Florida 2012 Softball World Series Capsule

Florida Gators
SEC (44-10, 21-7)

 
Heading into the 2012 campaign Florida had quite a few questions. Most notably was whether or not they would find another pitcher to compliment sophomore Hannah Rogers. Rogers is still the ace of the staff, but Coach Tim Walton found another great hurler in freshman Lauren Haeger. Like Rogers, Haeger can go the distance. Neither dominates by striking out the opposition, but the Gators can rely on their solid defense when the ball does go into play. Making the pitching staff even more dangerous is the emergence of freshman Alyssa Bache. She has proven to be a more than viable spot starter and a fine reliever on those occasions when Rogers or Haeger are having an off day.

Big Wins: 2/24 vs Texas (5-1), 3/11 vs Tennessee (1-0), 4/15 vs Auburn (5-2)
Bad Losses: 4/14 vs UCF (0-2), 4/24 vs LSU (0-1), 4/29 vs Kentucky (1-5)
Coach: Tim Walton (7 seasons at Florida)

Why They Can Surprise:
Haeger is not just a pitcher though. She is one of four Gators who have at least ten homeruns on the season, joining centerfielder Michelle Moultrie, catcher Kelsey Horton and shortstop Cheyenne Coyle. Those four will drive in most of the runs and do most of the damage for the Gators offense. There are some other power hitters in the lineup, most notably Ensley Gammel and Bailey Castro, but those two have had some trouble getting the ball in play against some of the top SEC pitchers. Sami Fagan is the player who gets the offense started with her patience and ability to put the ball in play. She will find herself on base more often than not and then the sophomore will use her speed to score or wait for one of the power hitters to drive her home.

Why They Can Disappoint:
Moultrie is a great player to build a team around. The senior centerfielder hits for power and average. She is a patient hitter who rarely strikes out and will do whatever she needs to do to help her team. Moultrie even leads the team in stolen bases. Defensively, she is one of the best outfielders in the nation. However, she is the only senior on the roster. This is a team that is full of underclassman. Players like Coyle, Horton and Rogers were around last year when Florida lost to Arizona State in the WCWS championship, but this is the first trip to the bright lights of the NCAA Tournament for the vast majority of the team. That youth and inexperience on the big stage could be a big issue at some point during the month of May…or into June.

Key Field Players:
Michelle Moultrie, Senior, CF, .395 BA, 10 HR, 29 RBI, 21 SB
Sami Fagan, Freshman, UTL, .365 BA, 29 RBI, 18 SB
Kelsey Horton, Junior, UTL/C, .321 BA, 11 HR, 40 RBI
Lauren Haeger, Freshman, 1B, .313 BA, 11 HR, 47 RBI
Katie Medina, Freshman, IF, .260 BA, 8 RBI
Kasey Fagan, Sophomore, UTL, .266 BA, 17 RBI

Key Pitchers:
Hannah Rogers, Sophomore, Pitcher, 1.26 ERA, 26-6 W/L, 23 CG, 199.1 IP, 180 SO
Lauren Haeger, Freshman, Pitcher, 1.44 ERA, 13-4 W/L, 10 CG, 106.2 IP, 117 SO

By the Numbers:
Batting Average: .298 (37th in nation, 3rd in conference)
Earned Run Average: 1.35, (6, 1)
Fielding Percentage: .974 (15, 2)
Scoring Offense: 5.50 (26, 2)
Home Runs per Game: 1.13 (19, 2)
Doubles per Game: 1.02 (177, 7)
Triples per Game: 0.22 (34, 1)
Stolen Bases per Game: 1.22 (64, 6)
Slugging Percentage: .494 (14, 2)
Double Plays per Game: 0.28 (126, 5)

 
Recent Postseason Appearances:

*all team stats through 5/6

 
See All Softball Postseason Capsules