Senior catcher Sarah Longley blasted a career-high two home runs to complete the series sweep over UAB Sunday afternoon.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The eighth-ranked Florida softball team secured the series sweep over UAB with a, 4-1, win Sunday afternoon at Mary Bowers Field. Senior catcher Sarah Longley thrived at the plate going 2-for-3 with a career-high two home runs in the effort.
The Gators (14-3) fell behind for the first time in the series as the Blazers (10-10) took a 1-0 lead in the 2nd inning. UAB starting pitcher Olivia Valbak (3-2) helped her cause with a leadoff double down the left field line and was eventually driven home after a SAC bunt and an RBI single by Lilly Crowe.
However, the 1-0 deficit didn’t last but a moment as the Gators tied the game and eventually retook the lead in the top of the 3rd inning. Longley tied the game 1-1 with a home run to right center field off Valbak and the Gators took the lead shortly after thanks to a Charla Echols RBI single that scored Kendra Falby, who doubled to right center, from second base.
The 2-1 lead was enough for the Gators pitching duo of right-handed starter Elizabeth Hightower and left-handed reliever Rylee Trlicek (5-1). Trlicek relieved Hightower in the bottom of the 4th inning with two runners on and two outs and forced a groundout to end the threat.
Trlicek hurled the remaining 3 1/3 inning and held UAB to just two hits and a walk.
Meanwhile, the Florida offense scored two more runs that ensured the victory in the top of the 7th inning. Longley once again was the catalyst for the rally as she led the frame off with her second solo home run of the game, which was then followed up once again by a double from Falby. This time sophomore Reagan Walsh scored Falby that extended the lead out to 4-1 with a sharply shit RBI single through the left side.
The Gators return to action Wednesday, March 8, at 7 p.m. with a midweek contest against UCF at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Notables:
* Florida has outscored opponents 152-40 on the season.
* Senior Sarah Longley belted a career-high two home runs in the win and tied her career-high with two hits.
* Kendra Falby’s two doubles in today’s game were a career-high for the sophomore.
* Falby is also on a six-game hit-streak and has at least one in 16 of the 17 games played this season.
* Skylar Wallace’s single in the 5th inning extended her career-long hit-streak to 11 games. It’s the longest hit-streak by anyone on the team so far this season.
* Charla Echols drove in her team-leading 24th RBI of the season.
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