Quiet But Classy Exit in OKC - Florida Gators

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OKLAHOMA CITY — For all intents and purposes, the game — and the season — was over. UCLA, with just one out, had the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning and was one hit away from ending its Women's College World Series elimination game in mercy-rule fashion and, in turn, ending the 2022 feel-good comeback Florida Gators campaign in lopsided fashion.

UF coach Tim Walton was just hoping to get out of the mess and have one more turn at the plate. He called timeout and sent reserve Mia Buffano into right field to replace Cheyenne Lindsey in a strictly defensive move. Maybe Buffano's strong arm could gun down what would be the decisive eighth and run-rule tally score. 

Lindsey, a senior, tapped gloves with Buffano and jogged off the field at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium knowing full well she was not only exiting the game, but her college career. Lindsey stopped on the way to the dugout to hug her coach. 

"She knew. She understands exactly what we were doing in that moment," Walton said later from the post-game podium. "That, to me, makes me the most proud; that our players understand. The get-it factor is really high. I questioned that along the way a little bit, but I think this team did a good job of buying in, trusting and just made me feel a heckuva lot better about my leaderships skills, because I was questioning them at times with some of the moves I made." 

The Buffano-for-Lindsey move didn't backfire, but Savannah Pola's double into the gap was the final play of an 8-0 shutout win for the No. 5-seed Bruins and, in turn, the final play of the Florida season. When seasons end there comes reflection and Walton was doing just that at the WCWS post-game podium. 

The Gators, seeded 14th in the tournament, finished 49-19 record and had their share of flaws. They also ended the season in Oklahoma City and with plenty of strengths. 

Starting with character. 

Senior Cheyenne Lindsey, who had one of the team's two hits, tries to fire up the Florida dugout.

To Walton's right sat Hannah Adams, second base extraordinaire who joined Lindsey and relief pitcher Natalie Lugo in trying, while fighting back tears, to recount what their time with Walton and Florida program had meant in their journey from teenage high school softball stars to young women doubling as role models. 

"Take your time," the moderator told Lugo, as she wiped her face with a tissue. 

"I don't really have enough words to explain my time at UF," Lugo said. "There have been a lot of ups and downs, but with Coach Walton I wouldn't have grown into the woman I am right now. He has taught me more than I ever thought I could learn, and just growing up into someone I'm really proud of being right now. It really is truly great to be a Florida Gator." 

Then came Lindsey: "Waking up every morning knowing that I'm a Florida Gator is like one of the best honors to have. I'm just so proud to be a Gator, and I know it didn't end how we wanted it to, but being on this stage, being able to be a role model for little girls that are playing in travel ball tournaments and look up to us is just an inspiration." 

Next, it was Adam's turn. The quintessential UF softball player, with a passion for the game and consummate work ethic out-shined only by her spectacular defensive prowess; maybe the best infielder ever to come through the program. 

Standout second baseman Hannah Adams in her final game as a Gator. 

Walton put it best when asked about Adams. The next player who wears No. 1, he said, is going to have to be a special, special player. 

And person. 

"We made a goal at the beginning of the year to make it back to the World Series, and we worked really hard to do that even at times when our season wasn't looking so great … but we'll forget about that because we're at the World Series, right now," said Adams, who made judicious use of her extra COVID season in making the team's WCWS pledge coming about. "I've taken in every single moment of this last year. … The senior class, coming up together, I've seen so much growth in each and every one of them. I'm just really proud of them not only as players, but as people too. The program really makes you a better person off the field, too. It's not just about softball." 

It was about softball earlier in the day, and UCLA (50-9) was just across-the-board better. All games are independent of one another, but Sunday's loss looked hauntingly familiar to Saturday's 2-0 defeat against Oklahoma State. 

UCLA pitcher Holly Azevedo threw a two-hit 8-0 shutout at the Gators Sunday.  

In a span of less than 24 hours, a Florida offense that was hitting .405 and scoring 7.7 runs per game in the NCAA Tournament play — including Thursday night's 7-1 waxing of Oregon State in opening-round action — went 5-for-44 (that's an average of .113), with five singles (one of them on a bunt). Saturday night it was Cowgirl Kelly Maxwell with a three-hitter. Sunday it was Bruin Holly Azevedo with a two-hitter. And no Gator, even the best batters in the lineup, could solve, either one, with Kendra Falby (1-for-6), Adams (0-3), Skylar Wallace (0-6), Charla Echols (1-5) and Reagan Walsh (0-5) — in the 1 through 5 holes, respectively — a collective 2-for-25 in the two games. 

"Just didn't have any answers offensively," Walton said. "We hit a few balls hard and right at someone. We didn't get any leadoff runners on very often. It makes it hard to run an offense like that."

But it didn't ruin the coaches' and players appreciation for a season that, about a month ago, wasn't looking all that encouraging. 

Then came a late-season flurry, a sweep of the home regional and the altogether different experience (for this program, that is) of winning a Super Regional on the road. 

"It's really going to be hard for me not to think about Blacksburg," Walton said.

Yes, these Gators will always have Blacksburg, which got them to Oklahoma City and any season that ends in Oklahoma City (even with a pair of shutouts) is a success.

That it happened with this group — these impressive young women — will carry Walton into the offseason, and be a foundation for the Gators' 2023 season, as well. 

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