(SB) Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

Yep - Gators improve to 32-9, 9-6 in the SEC> they got 10 hits on the night, Skylar Wallace getting 3, Echols< Kistler and Falby 2 each. 3 girls got 2-run doubles - Echols, Falby & Wallace. Hightower cruised through 5 innings, but gave up 4 in the 6th. If anyone sees when the SEC makes a decision about a doubleheader Friday, please post it. Thanks.

 

Goelz/Longley at first base is a liability for sure. Sam Roe is taking over the job behind the plate, but she still has to improve defensively. Too bad Julia Cottrill transferred.

 

Florida and Ole Miss will play a doubleheader Friday, the first game starting at 2 pm.

 

Floridagators.com indicates both games on SEC+.

 

I think Coach Walton was asked about Adams and Echols a few games back and said something to the effect that they are professionals who love the game and work hard every day. They've earned his trust and teammates look up to them. Falby is a newby and still earning respect. Adams ain't going nowhere in the lineup IMO. I agree, though, that Hannah has not been delivering clutch hits like she has consistently over her career. Echols seems to be coming around and if both get back to their historic form, watch out.

 

UF softball won the 1st game of their Friday doublheader at Ole Miss 7-3 in a game in which the Gators were outhit 9-8, but 4 Rebel errors and timely hitting gave Florida the win. UF started the game with back-to-back doubles from Skylar Wallace & Hannah Adams, a 1 out single by Reagan Walsh and a ground out RBI from Cheyenne Lindsey. In the bottom of the inning Lexie Delbrey walked the first 2 batters on 9 pitches and had a 2-1 count on the 3rd batter when she was relieved by Haley Pittman. Pittman threw 4.1 innings and was excellent, getting her 2nd win of the season. In the 2nd, Charla Echols had a 2-run single to put the Gators up 4-0, where the game stayed until the bottom of the 5th. Pittman tired and gave up two 1-out singles and was relieved by Rylee Trlicek, who only got 1 out while giving up 2 singles and a double, with 3 runs scoring, 2 charged to Pittman. Natalie Lugo came in to get a strike out to end the inning. Hannah Adams hurt her hand in the inning and was replaced by Sarah Longley, who played SS, with Wallace moving to 2nd. In the top of the 6th, Longley got a 2-out RBI double to put the Gators up 5-3, then in the 7th, 2 Ole Miss errors and a 2-run single from Katie Kistler pushed the lead to 7-3. Lugo picked up her 3rd save by going the final 2.1 innings, giving up 3 hits and a walk. The Gators move to 33-9, 10-7 in the SEC. Game 2 starts around 5:20 pm on SEC+.

 

Adams out of game 2 lineup with a hand injury. Sam Roe playing 2nd, Wallace at 1st, Longley at SS, Wilkie catching, Walsh DP. Delbrey gets the start, gets through the 1st inning, then walks the first 2 batters in the 2nd and is replaced by Mesiemore. Game tied 5-5 after 3 innings. Hightower came in to get the last out in the 3rd after Ole Miss got two 2-run home runs.

 

Gator softball completed their sweep at Ole Miss tonight in a wild game that included a long rain delay in the top of the 6th inning. Lexie Delbrey started again for Florida and got through the 1st inning unscathed. But in the bottom of the 2nd she walked the first 2 batters and was relived by Marissa Mesiemore. Ole Miss got 1 run on a throwing error by Skylar Wallace, who started at first base, but Mesiemore worked out the jam with no more damage. Florida got 5 runs in the top of the 3rd on RBI's from Reagan Walsh, Cheyenne Lindsey, a 2-run single from Katie Kistler and and RBI single from Sarah Longley, who played SS. But Ole Miss tied the game in the bottom of the inning on two 2-run HR's, with Hightower coming in to get the final out of the inning. UF took a 7-5 lead in the top of the 4th on a walk to Wallace, a stolen base and throwing error, then a sac foul out from Echols that Wallace scored on. Walsh then reached on an error and Lindsey tripled home pinch runner Avery Goelz. Ole Miss tied the game in the bottom of the 5th on 2 solo home runs. After the weather delay Hightower walked the leadoff batter in the bottom of the 6th, hit the next batter and was relieved by Natalie Lugo, who got 3 straight outs. In the top of the 7th Emily Wilkie hit a 2 out 3 run HR to give the Gators a 10-7 lead. In the bottom of the inning Lugo gave up a single and HR (Ole Miss' 5th of the game), got 2 outs, gave up a single and got the final out of the game to preserve the 10-9 win. Gators go to 34-9, 11-7 in the SEC. It's incredible that the best pitching performance of the series was the 4.1 innings thrown by Haley Pittman. The Gators scored 24 runs in 3 games, but gave up 16 runs. Hightower nor Lugo were sharp and Delbrey started 2 games and only recorded 1 out in one game and 3 outs in the next. Hannah Adams hurt her hand in the middle game and was lost for the rest of the series. And yet they managed to sweep an SEC series on the road. Lots of question and plenty of room for improvement, but overall a pretty impressive performance in just getting the W's. Next up is a home game Wednesday night vs. USF and then Arkansas comes to town for a huge series Friday, Saturday & Sunday.

 

The Arkansas series is huge. They are leading the SEC with probably the most complete team in the SEC. Taking 2 of 3 from them would be a major deal, IMO.

 

Have no idea. An Ole Miss runner popped up after sliding into 2nd base and Hannah's throwing hand hit her helmet after she released the ball. She seemed to be in quite a bit of pain but I haven't read anything about X-rays or seriousness.