Miller Achieves Perfection; No. 17 Gators Sweep Wildcats & Bulls
Freshman left-handed pitcher hurled a perfect game against Bethune-Cookman and the Gators closed out opening weekend with a win over USF.
TAMPA, Fla. – The University of Florida softball team picked up a pair of wins over Bethune-Cookman, 16-0 (5), and USF, 12-3, Sunday afternoon to close out the USF-Rawlings Invitational at the USF Softball Stadium.
The Gators (4-1) freshman left-handed pitcher Olivia Miller turned in a historic performance from the circle in the first game against the Wildcats (1-4) as he became the first freshman to throw a perfect game in UF history. The Orlando, Fla. native faced the minimum 15 batters and threw only 50 pitches thanks to superb defense in addition to striking out five batters.
Miller received all the help she needed from the Orange & Blue offense as UF jumped out to an early 2-0 lead via back-to-back-to-back singles from the top of the lineup in the first inning. Kendra Falby led off the game with a single, proceeded to steal second base, and was driven in on Korbe Otis’ RBI single up the middle.
Skylar Wallace drove in Otis in the following at-bat with an RBI single of her own through the right side of the Bethune-Cookman infield.
The Gators extended the lead out to 5-0 over the Wildcats in the top of the second inning. Freshman Mia Williams drew a four-pitch one-out walk, stole second and was driven home via Falby infield single to the shortstop. Falby stole her second base of the game to move into scoring position and Otis notched her second RBI of the game on a single through the left side of the infield.
Wallace moved Otis to third on an infield single and the duo executed a double steal to cap the scoring in the frame.
In the top of the third UF pushed its lead out to 8-0 over the Wildcats via a series of walks drawn by Reagan Walsh, Ariel Kowalewski and Cassidy McLellan and a pair of Bethune-Cookman errors. McLellan scored Walsh via a bases loaded RBI walk and an infield mistake allowed Avery Goelz and Kowalewski to score later in the frame.
UF’s offense continued to press ahead in the top of the fourth inning another string of hits stretched the lead out to 16-0 over Bethune-Cookman. The Orange & Blue batted around the lineup and produced eight runs on nine hits and a pair of walks to close out the scoring.
After the all-around performance from the offense, defense and pitch, the Gators turned around to take on the host USF (3-2). The offense continued to stay hot as the offense took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on Jocelyn Erickson’s SAC fly to center field that scored Otis from third and Kowalewski’s RBI single up the middle that plated Wallace from second.
Florida added to its lead in the top of the second inning after Katie Kistler led the inning off with a hit-by-pitch, which was followed by Goelz’s double through the right side to put runners on second and third for Falby. Falby, an Odessa, Fla. native, came through with a two-RBI triple to the gap in left center that gave the Gators a 4-0 lead over the Bulls.
The Bulls broke onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning with an unearned run, but Ava Brown and the Gators responded in the top of the fifth inning as the Montgomery, Texas native smashed her first collegiate home run over the left center field fence to give UF a 6-1 lead. Kistler stretched the lead out to 7-1 later in the frame as she raced home from third after a throw down to second on a ball four pitch opened the door for her to score.
Baylee Goddard pushed the lead out to 9-1 in the top of the sixth inning with a two-run laser over the left field wall that scored Kistler, who reached on a single earlier in the frame.
USF responded in similar fashion in the bottom of the sixth inning as Bailey Drapola hit a solo home run to left center field to close down the UF lead to 9-2. Wallace joined the home run festivities in the top of the seventh inning when she lifted the offering to the left field camera tower for a two-run home run that gave UF a 11-2 lead and Cassidy McLellan stretched it out to 12-2 with her RBI single through the right side.
The Bulls struck for one more run in the bottom of the seventh inning to close down the lead to 12-3, but right-handed freshman pitcher Keagan Rothrock (1-1) closed out the contest for her second career complete game.
Rothrock finished the day with seven strikeouts and only allowed one walk and seven hits.
Next up for the Gators is a midweek trip to Jacksonville this Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 6 p.m. ET.
Notables:
* Freshman Olivia Miller became the first freshman in program history to throw a perfect game as she faced the minimum 15 batters in the five-inning game.
* Today was also Miller’s first career start and her perfect game being just the eighth overall in program history and the first since Kelly Barnhill against Georgia Southern in a five-inning victory Feb. 25, 2018.
* The Gators 16-0 victory over Bethune-Cookman is tied for the 15th largest margin of victory in program history.
* Avery Goelz picked up her first multi-hit game of the season going 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored against Bethune-Cookman.
* Ava Brown blasted the first collegiate home run of her career with a two-run shot over the wall in left center field that gave UF a 6-1 lead over USF in the top of the fifth inning.
* Kendra Falby went 7-for-10 in the two games today between Bethune-Cookman (3-for-5) and USF (2-for-5) with three RBI and three runs scored.
* Skylar Wallace went 4-for-6 today with three RBI and two runs scored. She also belted her second home run of the season in the win over USF.
* Katie Kistler went 3-for-4 in the two games with three runs scored and an RBI.
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