Skylar Wallace stole her UF record-breaking 37th base of the year and Elizabeth Hightower notched her third complete-game shutout of 2022.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The eighth-ranked Florida softball team edged out USF, 1-0, Wednesday evening at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium behind a record-breaking effort from Skylar Wallace and a complete-game performance in the circle by Elizabeth Hightower.
The Gators (35-9) only needed to scratch across one run of support for Hightower (12-3), a right-handed pitcher from Monticello, Fla., in the win over the Bulls (35-12). The complete-game shutout is Hightower’s third of the season and 13th overall of her career.
The game’s lone run was scored by Wallace in the bottom of the sixth inning of play. The redshirt-junior worked a one out, five-pitch walk from USF ace Georgina Corrick (27-5) to reach base and set herself up for the game-winning run.
After a flyout to left field for the second out of the inning, Wallace bolted for second base and slid in safely for her 37th stolen bag of the year, which set a new benchmark for UF’s single-season record, and then proceeded to pop up on the bag and advance home after the throw to second caromed into the outfield.
With a 1-0 lead in hand, Hightower and the Gators forced the Bulls to leave a pair of runners stranded thanks to freshman Kendra Falby’s highlight reel worthy catch in foul territory out in left field next to the Stacey Nelson Plaza.
Falby’s catch however wasn’t the only highlight worthy play of the night for the Gators defense as Charla Echols made a spectacular diving grab near the third base on-deck circle for the second out of the second inning with runners on first and second base.
Sarah Longley also made a nice grab in foul territory on the first base side of the infield with a Bulls runner at first to end the fourth inning.
Florida returns to Southeastern Conference play this Friday, Saturday and Sunday with a series against No. 7 Arkansas at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. UF is also set to recognize seniors Hannah Adams, Natalie Lugo, Cheyenne Lindsey and Marissa Mesiemore prior to Saturday’s game against the Razorbacks.
Notables:
* The Gators turned in their 13th shutout of the season thanks to Elizabeth Hightower’s complete-game performance in the circle.
* Hightower tossed her third complete-game shutout of the season and 13th of her career.
* The senior allowed only three hits through 7.0 innings and struck out six achieving her 300th career strikeout.
* UF improved to 58-13 in the all-time standings against USF and the Gators are now 29-9 at home.
* Skylar Wallace became the program’s outright record holder for stolen bases in a single season after she swiped her 37th bag of the year in the 6th inning.
* On the stolen base, she would come around to score the only run of the game, as the throw down to second went into center field.
* Kelsey Stewart previously held the record as she stole 36 bases each during the 2013 & 2014 seasons.
* USF’s Georgina Corrick, the nation’s strikeout leader (322), allowed a season-high three walks.
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