After dropping the series opener Friday, Florida bounced back with a 7-6 victory at Auburn Saturday.
The Gators jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning after second baseman Hannah Adams doubled home center fielder Kendra Falby — who led off for the first time in five starts — and scored on catcher Emily Wilkie’s two-out single.
Freshman right-hander Lexie Delbrey made her 12th career start for Florida and retired Auburn’s first seven batters before she yielded a walk and a two-run shot in the bottom of the third to tie the game.
The Gators responded with four runs on seven hits in the top of the fourth. Freshman Sam Roe — who started at third base in place of senior Charla Echols — led off with a bunt single before she scored on a Falby single.
Shortstop Skylar Wallace and cleanup hitter Reagan Walsh each hit RBI doubles and right fielder Cheyenne Lindsey capped off the hit parade with an RBI single to give Florida a commanding 6-2 lead.
An inning later, Falby scored the Gators’ final run after the freshman poked an infield single and advanced 180 feet around the bases on Auburn catcher Aspyn Godwin’s costly throwing error.
Florida right-hander Natalie Lugo entered the circle in Delbrey’s relief in the fourth inning and pitched the remainder of the contest en route to earning her seventh win this season.
Lugo cruised through the fourth and fifth innings but gave up four earned runs on three extra-base hits — a double, triple and home run — across the final two frames. With two outs and runners on the corners in the bottom of the seventh, Lugo forced a groundout to secure the one-run win.
Final (R/H/E)
#7 Florida: 7 / 13 / 1
#17 Auburn: 6 / 4 / 2
Pitching Decision
Win: Lugo (7-2)
Loss: Dismukes (2-1)
Individual Stats
RHP Delbrey: 3 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K [2.48/1.11 season ERA/WHIP]
RHP Lugo: 4 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 5 K [1.54/1.00]
- CF Falby: 2-3, 3 R, RBI, BB, 2 SB [.434 season BA]
- SS Wallace: 1-4, RBI, 2B [.418]
- 2B Adams: 3-4, 2 R, RBI, 2 2B [.387]
- DP Walsh: 1-4, R, RBI, 2B, K [.291]
- RF Lindsey: 2-4, RBI, SB [.376]
- C Wilkie: 2-4, RBI [.231]
- LF Kistler: 1-4 [.347]
- 3B Roe: 1-3, R [.304]
- 1B A. Goelz: 0-3, BB [.333]
Next Up
The Gators and Tigers will meet for the rubber match Sunday at 2 p.m.