Lexie Delbrey hurled a one-hitter, while Charla Echols & Pal Egan notched a pair of 3-for-3 performances in the win against the Rebels.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 14th-ranked Florida softball team clinched the series Sunday afternoon, 2-1, with a 12-2 (5 innings) win over Ole Miss in the series finale at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
The Gators (34-16, 10-11 SEC) closed out the series in grand fashion over the Rebels (28-23, 7-14 SEC) as sophomore Lexie Delbrey (7-2) hurled her third complete-game one-hitter of the season and the offense struck for 12 runs on 13 total hits.
Ole Miss only managed to score two runs in the game with both scoring in the top of the 1st inning of play. Tate Whitley, who reached via bunt single in the very first at-bat of the game, scored on a Paige Smith SAC fly, while the Rebels second run scored on a ball that found its way to the backstop.
Despite the early deficit, Florida bounced back to score five runs on three hits in the bottom half of the 1st inning. The charge was led by Pal Egan’s RBI single through the right with no outs and the bases loaded, which was followed up by back-to-back base loaded walks drawn by Sarah Longley and Kaila Pollard. Kendra Falby capped the scoring with her two-RBI single up the middle that scored Longley and Egan.
The Gators improved on their five-run 1st inning with a six-run 3rd inning where the lineup batted around the order once again to push the lead out to 11-2. The Orange & Blue loaded the bases with no outs, which led to Avery Goelz’s two-RBI single to left field that scored Egan and Longley.
Later in the frame Florida produced four-straight RBI singles off the bats of Charla Echols, Reagan Walsh, Emily Wilkie and Egan, who led off the frame with a single.
Florida tacked on an addition run in the top of the 4th inning to close out the scoring and extend the lead out to 12-2. Skylar Wallace notched a two-out single down the left field line, and Echols picked up her second RBI of the game when she scored Wallace from first with a double to the gap in right center field.
The Gators return home for their final regular season home game against No. 4 Florida State Wednesday, May 3, at 6 p.m. on ESPNU.
Notables:
* Florida produced 13 hits in today’s game, which is the 21st time this season the team has recorded 10 or more hits.
* The team also scored 12 runs, which is 16th time this season that the team has scored 10 or more runs.
* Lexie Delbrey hurled her third complete-game one-hitter of the season and it’s the first of the year against an SEC appointment. Overall, it’s the sixth one-hitter of the year for the pitching staff.
* March 5 – UAB – 1 Hit
* March 22 – Stetson – 1 Hit
* April 30 – Ole Miss – 1 Hit
* Charla Echols turned in a 3-for-3 day at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored.
* Echols 17th multi-hit game of the year and 14th multi-RBI game of the year.
* Pal Egan went 3-for-3, which ties her career-high with hits, and also tied her season-high in runs scored.
* Kendra Falby and Reagan Walsh each tallied two hits in the game, which is the 17th multi-hit game for Falby and 12th multi-hit game for Walsh of the year.
* Falby extended her hit-streak out to six games and Walsh extended her hit-streak out to four games.
* Skylar Wallace went 1-for-4 extends her hit-streak out to three games and her reached base streak out to 15 games. She has now reached base safely in 45-of-46 games played this year.
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