Florida All-America pitcher Stacey Nelson isn’t guaranteeing a victory or anything like that in today’s NCAA softball regional final. But she did make a promise after the Gators’ 7-1 victory over Texas A&M on Saturday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
“If I pitch, I promise I won’t give up as many hits,” she said with a smile.
Nelson felt compelled to make her promise because she wasn’t her usual dominant self Saturday. She gave up a season-high nine hits and found herself pitching with runners on base (and under pressure) in every inning.
Even without Nelson’s typical stuff, the Gators had more than enough to put down the team that eliminated them in the postseason the past two seasons. UF won this game with stellar defense, timely hitting and heads-up base running. And, actually, Nelson was dominant when she had to be, striking out a season-high 14.
