No. 10 Gators Split Doubleheader to Conclude 2022 Regular Season
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The tenth-ranked Florida softball team split its doubleheader on the final day of the 2022 regular season as the team fell, 3-2, to FGCU, but rebounded to defeat Mercer, 2-0, Saturday afternoon at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
The Gators late-innings rally against the Eagles (18-33) in the first game of the day fell shy of claiming a doubleheader sweep. Trailing 3-0 heading into the sixth inning of play, Skylar Wallace and Charla Echols produced the Orange & Blue’s first two hits of the game against FGCU pitcher Ally Hulme (11-13) with back-to-back single to right field.
With runners on the corners, Cheyenne Lindsey drove in the first run via a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Wallace from third and closed down the FGCU lead to 3-1.
Florida was poised for yet another comeback victory as the team loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh with a pair of walks and a single. Wallace drove in pinch-runner Christina Wellen to close down the lead to 3-2 on a sacrifice fly to left field.
The Gators carried their momentum from the initial game into the final game of the regular season against Mercer (16-38). Freshman Kendra Falby led off the affair with a single through the right side of the Bears infield and proceeded to steal second before being driven in by Wallace during the following at-bat.
Wallace then created havoc on the bases as she swiped second, but went on to score from there on an errant through by the Bears catcher to extend the lead out to 2-0.
The 2-0 lead is all that senior right-handed pitcher Elizabeth Hightower (14-7) would need as she hurled a complete-game, one-hit shutout over Mercer. The Monticello, Fla. native’s only blemishes were an infield single and a walk in the fourth inning of play.
Florida now will wait to find out its SEC Tournament seed once league play concludes Sunday. UF is set to host the 2022 SEC Softball Tournament for the first time since 2005 from May 10-14 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Notables:
* Florida improved their overall all-time series record to 10-0 against Mercer and 7-2 against Florida Gulf Coast University.
* Today’s shutout victory over Mercer marks the 16th shutout of the season for Florida.
* For the 8th time of the season, the Gators stole three bases in today’s win over Mercer.
* The Gators held Mercer to just one hit in today’s victory. This marks the fourth game of the season the Gators have held their opponent to just one hit.
o Last time being on March 6, versus Georgia State.
* Senior right-hander, Elizabeth Hightower tossed her 9th complete-game shutout the season and the 15th of her career.
o Hightower allowed only one hit through 7.0 innings and struck out three.
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