Sunday, March 18, 2012

Gator Softball Sweeps South Carolina, 7-3, Sunday

Seven Gators collaborated for 10 hits Sunday, as the No. 4 Florida softball team completed its eighth-straight series sweep over South Carolina with a 7-3 finale at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. A total of 1,218 Gator fans came out to witness UF’s 26th straight victory over the Gamecocks (19-12, 2-6 SEC). 

In this weekend’s 19-inning series, Florida allowed just four runs, while scoring 17, and were led by freshman Lauren Haeger (Peoria, Ariz.), who batted .556 with five hits, two doubles, a homer and six RBI through the three-game set.

The Orange and Blue improved to 26-2 overall, 7-1 in league play with Sunday’s win as Haeger and Sami Fagan (Dunnellon, Fla.) both had multiple-hit performances, Haeger with three hits (3-for-4) and S. Fagan with two (2-for-3). Haeger scored a run and drove three in, while S. Fagan scored three and drove in one herself.

All nine Gator starters reached base during Sunday’s contest, led by Haeger’s RBI single in the first inning for UF’s first score, a dinger to left field in the third inning, and a RBI double in the sixth inning. In the third stanza, sophomore Cheyenne Coyle (West Hills, Calif.) also went yard right after Haeger, with a freshman Bailey Castro (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) walk sandwiched in between. Coyle drove herself and Castro in as Florida quickly went up, 4-0, after three.

For the 11th tilt this season, the UF lineup collaborated for a double-digit hit performance. Along with Haeger, S. Fagan, Castro and Coyle, three other Gator sluggers connected for a hit, including junior Kelsey Horton (Valrico, Fla.), sophomore Kasey Fagan (Dunnellon, Fla.) and first year Jess Damico (Gray Summit, Mo.).

Florida played stellar defensively, turning a double play in the sixth, while coming up with several clutch defensive plays from Coyle, Damico and Medina in the infield. The Gators took advantage of South Carolina early on with four straight balls that resulted in an S. Fagan walk, and a USC throwing error that put her and Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) both in scoring position to start the game. On the next play, Haeger singled through the left side to plate S. Fagan for UF’s initial score.

The third inning production from the Florida offense was clutch as the Orange and Blue scored three runs off four hits. Haeger started the frame with a two-out solo shot over the left-field fence, quickly followed by a Castro base hit. Coyle tacked on another two runs for the Gators after belting her seventh round-tripper of the year over the left-field wall for two more Gator runs.

The Gamecocks got on the board in the top of the fourth after a Kaela Jackson leadoff single up the middle, while pinch runner Hannah Milks advanced to second on a sac bunt and came home on a Kaitlin Westfall RBI double to narrow the margin, 4-1.

Damico led off the fourth for the Gators with a base hit to turn over the lineup before S. Fagan batted her in with a triple, then proceeded with a score of her own after a Moultrie sac fly for the 6-1 Florida lead. In the bottom of the sixth, S. Fagan doubled to right center before scoring one more time for the Gators on a Haeger double to left field for UF’s final seven runs.

South Carolina put up a fight in the seventh after Lauren Lackey connected for a one-out double, enabling an Evan Childs two-run bomb to left center that brought herself and Lackey home for the 7-3 final. Florida sophomore righty Hannah Rogers (Lake Wales, Calif.) fanned Chelsea Hawkins, allowed a Jackson walk, but then popped Dana Hathorn up to get out of the inning for the Gator win.

Freshman hurler Alyssa Bache (Clearwater, Fla.) earned the nod in the circle for the Orange and Blue, working the first 3.0, giving up just two hits and two walks, while retiring three Gamecocks by strikeout before Rogers (14-1) came on in the fourth to finish out the final four frames for the win. Rogers battled it out, but gave up seven USC hits and the Gamecocks’ three runs. The Gators’ ace gave up two walks and fanned one.
 
First year Katelynn Howser (8-3) shouldered the loss for South Carolina in the circle after giving up seven of Florida’s 10 hits, five runs and three walks, while fanning just two in two different appearances Sunday. Howser earned the start and worked the first 2.2 before being relieved by Kierstyn White for one and a third, and then coming on again in the fifth for the final 2.0.