Florida secured the series sweep in run-rule fashion with a five-run sixth inning.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 11th-ranked Florida softball team ended the regular season with a run-rule victory, 11-3 (6 innings), to complete the series sweep of No. 8 Texas A&M early Sunday afternoon at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
The Gators (43-12, 17-7 SEC) earned the run-rule win with a five-run bottom of the sixth inning against the Aggies (39-12, 15-9 SEC). The rally started when Ariel Kowalewski ripped a one-out single to second base, which was then followed by Katie Kistler’s fourth home run of the year as she blistered the 1-2 offering from reliever Emily Leavitt into the trees past the right field fence.
Mia Williams continued the rally with a five-pitch walk and Kendra Falby beat out an infield single to the shortstop to put runners on first and second with UF holding an 8-3 lead. Korbe Otis walked to load the bases to set the stage for Skylar Wallace, but Texas A&M record the force out at home on a fielder’s choice grounder to first. With two outs on the board and the bases loaded, Jocelyn Erickson ended the game with a bases clearing three-RBI double down the right field line.
Freshman Keagan Rothrock (23-5) earned the victory in the circle with her 19th complete-game of the year. The Whiteland, Ind., native limited TAMU to just three runs, two earned, struck out four and forced the Aggies to strand 11 runners on base.
Texas A&M scored the first run of the competition and took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but Florida bounced back to tie and take the lead in the home half of the frame 2-1. A trio of consecutive one out walks drawn by Otis, Wallace and Erickson loaded the bases for Reagan Walsh who lifted a SAC fly to center field to score Otis. However, Aggies’ center fielder Jazmine Hill fired a shot to third base Kennedy Powell to retire Wallace advancing to third, but a misplayed ball on the throw allowed Wallace to race home for the second run of the game.
Wallace added to the Gators lead in the bottom of the third with her 10th home run of the year. The Woodstock, Ga., native sent the 1-0 pitch offered off TAMU starting pitcher Emiley Kennedy (20-10) over the left field wall to score Otis and extended the lead out to 4-1.
Otis added to the lead in the bottom of the fifth via a SAC fly to right field that scored Williams, who reached via a leadoff single through the left side. While Wallace scored Falby on a double to left center, who also reached on a ground-rule double earlier in the frame. The two RBI knocks stretched the UF lead out to 6-1.
The Aggies cut into the Gators lead in the top of the sixth and brought the score to 6-3 with a pair of RBI singles, but Florida’s offense kicked into high-gear in the bottom of the frame for the run-rule win.
Florida secured the second seed in the upcoming Southeastern Conference Tournament and will play Thursday, May 9, at a time yet to be determined.
Notables:
* The weekend sweep of the Aggies was the second SEC series sweep of the season for the Gators as they also swept Kentucky at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
* Florida improved to 17-8 against Top 25 opponents this season and are now 9-3 against teams ranked inside the Top 10 of the USA Softball/ESPN.com Poll.
* Kendra Falby ended the game 2-for-4 at the plate for her team-leading 25th multi-hit game of the year.
* Korbe Otis drew three walks to extend her reached base safely streak out to 13 games.
* Skylar Wallace is now on a four-game hit-streak after going 2-for-3 with a home run and a double.
* The multi-hit game was her 19th of the year.
* Jocelyn Erickson drove in the game-winning with a three-RBI double that ended the game.
* It was her team-leading 21st multi-RBI game of the year.
* She is now riding a six-game hit-streak.
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