Brown Spins One-Hitter; No. 16 Gators Down Dolphins
Ava Brown threw her first complete-game one-hitter in the effort over Jacksonville Tuesday evening.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The No.17 University of Florida softball team downed Jacksonville, 10-0 (6 innings), at the Debbie and Fred Pruitt Softball Complex in the first of a pair of solo midweek contests Tuesday evening.
The Gators (5-1) produced its third one-hitter in just six games as right-handed starting pitcher Ava Brown (3-0) went the distance against the Dolphins (2-3) for the second one-hitter and first complete-game one-hitter of her career. Overall, it is the program’s 88th complete game one hitter.
Brown finished the night with six innings pitched and struck out five while allowing only three walks.
In the top of the first inning, the Orange and Blue offense batted through the lineup to take a 4-0 lead over JU. Junior Kendra Falby started the contest by reaching on an error and Skylar Wallace drew a walk to put runners on first and second with one out.
Sophomore Jocelyn Erickson broke open the scoring in the next at-bat as she ripped a line drive double over the centerfielder’s head to score both Falby and Wallace. After a wild pitch moved Erickson to third, Brown reached via a walk to put runners on the corners. Baylee Goddard drove in Erickson after a JU pitching change on a groundout to shortstop and Reagan Walsh laced an RBI single to score Brown and complete the rally.
After a scoreless second and third inning, the Florida offense struck for three more runs in the top of the fourth inning to extend its lead out to 7-0. Freshman Mia Williams started the rally with a leadoff walk, while Falby and Korbe Otis followed with back-to-back single to load the bases.
Wallace notched the first two RBI of the rally with a single through the left side of the infield that scored Williams and Falby. Erickson quickly capped the scoring with a SAC fly to right field that scored Wallace later on in the frame.
The Gators put the game out of reach in the top of the sixth inning as Walsh blasted her second home run of the year with a blast over the center field wall that stretched the lead out to 10-0.
Florida and Jacksonville’s rematch is set for Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 6 p.m. ET in Gainesville at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Notables:
* The one-hitter thrown by Ava Brown this evening is the third one-hitter of the season and joins Olivia Miller’s perfect game that gives the Gators pitching staff four games with holding opponents to one hit or less.
* Feb. 9 – Oregon State – Ava Brown/Keagan Rothrock – One-Hitter – W, 1-0
* Feb. 10 – Michigan – Keagan Rothrock – One-Hitter – L, 2-1 (10 innings)
* Feb. 11 – Bethune-Cookman – Olivia Miller – Perfect Game – W, 16-0 (5 innings)
* Feb. 13 – at Jacksonville – Ava Brown – One-Hitter – W, 10-0 (6 innings)
* Kendra Falby tallied her fourth multi-hit game of the year going 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored tonight.
* She’s tied for the team lead in multi-hit games with Skylar Wallace.
* Falby is also on a five-game hit-streak.
* Reagan Walsh recorded her first multi-hit performance of the season going a perfect 3-for-3. The Redondo Beach, Calif. native also belted her second home run of the year and tallied a season-high four RBI.
* Erickson produced a season-high three-RBI in tonight’s win over the Dolphins after she went 1-for-3 at the plate with a double.
* Erickson is currently riding a five-game hit-streak.
* Skylar Wallace went 1-for-3 at the plate tonight and scored a season-high three runs. Wallace also produced one RBI and has produced at least one RBI in five of the six games played.
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