Will Pantages, Assistant Director of Communications University of Florida Athletic Association UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA P.O. Box 14485, Gainesville, FL 32604-2485 [email protected] 2016 SOFTBALL O: (352) 375-4683 x 6120 • C: (352) 275-3398 www.FloridaGators.com SEC CHAMPIONS: 1998, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2015 | WCWS APPEARANCES: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 | NCAA CHAMPIONS: 2014, 2015 2016 SCHEDULE & RESULTS MARCH 12-14, 2016 Jane B. Moore Field Date Opponent Time/Result No. 1/1 FLORIDA Auburn, Ala. FEBRUARY Saturday: 8:30 p.m. USF Wilson-DeMarini Tournament (Tampa, Fla.) (24-0) Sunday: 5 p.m. 12 Fri vs. Illinois State W, 11-0 (5) Monday: 7 p.m. 13 Sat vs. No. 2 Michigan W, 8-0 (5) @ 14 Sun vs. Virginia Tech W, 8-0 (6) TV: SEC Network at USF W, 11-1 (5) No. 3/3 AUBURN 17 Wed vs. JACKSONVILLE W, 6-0 Radio: WGGG-AM & W, 10-0 (5) (22-1) WMOP-AM/FM Diamond 9 Tournament (Orlando, Fla.) 19 Fri vs. UAB W, 8-0 (5) THE FIRST PITCH vs. Stephen F. Austin W, 6-2 The No. 1-ranked Gator Softball team (24-0) begins Southeastern Conference 20 Sat vs. Omaha W, 9-0 (5) 4 vs. Elon W, 3-1 play this weekend when Florida travels to No. 3 Auburn. This weekend marks the 21 Sun vs. Jacksonville State W, 10-0 (5) second straight season that UF will open its conference schedule with a top-five team. Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic (Palm Springs, Calif.) 4Florida, picked in the preseason to win the SEC, begins conference play looking to win its 25 Fri vs. No. 10/11 UCLA W, 2-1 vs. North Carolina State W, 5-2 second-straight SEC regular season crown in 2016, a feat UF last achieved in 2008 and 2009. 26 Sat vs. No. 8/9 Washington W, 3-1 4The SEC Network swings into its 50+ game-schedule this weekend, as the network will be exclusively airing vs. Nebraska W, 8-0 (5) 27 Sun vs. Utah W, 1-0 Softball games from around the conference on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. MARCH 4Florida posted a 15-5 record on national television a season ago. 3 Thurs vs. ILLINOIS STATE W, 7-2 AQUAFINA INVITATIONAL (Gainesville, Fla.) QUICK HITS 4 Fri vs. FIU W, 3-1 5 Sat vs. SOUTH ALABAMA W, 9-0 4Florida’s 24-0 record ties for the second-best start to a season in school history. UF began the 2011 season vs. FIU W, 10-0 (5) 6 Sun vs. ILLINOIS STATE W, 11-1 (6) 24-0 and the 2015 season 28-0. vs. FAMU W, 4-1 4The Gators have won their first 24 games by a combined margin of 161-13, including 14 shutouts and 13 9 Wed vs. South Dakota W, 9-0 (6) W, 9-0 (5) mercy-rule victories. UF enters this weekend as one of two teams (UT Arlington, 18-0) in NCAA Division I 12 Sat at No. 3 Auburn* 8:30 p.m. softball who are undefeated. 13 Sun at No. 3 Auburn* 5 p.m. 14 Mon at No. 3 Auburn* 7 p.m. 4Although UF’s offense is averaging 7.13 runs per game, which ranks 18th in the country, it’s Florida’s pitching 16 Wed vs. WINTHROP 6 p.m. and defense that have carried the torch thus far in 2016. Florida has allowed just 13 runs and committed only 18 Fri vs. TENNESSEE* 7 p.m. 19 Sat vs. TENNESSEE* 12 p.m. nine errors through 24 games. 20 Sun vs. TENNESSEE* 4 p.m. 25 Fri at LSU* 5 p.m. (DH) 4The Gators currently sport the second-best fielding percentage (.984) and the top earned run average in 26 Sat at LSU* 12 p.m. the nation (0.58). For comparison through 24 games last season, Florida had committed 17 errors and had a APRIL fielding percentage of .971. UF went on to record its best fielding percentage (.981) and committed just 33 1 Fri vs. ALABAMA* 6 p.m. errors which were both school records. 2 Sat vs. ALABAMA* 12 p.m. 3 Sun vs. ALABAMA* 1 p.m. 4The Gators have allowed just one stolen base this season, which is the fewest in the SEC. 6 Wed at UCF 6 p.m. 8 Fri at Ole Miss* 7 p.m. 4Offensively, UF sits second in the country in on-base percentage (.498), 18th in scoring (7.13) and 12th in 9 Sat at Ole Miss* 7 p.m. batting average (.363). 10 Sun at Ole Miss* 2 p.m. 13 Wed vs. FLORIDA STATE 7 p.m. 4In addition to leading UF in all these categories, Amanda Lorenz ranks 54th in BA (.468), eighth in walks 16 Sat vs. ULL 1 p.m. (DH) (24), 26th in runs (29) and 13th in OBP (.614) in the nation. 17 Sun vs. ULL 1 p.m. 20 Wed vs. USF 6 p.m. 4Kirsti Merritt is hitting .424 (14 for 33) over the past two weeks with two home runs, one double, 11 RBI and 22 Fri vs. MISSISSIPPI STATE* 6 p.m. 12 runs scored. 23 Sat vs. MISSISSIPPI STATE* 1 p.m. 24 Sun vs. MISSISSIPPI STATE* 5 p.m. 4Kelsey Stewart is the NCAA active leader in career hits (316) by almost 60 tallies. 29 Fri at Texas A&M* 7:30 p.m. 4UF hitters have struck out 58 times on the year; each of the Gators’ three pitchers has 61+ strikeouts 30 Sat at Texas A&M* 2 p.m. (Delanie Gourley - 74, Kelly Barnhill - 68, Aleshia Ocasio - 61). MAY 4Ocasio has the third-best ERA in the nation (0.40) and Gourley is seventh in strikeouts per game (10.9). 1 Sun at Texas A&M* 12:30 p.m. 4 Wed at Florida State 6 p.m. 6 Fri vs. ARKANSAS* 6 p.m. SETTING THE STAGE: AUBURN 7 Sat vs. ARKANSAS* 1 p.m. 4Florida and Auburn last met at the Women’s College World Series on May 31, 2015 when the Gators elimi- 8 Sun vs. ARKANSAS* 1 p.m. 11-14 Wed-Sat SEC Tournament (Starkville, Miss.) nated the Tigers on an extra-inning walk-off hit. 20-22 Fri-Sun NCAA Regional (16 Sites) 4This is a matchup of the 2015 SEC regular season champs vs. the SEC tournament champs. Since softball’s 26-29 Thurs-Sun NCAA Super Regional (8 Sites) inception in the SEC in 1997, this type of series has occurred eight times. The reigning tournament champs JUNE 2-8 Thu-Wed Women’s College World Series (OKC) have won that series four times, the regular season champs have earned three series victories and UA and UT split a doubleheader in 2008. All game times are Eastern Standard Time 4UF holds a 36-18 edge on AU in the two schools’ all-time series. This is Florida’s first visit to Auburn, Ala. since 2013 where the Gators are 14-10 against the Tigers. Florida has not lost a series at Auburn since 2005. 2016 FLORIDA QUICK FACTS SCHOOL INFORMATION TEAM INFORMATION Official School Name .................................................. University of Florida 2016 Overall Record ....................................................................................24-0 Location ..................................................................................... Gainesville, Fla. National Rank .................................................................................................... 1/1 Founded .......................................................................................................... 1853 SEC Record ......................................................................................................0-0 Enrollment .................................................................................................49,042 Home Record ................................................................................................... 5-0 President ...............................................................................Dr. W. Kent Fuchs Away Record ..................................................................................................... 1-0 Nickname ....................................................................................................Gators Neutral Site Record ......................................................................................18-0 Colors................................................ Orange (PMS 172) & Blue (PMS 286) Postseason Record ........................................................................................0-0 Affiliation ..................................................................................NCAA Division I SEC Tournament Finish .............................................................................. TBD Conference ...............................................Southeastern - Eastern Division Letterwinners Returning/Lost ..................................................................14/6 Athletics Director ....................................................................... Jeremy Foley Position Starters Returning/Lost ..............................................................7/2 Senior Women’s Administrator ...............................................Lynda Tealer Pitchers Returning/Lost ............................................................................... 2/1 Athletics Department Phone .............................................(352) 375-4683 Newcomers ............................................................................................................7 Ticket Office Phone .........................................(352) 375-GoUF ext. 6800 FLORIDA COMMUNICATIONS STADIUM INFORMATION Softball Contact ..........................................................................Will Pantages Home Field ............................................... Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium Office Phone .........................................................(352) 375-4683 ext. 6120 Capacity ..........................................................................................................1,200 Cell Phone .................................................................................(352) 275-3398 Field Dimensions ................................................200 foul pole, 220 center Office Fax ................................................................................. (352) 375-4809 Surface ........................................................................................................... Grass E-Mail Address ............................................................. [email protected]