scored, 21 home runs, 103 RBI’s, 18 RBI's, and a .991 fielding percentage. Her career accolades include:

          • 2015 NFCA All-American
          • 2015 & 2014 National Champion
          • 2015, 2014, & 2013 SEC Academic Honor Roll
          • 2014 NFCA All-Southeast Region Second Team
          • 2014 SEC All-Defensive Team
          • 2013 SEC Tournament Champion
          • 2013 SEC All-Tournament Team

          Taylor was the only member of this senior class to not be drafted into the National Pro Fastpitch League. I don't think she is too concerned, however, as her telecommunications degree has paved her a great career path in sports reporting.

          ***

          With the departure of these five seniors, Tim Walton's squad will have big shoes to fill. Fortunately this time around, Florida is not losing any of their pitchers as Delanie Gourley, Aleshia Ocasio, and Kelly Barnhill will all be back.

          The 2017 Florida Gator softball team will boast three seniors, four juniors, seven sophomores, and however many freshmen Tim Walton recruits. The championship hangover effect finally reached this team on the three-peat attempt, so it's back to the drawing board for next year.

          The Gators will be a great team next season. The Georgia loss served as a humble reminder that no team is entitled no matter how much they have won or how good they are. Overconfidence is what unraveled the Gators in 2016, and it won't be the last time that a sports team suffers because of this same illusion.

          Nevertheless, 2016 was still a great season for the Orange and Blue. If they crank down their confidence a few notches and continue to play with the fire and intensity that Coach Walton demands, then they will be dog-piling in Oklahoma City again in no time!

          Go Gators!

          *All stats and info accredited to FloridaGators.com, NFCA.org, & SECSports.com
          *Photo Credits: Pinterest.com, SouthLakePress.com, & TampaBay.com