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Gator Softball Sweeps South Carolina, 7-3, Sunday
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -
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 freshman Katie
Medina (Downey, Calif.) 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.
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