The Florida softball team's two problem areas - pitching and defense - this season have been resolved, at least so for this weekend.
Shutting out Wisconsin and Maine on Saturday places UF into the today's championship game of the Gator Invitational at the Florida Softball Stadium.
"This was a good learning situation for us because we understand now that pitching and defense is going to win," UF coach Karen Johns said. "We'll score runs when we have to, there's no question about that."
Four consecutive shutouts have lowered Florida's ERA to 3.30 from 3.73 before the tournament. The Gators have not given up a run in the past 32 innings.
"Now we're cutting down on our walks and getting the leadoff batters out," said pitcher Amanda Moore (8-8), who picked up the wins in both games. "In practice the other day, we focused on getting ahead in the count and making our pitches work."
And the Gators (18-21) are playing better defense. Saturday's games were just the third time this season they have had consecutive error-free games. Florida was averaging 1.5 errors before Saturday.
In four games in the tournament, the Gators have committed just one error.
But Florida still is struggling offensively, evident in the 1-0 win against Maine, which lasted nine innings.
The Gators mustered only five hits against a team they beat 6-0 the prior day. Mandy Schuerman, the team's leading hitter, struck out twice and was 0-for-4 in the game.
"They're a little overly aggressive," Johns said. "Our pitch selection isn't great, and we're getting in the hole so we have to hit a pitcher's pitch. We're going to work a little bit on that tomorrow morning as far as getting a little more plate discipline."
Florida also had problems with its baserunning, as two pinch runners were thrown out.
In the fifth, Brittani Houghton was caught in a double play after Prissie Walden had a sacrifice bunt to move Houghton from first to second. In the seventh, Stacy Rosen was caught in a rundown between second and third for the third out of the inning.
"They're young and they're trying so hard to be aggressive and sometimes that catches up with them," Johns said.
Earlier in the day, Florida beat No. 25 Wisconsin 2-0 to earn the No. 1 seed in the tournament.
Moore threw a complete-game shutout. She faced four or fewer batters six times and gave up four hits and struck out two.
"I was definitely struggling with my outside pitch, but we had great defense," Moore said. "Everything went our way today and we've got to keep working hard."
The Badgers threatened in the second inning with bases loaded and one out. But Moore got Diana Consolmagno to ground into an inning-ending double play, and Wisconsin never had a runner past second base the rest of the game.
Andrea Kirchberg (9-7) took the loss even though she struck out eight UF batters.
Doris Yon can be reached at (352) 374-5052 or doris.yon@gainesvillesun.com.
