No. 10 Gators Take Series Opener Over Gamecocks
Florida struck for 11 runs on nine hits and 10 walks to go ahead 1-0 in the series over South Carolina.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 10th-ranked Florida softball program took the initial game of the series over South Carolina, 11-6, Friday evening at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
The Gators (36-9, 11-5 SEC) took the lead in the series over the Gamecocks (29-16, 5-11 SEC) thanks to its explosive offense that scored 11 runs in the first three innings of play. UF batters struck for nine hits and 10 walks and drew three hit-by-pitches in the contest.
UF jumped ahead in the home half of the first inning to take the initial lead in the contest 1-0. Korbe Otis drew a one-out walk off SC starting pitcher Jori Heard (6-2), but was retired after a Skylar Wallace fielder’s choice to third that was whipped up to second base for the second out. Sophomore catcher Jocelyn Erickson in the next at-bat scored Wallace from first when she fired the 2-2 offering down the right field line for an RBI double that scored Wallace.
The Orange & Blue stretched its lead out to 5-0 in the bottom of the second inning over the Gamecocks. Senior Katie Kistler led the charge as she reached on a four-pitch walk and was then moved to third on Ariel Kowalewski’s screeching double down the left field line. Mia Williams drove in Kistler in the next at-bat with an RBI single that dropped down into shallow left field. Otis then produced an RBI single to right center that scored Kowalewski and prompted SC to make a pitching change.
Sage Mardjetko entered the game in relief of Heard in the circle, but allowed Wallace to load the bases on a four-pitch walk and gave up an RBI hit-by-pitch to Jocelyn Erickson and RBI walk to Reagan Walsh before the scoring ended.
The Gamecocks struck back for one run in the top of the third inning to close down the Gators lead to 5-1 after they picked up their first two hits off UF starter Keagan Rothrock. Riley Blampied produced a two-out double and was driven home in the next at-bat by Zoe Laneaux’s RBI single up the middle.
Florida responded in the bottom half of the third inning with a six-run frame that stretched its lead out to 11-1. UF loaded the bases with one out thanks to an SC throwing error and a pair of walks, which set the table for Otis’ bases clearing double to the gap in right center field. South Carolina made another pitching change and brought in Reganne Bennett in relief of Mardjetko, but issued back-to-back hit-by-pitches to Wallace and Erickson to reload the bases.
Walsh then ripped a two-RBI single through the left side that scored Otis and Wallace, while Emily Wilkie, who pinch-ran for Ava Brown earlier in the frame, produced an RBI single to left center that plated Erickson to cap the scoring.
South Carolina attempted to rally and did close down the lead to 11-4 in the top of the fourth inning. The frame started with a hit-by-pitch, which was followed by a two-run home run by Aniyah Black and then back-to-back singles. Florida then went to Mackenzie Wooten (1-0) in relief of Rothrock and the graduate transfer let the infield defense work behind her to limit the damage to just an additional run on a fielder’s choice that scored a runner from third.
SC went on to score two more runs in the top of the sixth inning to further close the lead down to 11-6 on a pair of SAC flies from Laneaux and Jen Cummings.
The Gators return to action for game two of the series against the Gamecocks at 12 p.m. Sunday, April 20, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Notables:
* Mackenzie Wooten earned her first win as a Gator as she pitched two scoreless innings in relief.
* Wooten’s two scoreless innings pitched extended her scoreless inning streak out to 8.1 innings, which is the second longest streak of her career.
* Skylar Wallace stole two bases in tonight’s win and is now 28-for-29 on the season and has 110 career stolen bases, which is just three behind UF’s all-time career leader Kelsey Stewart who stole 113 bases.
* Korbe Otis tied her season-high of four-RBI in tonight’s win over the Gamecocks. She last produced four-RBI in a game against Kentucky (March 22).
* Jocelyn Erickson added to her season RBI total with a pair in tonight’s win. The Phoenix, Ariz., native currently leads the team with 56 RBI on the year.
* Reagan Walsh tallied three RBI tonight and now has 50 RBI on the year. It’s the second time in her career that she has reached 50 RBI during a season.
* 2022 – 50 RBI
* 2023 – 49 RBI
* 2024 – 50 RBI
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