With two outs and a runner aboard in the top of the second inning, Florida right fielder Baylee Goddard showed bunt but quickly pulled back and unleashed her power on a full-count pitch. The sophomore found her sweet spot and sent a moon shot down the left-field line.
Georgia left fielder Sydney Chambley tracked the towering fly ball to the warning track near the foul pole where she leaped to rob the ball but failed. The ball barely cleared the wall in fair territory for Goddard’s first homer this season as the Gators took an early 2-0 lead.
But a two-run Bulldogs home run erased Florida’s advantage before designated player Sara Mosley poked a solo shot in the bottom of the fourth to grant Georgia its first lead. The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the fifth inning for right-hander Mary Wilson Avant, who held the Gators hitless barring Goddard’s dinger en route to a 4-2 win.
Following a non-conference victory in Jacksonville Wednesday, No. 5 Florida dropped its nationally televised series opener to No. 20 Georgia Saturday night.
Avant earned her 12th win this season, which matches Hightower and ranks No. 3 in the SEC. After striking out the side in first inning and retiring the first six batters she faced, Hightower surrendered a season-high four earned runs on five hits and two walks.
Florida went 1-22 (.045) at the plate, marking the team’s worst batting average in a single game this year. After she drew a leadoff hit-by-pitch, second baseman Hannah Adams grounded out twice to snap her career-long 13-game hit streak.
Final (R/H/E)
No. 5 Florida : 2 / 1 / 1
No. 20 Georgia : 4 / 5 / 1
Pitching Decision
Win: Avant (12-2)
Loss: Hightower (12-2)
Individual Stats (season totals)
Hightower: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (1.33 ERA; 0.73 WHIP)
Trlicek: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K (0.49 ERA; 1.12 WHIP)
Adams: 0-2, 1 HBP (.462 BA)
Lindaman: 0-2, 1 BB (.325 BA)
Echols: 0-2, 1 BB (.365 BA)
Cottrill: 0-3, 1 R (.284 BA)
Wilkie: 0-3 (.250 BA)
Hoover: 0-2, 1 BB (.290 BA)
Goddard: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, HR (1) (.185 BA)
Longley: 0-2 (.147 BA)
Lindsey: 0-2 (.381 BA)
SEC Rivalry Weekend
The Gators will look to even the series Sunday at 3 p.m. on the SEC Network.
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