Senior right fielder Kelsey Horton (Valrico,
Fla.) laced a two-out homer to left field with two strikes against her in the
bottom of the seventh to walk No. 3 Florida softball off with a 1-0 victory over
the Razorbacks Saturday evening, completing the Gators’ series sweep over Arkansas
at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Florida improved to 31-3 overall on the year,
7-2 in Southeastern Conference play, with its first series sweep of the
conference season, third series win of the year. Arkansas moved to 21-13 on the
year, 0-6 in conference play.
Junior ace Hannah Rogers (Lake Wales,
Fla.) tossed a three-hit shutout – UF’s 13th shutout of the year – with six
strikeouts in the pitcher’s duel with Razorback hurler Chelsea Cohen, who also
went the distance, allowed five Gator hits, walked seven and had four
strikeouts on the night. Rogers chalked up her 17th win of the season (17-2)
with Horton’s seventh-inning heroics, UF’s fourth walk-off of the season and
Horton’s fourth game-winning RBI of the season – her second of the series after
knocking the winning two-RBI double in the bottom of the third in the nightcap
Friday.
Rogers finished the weekend with 19
strikeouts and two victories, allowed just eight hits in three appearances,
walked just two and gave up no runs through the three-game series with
Arkansas.
Florida’s seven walks in game two Friday and
seven Saturday night tied for its second-most in league play to the Gators’
eight BBs against Auburn March 8.
Horton hit .500 through the series (3-for-6)
with two doubles and Saturday’s game-winning blast – her fourth of the season,
knocking in a team-tying three RBI through the weekend. Freshman second baseman
Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.) wasn’t far behind with a .455 clip
(5-for-11), including her school-record sixth triple of the season in the
bottom of the third Saturday. Stewart surpassed six former Gators, who all
knocked five in a season, to take sole possession of the single-season record.
Stewart was 2-for-3 at the plate Saturday
with one walk, while Horton, senior Ensley Gammel (Bakersfield, Calif.)
and freshman Taylor Schwarz (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) all connected for
base hits against the Razorbacks in the series finale.
Arkansas connected for a base hit each in the
first, third and fifth, but Rogers and the UF defense did work to limit the
Razorbacks’ scoring opportunities. Rogers forced three up, three down in the
second, fourth and seventh innings, and faced just four batters in the first
and third to strand the two base runners in each frame on.
After a leadoff double in the fifth for the
Razorbacks, followed by a sac bunt to move Sierra Bronkey to third, Rogers
forced a pop up and fly out to end the top half of the inning and keep the game
scoreless.
Florida had its best chance to score early in
the bottom of the third after Stewart’s leadoff triple, followed by a freshman Kirsti
Merritt (Lake Panasoffkee, Fla.) walk and stolen base before Horton drew
her one walk of the game, a two-out base on balls to load ‘em up. Cohen forced
a ground out to halt the Gator threat.
After a foul out and pop up to the Gators’
first two batters in the bottom of the seventh, Horton stepped in with two down
and the game scoreless, watched a ball, fouled one off and took a Cohen strike
before sending the 1-2 offering right off the bat and over the left-field fence
to wrap up the series, and game, with one swing.
Stephanie Canfield, Bronkey and Jayme Gee
connected for Arkansas’ three hits on the night.
