Florida pounded out 11 hits which include a trio of multi-hit performances by Skylar Wallace, Kendra Falby and Sarah Longley en-route to the win.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 15th-ranked Florida softball team downed North Florida, 6-1, Wednesday evening at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. UF notched its 16th game of the year with 10 or more hits after the offense produced 11 in tonight’s game.
The Gators (29-10) picked up multi-hit performances from Skylar Wallace (2-for-3), Kendra Falby (2-for-2) and Sarah Longley (2-for-3), while five additional batters earned a hit in the victory over the Ospreys (19-19).
After a pair of scoreless innings tossed by Florida right-handed starter Elizabeth Hightower (13-5) and UNF’s Skylar Stockie, UF’s offense broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the 3rd inning to take a 3-0 lead.
The rally began after the Osprey’s elected to replace Stockie in the circle with Halle Arends (0-3). Wallace and Falby struck for back-to-back singles to lead off the frame and advanced to second and third on a one-out wild pitch, which set the stage for Reagan Walsh’s SAC fly down the left field line in foul territory that scored Wallace. Falby scored shortly after on another wild pitch thrown by Arrends and Sam Roe (1-for-2) capped the scoring and plated Pal Egan (1-for-2) with an RBI double in the gap to right center.
The Orange & Blue tacked on another run in the bottom of the 4th inning to stretch its lead out to 4-0 after Longley doubled down the left field line and was brought home on Falby’s SAC fly down the left field line.
Hightower continued to hold UNF scoreless with clean frames in the 4th and 5th innings before being relieved by Lexie Delbrey in the 6th inning of action. Delbrey retired the Ospreys in order to bring the Gators back to the plate, where the lead was then extended out to 6-0 thanks to Wallace’s eighth triple of the year and back-to-back RBI doubles by Bryn Thomas (1-for-1) and Echols.
North Florida closed out the scoring for both teams in the 7th inning after UNF was able to record a leadoff walk and single to left field, which prompted the Gators to bring in Rylee Trlicek in relief of Delbrey.
The Ospreys notched an RBI double in the next at-bat by Logan Jackson, but Trlicek the following three batters via a groundout and a pair of strikeouts to close out the game.
The Gators return to Southeastern Conference play this Friday, Saturday and Sunday with a three-game series against No. 12 Georgia at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Saturday and Sunday’s games are sold out and limited tickets remain for the series opener on Friday.
Notables:
* The Gators notched 11 hits in tonight’s game, which is the 16th time this season that the offense has produced 10 or more hits in a game.
* Skylar Wallace ripped her eighth triple of the season. The mark currently leads the nation and is tied for third most by a Gator in a single-season along with Cheyenne Lindsey who produced eight in 2022.
* Wallace now has 13 career triples wearing the Orange & Blue now is in sole possession of third all-time in Florida history.
* Kelsey Stewart – 29 | 2013-’16
* Kim Waleszonia – 17 | 2006-’09
* Skylar Wallace – 13 | 2021-’23
* Bryn Thomas belted her first official double of her career in the win tonight, which scored Skylar Wallace from third.
* Thomas hit a double in an exhibition game against Team USA off Rachel Garcia in 2020 as a redshirt-freshman.
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