UF SB: No. 7 Gators to Host No. 22 Knights in Midweek Action

Florida and UCF will take the field against each other Wednesday afternoon for the second time this season.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Wednesday afternoon at 6 p.m., the seventh-ranked Florida softball team will welcome No. 22 UCF to Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium for a single non-conference game that is scheduled to be streamed via SEC Network +.

The Gators (27-5) and the Knights (29-7) met once earlier this season at the UCF Softball Complex in Orlando. The Orange & Blue came away victorious with a 12-11 decision that featured a combined 27 hits and a total of four lead changes.

Offensively, four Florida batters turned in multi-hit games with sophomore Katie Kistler leading the way with a 3-for-3 performance with three runs. Freshman Kendra Falby (2-for-3) and senior Charla Echols (1-for-2) each drove in four RBI each. In the circle, graduate transfer Marissa Mesiemore picked up the win in relief, while fifth year graduate Natalie Lugo secured the save.

The Orange & Blue enters the midweek affair with a 22-1 record against non-conference opponents this season and holds a .371 batting average with eight Gators hitting above .300 in those games. Florida pitching has also excelled against non-conference opponents this year as the staff holds a 1.38 ERA and has limited opposing batters to a .146 average at the plate.

After the conclusion of tomorrow’s game, Florida will reenter SEC play with a trip to No. 17 Auburn for a three-game series this Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. (ET) at Jane B. Moore Field.

Notables:

* Florida holds a 23-7 all-time record against UCF and a 15-3 record when the two teams play at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
* The Gators in the national rankings:
* Batting average (.342 – 9th)
* On base percentage (.424 – 10th)
* Stolen bases per game (2.44 – 6th)
* Stolen bases (78 – 2nd)
* Triples per game (.47 – 4th)
* Triples (15 – 2nd)
* Scoring (6.59 – 16th)
* Shutouts (11 – 8th)
* Fielding percentage (.984 – 2nd)
* Redshirt-junior Skylar Wallace enters the week ranked fourth nationally in stolen bases as she is 28-for-28 on the year with six multi-stolen base games.
* She has tied her career-high twice with three stolen bases this season against Coastal Carolina and No. 15 Tennessee.
* The Woodstock, Ga. native currently ranks fourth all-time at UF in stolen bases during a single-season.
* 1. Kelsey Stewart (36-for-39) – 2013
* Kelsey Stewart (36-for-41) – 2014
* 3. Michelle Moultrie (31-for-34) – 2011
* 4. Skylar Wallace (28-for-28) – 2022
* Wallace also ranks inside the top 10 nationally in: on base percentage (.593 – 6th) and runs per game (1.22 – 7th).
* The Gators are currently the only program in the nation to have four batters with at-least 36 hits on the season.
* Kendra Falby – 42
* Cheyenne Lindsey – 39
* Hannah Adams – 38
* Skylar Wallace – 36
* This season Kendra Falby has been one of the most dynamic freshmen this season and currently ranks nationally among freshmen in:
* Hits (42 – 3rd)
* Batting average (.429 – 4th)
* On base percentage (.509 – 4th)
* Runs per game (1.09 – 1st)
* Stolen bases (22 – 2nd)
* Total bases (60 – 9th)