The two teams will compete in the second game of the series Sunday at 4 p.m. on SEC Network.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 4 Florida kicked off SEC Opening Weekend with a series opening win, 8-4, over Mississippi State during a brisk and windy Saturday afternoon at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
The Gators (22-1, 1-0 SEC) churned out 14 hits against the Bulldogs (15-9, 0-1 SEC) in the initial game of the series and was led by senior Cheyenne Lindsey’s 3-for-4 performance. A total of nine different Orange & Blue batters produced a hit in the effort, which includes multi-hit performances by Lindsey, Hannah Adams (2-for-4), Skylar Wallace (2-for-3) and Avery Goelz (2-for-4).
Senior right-handed pitcher Elizabeth Hightower earned the start in the circle and she contributed 4.0 innings worth of work with four strikeouts, three walks and three runs scored before being relieved by freshman Lexie Delbrey (8-1) in the 5th inning of play. Delbrey blazed her way through the 5th and 6th inning before she was lifted for graduate transfer Marissa Mesiemore with the bases loaded in the 7th inning, which set the table for the Bushnell, Fla. native’s first save of the season.
After two scoreless innings of play, the Bulldogs struck for the first run of the series in the top of the 3rd inning and added two more in 4th frame of action to jump out to a 3-0 lead.
Florida’s responded to close down the lead to 3-2 after Lindsey scored on a wild pitch and freshman Kendra Falby plated Goelz with a shot down the left field line.
The Gators prolific offense hit another gear in the 5th inning as the lineup struck for six runs to take an 8-3 lead. Echols started the rally with her full-count RBI double to right field and Lindsey kept it rolling with her RBI single up the middle on the first pitch.
Early enrollee Sam Roe drove in Lindsey on a fly ball to right field that was affected by the persistent wind and sophomore Katie Kistler pushed across Roe on a double to right center. Wallace capped the scoring with her two RBI single up the middle that scored Kistler and Falby.
The Gators and the Bulldogs return to action Sunday at 4 p.m. with the game set to air on SEC Network.
* Freshman Kendra Falby is currently riding a 15-game hit streak after today’s SEC Opening Weekend series opener against Mississippi State.
* It’s currently the longest hitting streak by a freshman in UF history as the previous longest was held by Kelsey Stewart. Stewart produced a 12-game streak that lasted from April 10 through May 3, 2013.
* Falby’s 15-game hitting streak is tied for the sixth longest streak all-time in UF history.
* She has reached base three or more times in nine games this season, as she also worked two walks to go along with her RBI single.
* Hannah Adams has produced a multi-hit game to open SEC play in three straight seasons.
* The Hoschton, Ga. native went 2-for-4 today against Mississippi State, 2-for-3 against Kentucky (March 12, 2021) and 2-for-4 against Auburn (March 6, 2020).
* Skylar Wallace has driven in two or more runs in three straight games driving a 2 RBI single into center.
* The redshirt-junior reached base three times going 2-for-3 with a walk.
* Cheyenne Lindsey produced her 7th multi-hit game of the season going 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored.
* Avery Goelz has produced three straight multi-hit performances as she went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles.
* Elizabeth Hightower has started in the circle to open SEC play in consecutive seasons for the Gators. The senior tossed 4.0 innings with four strikeouts, three walks and gave up three runs on six hits.
* Florida improved to 42-20 over Mississippi State in the all-time standings after tonight’s game.
* UF improves their record to 22-1 Overall, Florida improves to a 42-26 overall record in SEC Opening Weekend Series.
* For the second time this season, the Gators produced 14 hits. Last time being on Feb. 19, vs. Louisville.
* Overall this season, UF has produced 12 games with 10 or more hits.
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