After being swept by No. 7 Arkansas last weekend, No. 9 Florida bounced back at home Wednesday with a 5-0 shutout victory over in-state foe Stetson. The Gators improve to 36-12 overall and 18-10 at home this season.
After two scoreless innings, Florida second baseman Skylar Wallace led off the bottom of the third with a walk before the redshirt junior stole her 41st base this year — first in the SEC and third in the nation.
The next batter, right fielder Cheyenne Lindsey, laid down a bunt that led to an errant Stetson throw and allowed Wallace to score from second base. Third baseman Charla Echols extended Florida’s lead after she drove home Lindsey on a first-pitch double down the line.
The Gators tacked on an insurance run in each of the next three innings to take a commanding 5-0 advantage into the top of the seventh.
Florida right-hander Lexie Delbrey started in the circle and was perfect through five innings barring a pair of infield singles and a hit-by-pitch. Junior southpaw Rylee Trlicek came in for relief in the top of the sixth and delivered back-to-back strikeouts to retire the side. In the seventh, senior right-hander Elizabeth Hightower struck out the side to clinch the shutout win.
Final (R/H/E)
Stetson: 0 / 2 / 3
#9 Florida: 5 / 10 / 1
Pitching Decision
Win: Delbrey (11-2)
Loss: Klein (8-8)
Individual Stats
RHP Delbrey: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
LHP Trlicek: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Hightower: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
- 2B Wallace: 0-3, R, RBI, BB, K, SB (41)
- RF Lindsey: 2-4, R, K, SB
- 3B Echols: 2-3, RBI
- DP Walsh: 1-2, RBI
- C Roe: 1-3
- LF Kistler: 1-2, R, HBP
- SS K. Goelz: 0-3
- 1B A. Goelz: 1-2
- CF Falby: 2-3, R, SB
Trip to the Bayou
The Gators will head to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this weekend to take on No. 19 LSU. The series opener is scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m.