Tomorrow’s contest will be the first time that Florida and Stetson will play in DeLand since 2006.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 5 Florida softball team will take to the road for a midweek tilt against Stetson at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, at Patricia Wilson Field. The contest will be streamed via ESPN+, with Victor Anderson and Vanessa Bataille on the call.
The Gators (23-2) and the Hatters (10-17) will take the field against each other for the first time since 2014 and for the first time in DeLand, Fla. since 2006. Overall, the Orange & Blue holds the all-time series lead 13-2 and looks to even the record on the road as Stetson holds the advantage 1-2 as the home team.
Florida enters the week after the team took the three-game series over Mississippi State during SEC Opening Weekend in Gainesville. The Gators bested the Bulldogs Saturday afternoon, 8-4, and Monday night, 3-0, for the program’s 10th consecutive SEC regular season series victory.
There were numerous highlights to open SEC play, but senior outfielder Cheyenne Lindsey was the most consistent performer as she batted .600 (6-for-10) over the three-game series with a double and a triple. The triple she belted Sunday against Mississippi State was her fifth of the season, which is considered the most by a Florida senior in a single season. Michelle Moultrie and Amanda Lorenz each hit four triples as seniors in 2012 and 2019.
Additionally, the Gators offense as a unit ranks seventh in the nation in batting average (.363), first in stolen bases (68) and 10th in scoring with an average of 7.36 runs per game.
Elizabeth Hightower (6-0) gathered 11.0 innings in the circle and picked up her 11th career complete-game shutout Monday night. The 2021 NFCA All-American earned her sixth win of the season en route to the series clinching victory.
Florida’s pitching staff ranks 13th nationally in ERA and seventh in the nation in shutouts with 10 on the year so far.
Stetson enters the week after a 1-3 weekend at the Mercer Bears Classic. The Hatters fell twice to Iona, 5-4 and 4-3 (8 innings), but split with the Bears. Stetson lost the first game to Mercer 6-4, but rebounded to win the final game of the weekend 8-6.
Offensively, the Hatters have four batters hitting over .300 with Brianna Clary leading the way with her .311 (28-of-90) average. In the circle, the Stetson pitching staff holds a 4.65 ERA over 184.0 innings with 99 strikeouts compared to 90 walks.
Following the midweek contest with the Hatters, the Gators will continue their road stint with a trip to Texas A&M for a three-game series against the Aggies.
