SB: Gators Shut Out Stetson at Home to Record 16th Run-Rule Victory This Year

After dropping its first SEC road series to No. 10 Arkansas last weekend, No. 11 Florida bounced back into the win column Wednesday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium with an 8-0, run-rule win over Stetson.

The Gators improved to 25-7 overall and 15-2 at home.

Florida hopped out to an early 3-0 advantage with a trio of solo home runs in the first two innings. Third baseman Charla Echols and second baseman Reagan Walsh hit back-to-back homers in the bottom of the first before senior outfielder Sarah Longley went yard in the bottom of the second.

In the third, Florida outfielder Pal Egan drove in sophomore outfielder Kendra Falby on a double into left-center. An inning later, shortstop Skylar Wallace hit a two-run bomb — her fifth long ball in 10 games and the redshirt junior’s team-leading ninth home run this season — to extend the lead to 6-0.

In the bottom of the sixth, Florida clinched its 16th run-rule win this year after Falby and Walsh hit a pair of RBI singles.

In the circle, sophomore right-hander Lexie Delbrey made her ninth start this month for Florida and pitched 4 1/3 shutout innings. Delbrey picked up her sixth win this season and boasts a team-low 1.92 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP.

With one out in the top of the fifth, senior southpaw Rylee Trlicek took the rubber in Delbrey’s relief. Trlicek struck out the first three batters she faced before a double play capped off the Texas native’s 17th appearance in the circle this year.

Box Score

Stetson: 0 / 2 / 0

Florida: 8 / 12 / 1

Pitching Decision

Win: Delbrey (6-2)

Loss: Hobbs (7-5)

Individual Stats

RHP Delbrey: 4.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

LHP Trlicek: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

1. SS Wallace: 1-4, 2 RBI, HR (9)
2. CF Falby: 3-4, RBI, 2 SB (17)
3. 3B Echols: 2-4, RBI, HR (8)
4. 2B Walsh: 2-3, 2 RBI, HR (3)
5. RF Egan: 2-3, RBI
6. DP Roe: 0-2
7. LF Longley: 1-3, RBI, HR (5)
8. 1B: A. Goelz: 0-1, BB
9. C Wilkie: 1-2, SB (2)

On Deck

The Gators will play their second straight SEC road series this weekend as they travel to Columbia, South Carolina, to face the Gamecocks. The three-game series will start at 6 p.m. Friday before game two airs on the SEC Network Saturday at noon. Florida is 53-20 all-time against South Carolina and prevailed in 15 of their last 16 matchups.