Florida won five games against four different opponents in less than 48 hours this weekend at KSP Stadium in Gainesville to improve to 10-0.
Following five consecutive run-rule victories to begin the season, the Gators won another three games via five-inning run rules. Florida played all 14 innings Saturday as Bowling Green scored seven runs and UConn maintained a 3-2 lead until the bottom of the seventh.
In the Circle
After yielding zero earned runs across five innings Friday, Florida right-hander Elizabeth Hightower pitched in relief in both games Saturday and earned two additional wins. Hightower boasts a 5-0 record and maintains perfect ERA and a 0.64 WHIP.
Senior southpaw Rylee Trlicek picked up her fourth win Sunday after she allowed only one run to Central Michigan across five innings. In Sunday’s finale, Florida right-hander Lexie Delbrey made the first appearance of her sophomore season and hurled three shutout frames en route to earning her 16th career win.
At the Plate
The Gators produced double-digit hits against every opponent barring UConn. Florida scored a whopping 53 runs in just 29 innings of at-bats.
Leadoff batter Kendra Falby extended her hit streak to 10 games after the sophomore went 8-12 (.667) at the plate this weekend. Falby stole five bases and is only two shy of shortstop Skylar Wallace’s season total (9). Wallace extended her hit streak to seven games, while junior first baseman Avery Goelz is on a nine-game hitting streak. Goelz leads Florida’s starting lineup with five doubles and a .560 batting average. In addition to stolen bases, Wallace leads the team with 28 total bases, 12 walks, and a .694 on-base percentage
Florida third baseman Charla Echols was the difference in Saturday’s 10-7 win against Bowling Green as she drove in a season-high five runs. Sophomore catcher Sam Roe continued her hot start to the season as the Destin, Fla. native recorded an RBI in all five games this weekend in addition to driving in the tying and game-winning runs Saturday against UConn.
No Gators left the yard until Sunday’s 15-1 victory over Central Michigan when Wallace and senior Sarah Longley hit a pair of homers to center in the bottom of the third.
An inning later, freshman infielder Kaila Pollard hit her first career home run to right-center.
In the tournament finale against Delaware State, Florida graduate student Pal Egan hit a two-run shot to cap off back-to-back 15-run outputs.
Game 1 Box Score (F/5)
UConn: 1 / 3 / 1
Florida: 9 / 6 / 1
Game 2 Box Score
Bowling Green: 7 / 12 / 0
Florida: 10 / 13 / 0
Game 3 Box Score
UConn: 3 / 8 / 0
Florida: 4 / 8 / 0
Game 4 Box Score (F/5)
Central Michigan: 1 / 3 / 0
Florida: 15 / 13 / 0
Game 5 Box Score (F/5)
Delaware State: 0 / 3 / 2
Florida: 15 / 12 / 1
On Deck
The Gators will travel to Palm Springs, Calif., to face four west-coast opponents in three days at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. No. 3 Florida will play a doubleheader Thursday night against Cal State Fullerton and No. 2 UCLA. The Orange and Blue will face UC Riverside Friday at 4 p.m. before they take on No. 24 Oregon Saturday at 1 p.m.