Tim Walton explains Skyler Wallace's impact on Florida softball

Florida Gators head softball coach Tim Walton spoke to the SEC Network amid the team’s game against the South Carolina Gamecocks. There, he emphasized that he’s looking to Skylar Wallace to be the team’s leader moving forward.

It was the top of the fourth inning and Florida was trailing by two runs when Walton explained that it’s Wallace’s experience that the team needs to lean on.

“I think it’s always going to start with Skylar Wallace,” Tim Walton said. “Skylar Wallace is a great player, a good leader for us. So, it’s gonna start with her. I think she knows that. She’s obviously working her butt off to try to get out there, and then stay in tune with our defense and work with our pitching staff, and she’s done a good job. She’s played good defense all year and all weekend long. So, it’s gonna start with her.”

Florida came into the game looking to bounce back from a loss to South Carolina on Saturday. With a win, the Gators would also win the series.

Another challenge that Tim Walton feels his team is facing is fatigue, especially because of the youth on his roster.

“You talk about the mental and physical fatigue. That’s part of it, especially with a younger team at times. You look at that field and we’ve got a lot of young ones. We just have to learn how to play just a tick better. They’re not four unearned runs, but they’re four unearned runs in my book. We’ve got to do a better job to play, not flawless, but more communicative and very clean softball. Play as hard as you can play.”

Skylar Wallace was the 2023 SEC Player of the Year and has continued to be productive at her shortstop position during the 2024 season, with a .395 batting average and nine home runs on the season.

Tim Walton on his decision to pinch-hit Emily Wilkie

One of the key moves that Tim Walton made during the game was to pinch-hit Emily Wilkie for Mia Williams, which immediately led to an RBI for the Gators.

“Thanks for pointing out a positive. Mia is a good ballplayer for us, and offensively she hasn’t been as consistent as we want. Emily had a good day yesterday or the day before, and we went to a little more of an offensive approach. Emily has an option there. She can bunt or hit,” Walton said.

“She obviously faked the bunt, brought the infield in, was able to hit it past her. So, give her credit for getting her job done.”