Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — When the NCAA released the regional pairings for the first two rounds of its women's softball tournament, the sight of the field's two winningest teams — Florida (53-5) and Florida Atlantic (50-7), the nation's only programs with at least 50 victories — in the same bracket raised something of a red flag. 

But let's dig a little deeper. 

The top-seeded Gators have been carried all season by the best pitching and best defense in the country. The former has been especially daunting, what with sophomore Aleshia Ocasio (0.70) and junior Delanie Gourley (0.73) ranked 1-2 nationally in ERA. 

More probing into the number and look who shows up: FAU's Kylee Hanson (also 0.73), who checks in at No. 3 in the country. 

Hanson, a 5-foot-11 junior from Jupiter, Fla., went 28-3 this season, hurling 209.2 innings, striking out 286 batters and walking just 34. Opponents hit just .135 against her. 

The Gators did not face the Owls during 2016, but they have done their due scouting diligence heading into regional play. Besides, there's no guarantee UF will even face Hanson. The Gators get Alabama State (27-25) in Friday's opening round at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium, while the Owls have to get by UCF (36-20) in the double-elimination affair. 

"Our focus right now is beating Alabama State," senior shortstop Kelsey Stewart said. "We're not going to look past any team, any pitcher, but I'll say this: I don't think there's a pitcher who is just going to just beat us. If we don't win, it's because we beat ourselves." 

And that doesn't happen very often. 

Coach Tim Walton points to four bad innings his team has played this season behind the club's five losses. That's not much to gripe about (especially after winning the Southeastern Conference regular season title and going 20-4 in the toughest league in the country), but he also knows that this time of year one bad inning can put your club on the brink. Or worse.

Walton's track record for focusing his team in May speaks for itself. The Gators have hosted regionals 14 straight years and Super regionals eight of the last nine seasons, while advancing to the College World Series every season but one since 2008. Oh yes, Florida is reigning two-time national champion. 

There are eight players on the UF roster who contributed to the five-game WCWS sweep in 2014 and another four who were part of the five-wins-in-six run to the national crown in 2015. That's a dozen players with NCAA title pedigree. 

And championship know-how. 

"They're smart," Walton said. 

Adaptable, too. 

The UF teams that left Oklahoma City with the hardware the last two Junes had tremendous pitching with Hannah Rogers and Lauren Haeger, but also used some big bats (like Haeger, Bailey Castro, Stephanie Tofft) to do damage. The 2016 Gators haven't hit with power as proficently as those previous teams. 

"We pass the bats," catcher Aubree Munro said. 

The Gators have gotten by just fine taking turns. One night, it's Kirsti Merritt. Maybe Kayli Kvistad the next. Then Amanda Lorenz or Janell Wheaton. 

Just who the key contributor at the plate in the games to come is something that will play itself out. The outcome in the circle, however, will require very little second-guessing. UF will get stellar pitching. Period.  

Walton may opt to roll out freshman Kelly Barnhill (15-1) for their opener against Hornets. She may be No. 3 on the staff, but she's 11th nationally in ERA — her 1.37 ERA is better than both Haeger and Rogers put up in their respective super-ace seasons -- and rates second on the squad with 162 strikeouts. 

More than likely, UF opponents will see their fill of Ocasio and Gourley for the balance of the postseason. They're across-the-board numbers are eye-popping, to be sure, though maybe not compared to the ones by Hanson's name on the FAU stat sheet. Ocasio (20-1) and Gourley (18-3), though, amassed theirs competing in the SEC, a league that put 11 of its 13 teams into the NCAA's field of 64 and has eight of the top 16 seeds. 

"Pass the bat" has worked thus far for the Gators. 

"Pass the ball (and glove)" is how they'll advance. 

"I think everybody keeps wanting to compare us to the last two teams when we had home run hitters, but mostly we're getting on base and just making things happen," Stewart said. "People look at our scores — maybe some are 1-0 and 2-0 — and say we're not dominating, but if you didn't score, guess what? You still got dominated and we're still winning. So I hope teams keep on thinking we can't hit. That's fine." 

That's because postseason is Florida's season.