After
falling short against No. 9 Tennessee in the series opener Friday evening, the
No. 3/4 softball squad rebounded Saturday with a 5-2 victory over the Lady Vols
in Knoxville with an 11-hit performance in front of a sold-out crowd of 1,713
at Lee Stadium Saturday. Florida’s 22nd victory of the 2012 season evened the
series at one-apiece, as the two squads will take to the field for the series
finale Sunday at noon.
The
Gators (22-2, 3-1 SEC) returned Saturday with sophomore Hannah Rogers (Lake
Wales, Fla.) in the circle, while the Lady Vols (15-4, 1-1 SEC) opted to go with
junior hurler Ivy Renfroe. Rogers worked the first 5.0, giving up seven hits,
but allowing just two Tennessee runs, while retiring one Lady Vol by strikeout.
Rogers picked up the victory to improve to 12-1 on the season, while freshman
righty Lauren Haeger (Peoria, Ariz.) earned her first save of the season
after 2.0 innings of hitless, scoreless relief with two strikeouts.
Not
only did Haeger work for the Gators in the circle, but the 2011 USA Softball
Women’s Junior National Team member went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the
Orange and Blue on offense. Haeger tallied a two-out RBI single through the
right side for UF’s final run of the contest in the fourth inning.
Florida
leaders sophomore shortstop Cheyenne Coyle (West Hills, Calif.) and
senior centerfielder Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) also rallied
for multi-hit performances, Coyle with a 2-for-3 effort and Moultrie with a
2-for-4 day at the plate. Junior Ensley Gammel (Bakersfield, Calif.),
sophomore Kasey Fagan (Dunnellon, Fla.) and freshmen Katie Medina (Downey,
Calif.) and Sami Fagan (Dunnellon, Fla.) got in on the action as well
with one hit apiece.
Renfroe
moved to 4-4 on the season with the loss as the UT hurler went the distance,
giving up UF’s 11 hits and five runs, while walking four and retiring two by
strikeout. Madison Shipman and Kat Dotson each had two hits to lead Tennessee
offensively.
