Florida and Missouri are set for game two series Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 9 Florida softball team dropped the first game of the series, 6-3, to No. 14 Missouri on a windy Friday afternoon at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.
The Gators (34-8, 9-4 SEC) and the Tigers (32-10, 6-7 SEC) battled in the opening game of the series, but a late sixth inning rally by Missouri and a win in relief by Marissa McCann (7-2) was the difference in today’s contest.
Florida opened up the scoring in the top of the first inning of play and took a 1-0 lead over Missouri. Skylar Wallace drew a one-out walk against Tigers starting pitcher
Lauren Krings and then made the most of a passed ball opportunity by advancing into scoring position. Korbe Otis drove Wallace home during the following at-bat on a line drive single down the right field line.
Freshman Ava Brown extended the lead out to 2-0 in the top of the second. The Montgomery, Texas native launched the 2-0 offering from Krings to the top of the center field berm for her ninth home run of the year.
The Tigers bounced back to tie the game, 2-2, in the home half of the second inning. Missouri was able to capitalize on a hit-by-pitch, an infield fielder’s choice and a full-count to load the bases. Lenger scored the first run when she drew the second hit-by-pitch of the inning and Jenna Laird plated the second via a SAC fly in foul territory down the left field line.
UF struck back to retake the lead 3-2 in the top of the third inning. Otis notched her second hit of the game with a leadoff double to center field and was immediately driven home on Walsh’s second hit of the game, which was an RBI single up the middle of the infield.
After a scoreless fourth and fifth inning hurled by starting pitcher Keagan Rothrock (17-6), the Tigers would manage to tie and then take the lead 6-3 in the sixth inning.
The frame was led off by a walk and then followed later by their first hit of the game to put runners on the corners. Rothrock picked up the second out of the inning on a strikeout, but shortly after followed a pair of scoring singles, a walk and an RBI hit-by-pitch to close out the scoring.
The Gators and the Tigers will return to Mizzou Softball Stadium for game two of the series tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
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