The No. 2/3 Gator softball squad split a
Saturday doubleheader with South Carolina in Columbia, taking game one of the
twin bill over the Gamecocks, 3-2, in eight innings to clinch the series,
before USC claimed a 2-1 victory in game two to wrap up regular-season play for
both squads at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
The Orange and Blue improved to 49-7 on the
season and 18-6 in Southeastern Conference play, having notched series wins in
all eight league sets this season. Florida will await results of this weekend’s
remaining league games to determine the SEC regular-season champion, along with
tournament seeding for the upcoming SEC Tournament in Lexington, Ky., May 8-11.
UF’s 49 victories pace the nation and the
Gators are just a win away from their fifth 50-win season in program history.
Junior ace Hannah Rogers (Lake Wales,
Fla.) earned both decisions in the circle for UF Saturday, moving to 28-5 on
the season. The Gators were paced by sophomore Lauren Haeger (Peoria,
Ariz.) and Kirsti Merritt (Lake Panasoffkee, Fla.) through the
three-game series with the Gamecocks, as both batted .400 (4-for-10). Florida
put up eight extra-base hits on the weekend, seven doubles and a blast from
Merritt Saturday.
Merritt’s two-out solo shot in the top of the
eighth proved to be the game-winner for the Gators in game one of the twin bill
Saturday between the Gators and Gamecocks, as UF played free softball for the
seventh time this season, improving to 5-2 in extras with its 17th
come-from-behind this season.
Haeger started things off for the Orange and
Blue in the circle in game one before Rogers came on for four innings of
scoreless relief with three Ks to earn the win.
Tofft knocked two doubles in game one of the
doubleheader, her 16th and 17th two-baggers of the season, and is now three shy
of the single-season school record 20. Freshman Kelsey Stewart (Wichita,
Kan.) was 2-for-3 in game two of the doubleheader, taking sole possession of
the single-season freshman hits record with 77 on the year.
Florida put up six hits in game one, paced by
Merritt and Tofft, who each turned in two. In the nightcap, Stewart had two of
UF’s three, while Merritt claimed the other. Florida worked the Gamecocks for
seven free passes in game two, but a Shelby Gonzales two-run home run gave USC
a 2-1 lead in the fourth it wouldn’t relinquish, despite a feisty Gator squad.
In game one, an Ashlyn Masters sacrifice fly
and Chelsea Hawkins RBI single up the middle gave the Gamecocks an early 2-0
lead after the first frame, but the Gators battled back in the fourth with
three hits and a two spot on the scoreboard to knot things up between the two
clubs.
Tofft first connected with a one-out RBI
double in the top of the fourth to plate Merritt, who set things up with her
seventh double of the season. Both Tofft and Merritt hit the same sweet spot in
left center at Beckham Field before Haeger delivered a RBI single up the middle
to bring Tofft across the dish for the 2-2 tie ballgame.
The Gators kept the rally going in the fifth
with a sophomore Briana Little (Middleburg, Fla.) leadoff double, her
second in as many days, while sophomore Katie Medina (Downey, Calif.)
bunted her over to third. South Carolina starting pitcher Audrey Broyles was
successful in holding the Gators scoreless, though, with a strikeout and fly
out at the top of the order to take the game to the bottom of the inning.
With USC threatening in the bottom of the
fifth with two runners on board and no outs after a pair of HBP, the Gators
traded Haeger in the circle for Rogers, who was effective in retiring the next
three Carolina batters after a sac bunt, line out and ground out to Medina at
short stop.
A 2-2 tie ballgame made the final two frames.
Following a scoreless sixth for both squads, USC relief hurler and Friday night
starter Julie Sarratt retired the Gators in order in the top of the seventh, and
after a one-out single for Kristen Struett in the bottom of the seventh,
Florida turned an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play to force extras.
With two down in the top of the eighth,
Merritt’s fourth long ball of the season cleared the right-field fence to take
the Gators ahead, 3-2, and proving to be the game-winner, her fourth blast of
the season.
A Shelby Gonzales two-out double to the
right-center gap made things interesting in the bottom of the eighth, but
Rogers fanned Gamecock Codee Yeske, her third K of the game, for the third out
in the bottom of the eighth for the Gator victory.
In game two, the Gators grinded, first
plating one run in the top of the fourth after Little and Medina started a
rally by drawing one out walks. The duo chased Sarratt from the circle as South
Carolina brought Katie Marks on. Next, Little and Medina moved to third and second,
respectively, on a Shelby Gonzales passed ball before Little scampered home on
a Marks wild pitch for the 1-0 Florida lead.
Carolina battled back though, using a Shelby
Gonzales two-run homer, the eventual game-winner, in the bottom of the fourth
to go ahead of Florida, 2-1, heading to the fifth inning.
The Gators didn’t back down, as Merritt
knocked a leadoff double to center in the fifth and moved to third on a passed
ball for a runner in scoring position with no outs. Marks fanned Tofft and
forced Haeger and senior Kelsey Horton (Valrico, Fla.) to pop up to keep
UF off the scoreboard. Rogers went to work in the bottom of the inning to sit
the side down, including some stellar defensive plays, highlighted by a diving
catch in foul territory for Little in left field.
In the sixth, Florida went three up, three
down in the top half of the inning, while Kristen Struett led off the home half
of the inning with a double, but Rogers successfully retired the side after to
bring up the seventh.
Forida showed fight, working to bases loaded
with just three outs to work with. The Gators first capitalized on a South
Carolina fielding error to put sophomore pinch hitter Jess Damico (Gray
Summit, Mo.) on board before Stewart laid down a bunt single. Two consecutive
outs brought Haeger to the plate and the Gamecocks opted to intentionally walk
UF’s home-run hitter for bases loaded to bring up Horton. Facing a full count,
Horton was called out on a checked swing, stranding three runners on for the
Orange and Blue.
Marks (3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K) picked
up the win in the circle to improve to 8-7 for the Gamecocks, while Rogers (6.0
IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K) shouldered just her fifth loss of the season to move
to 28-5 on the year.
