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After scoring four fourth-inning runs to cut its deficit to 6-4, LSU center fielder Aliyah Andrews dug into the batter’s box as the tying run. Andrews sent a hard-struck liner to the right side of the infield, but Florida second baseman Hannah Adams made a diving grab to escape the jam.

“We take a lot of pride in defense every single day at practice, so that when we go out on the field, we can just play and let loose and make all the plays,” Adams said. “It’s really great any time we can go out there and make all the plays behind our pitchers’ backs.”

Florida head coach Tim Walton described how Adams has done an excellent job filling the void left by former shortstop and defensive captain Sophia Reynoso. “[Adams] makes me look like a good coach on defense because she does a good job quarterbacking the defense now,” he said. “She’s taken over what Sophia [Reynoso] left behind.”

Following a series-opening victory Friday night, No. 5 Florida defeated No. 13 LSU 7-4 Saturday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium to clinch the three-game series.

The Gators got out to a hot start; they scored four runs in the bottom of the first thanks to a pair of two-run homers. Designated player Kendyl Lindaman hit her fourth home run this season before left fielder Jaimie Hoover cleared the right-center-field wall for her second dinger this year.

“When we hit, we hit,” Walton said. “Everybody was swinging the bat well, I was really pleased.”

The Gators tacked on another run in each of the next two innings to take a commanding 6-0 lead heading into the fourth. Third baseman Charla Echols drove in Hoover on an infield-RBI-single in the bottom of the second before Adams’ RBI-single — one of four singles in the game — scored Hoover in the third.

Walton praised Adams’ consistency as it translates from practices to games. “She’s as steady as you’ll see every day,” he said. “She’s by far one of the best players on this team and in the country,”

Florida southpaw Katie Chronister started in the circle and didn’t yield a baserunner until the ninth batter she faced singled. Chronister ran into trouble, however, in the top of fourth when she gave up four earned runs on a trio of singles, one double and a walk.

Senior right-hander Natalie Lugo came in for relief and delivered 3 2/3 shutout frames including a one-two-three top of the seventh inning that secured her third save this season.

Prior to closing out the last two innings, Florida gained some breathing room in the fifth when catcher Julia Cottrill roped a two-out, RBI double down the left-field line to score the final run of the contest.

Final (R/H/E)

No. 13 LSU: 4 / 8 / 0

No. 5 Florida: 7 / 12 / 0

Pitching Decision

Win: Chronister (6-1)

Loss: Kilponen (5-4)

Save: Lugo (3)

Individual Stats (season totals)

Chronister: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (2.63 ERA; 0.94 WHIP)

Lugo: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (1.67 ERA; 0.99 WHIP)

Adams: 4-4, 2 R, 1 RBI (.477 BA)

Lindaman: 2-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, HR (4) (.351 BA)

Echols: 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB (.410 BA)

Cottrill: 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 2B (.297 BA)

A. Goelz: 0-3 (.236 BA)

Hoover: 1-2, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 1 HR (2), 1 SB (.312 BA)

Longley: 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB (.156 BA)

Lindsey: 1-3, 1 R, 1 SB (.377 BA)

SEC Showdown

The Gators will return to the diamond Sunday at 11 a.m. in search of their second straight conference series sweep.