Florida and Alabama will close out the series Monday at 7 p.m. on SEC Network.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The seventh-ranked Florida softball program took fifth-ranked Alabama extra-innings but dropped the second game of the series 2-1 (9 innings) Sunday afternoon at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
The Gators (30-9, 7-7 SEC) battled in a pitcher’s duel with the Crimson Tide (33-5, 10-4 SEC) with freshman Lexie Delbrey getting the start in the circle for the Orange & Blue and Lexi Kilfoyl (8-2) for UA.
The right-handed Delbrey hurled 5.2 innings of no-hit action before Alabama finally broke through with a pair of extra-base hits in the 6th inning of play. Ashley Prange picked up a two-out triple just past the outstretched glove of center fielder Kendra Falby that banged off the center field wall.
Ally Shipman was issued a four-pitch walk in the following at-bat, which set the table for Bailey Dowling’s double to left center. Prange scored easily on the play to give the Crimson Tide a 1-0 lead, but an outstanding relay throw from left fielder Katie Kistler to shortstop Skylar Wallace and the relay from Wallace to catcher Sam Roe cut down Shipman at home.
Wallace came up big for the Gators in the home half of the 6th inning to tie the game 1-1. The Woodstock, Ga. native blasted the 2-2 offering from Kilfoyl over the center field wall for her fifth home run of the season.
Fifth year graduate Natalie Lugo (7-4) entered in relief in the following frame and registered 2.0 scoreless innings, but a leadoff home run from Dowling in the top of the 8th inning gave Alabama a 2-1 lead over the Gators.
With a 2-1 lead going to the bottom of the 9th inning, Alabama elected to bring in Montana Fouts to close out the final inning of play. The Gators picked up a leadoff single from Hannah Adams and Wallace blistered a line drive down the third base line that would have potentially plated the speedy Adams, but a nice play by Prange at third base foiled the effort. Fouts went on to induce a strikeout and a groundout to spoil the comeback bid.
Florida and Alabama are set to close the series Monday night at 7 p.m. on the SEC Network.
Notables:
* Lexie Delbrey tossed her longest outing of SEC play with 6.0 innings and surrendered only two hits and one run in the start.
* The freshman threw 5.2 hitless innings to start the game and it marks the second time this season she has started a game with at least 5.0 no-hit innings.
* Delbrey hurled 6.2 hitless innings to start the game against Michigan (Feb. 12).
* Skylar Wallace sent a solo shot to center field in the 6th inning tying the game 1-1 for her fifth home run of the season.
* The home run extends her hitting streak to six games and is her 15th extra-base hit.
* Wallace worked her 30th walk in the 1st inning to stretch her base streak to eight games.
* Katie Kistler improved her base streak to five games by hitting a single up the middle in the 3rd inning.
* The Orange Park, Fla. native proceeded to steal her ninth base of the season.
* The sophomore set a new single-game best with two outfield assists.
* Sam Roe collected her second consecutive multi-hit game going 2-for-4 with a bunt single and a single through the left side.
* The freshman has three multi-hit games and tied her single-game best of two hits.
* Hannah Adams extended her base streak to seven games by walking in the 3rd inning.
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