Senior left-hander Rylee Trlicek only allowed one hit in four innings of relief to pick up the win, while Charla Echols and Sarah Longley accounted for eight of the 10 RBI in tonight’s game.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The eighth-ranked Florida softball team bounced back to defeated No. 12 Arkansas, 11-4, and tie the series, 1-1, Saturday night at Bogle Park. The series finale is set for 1 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.
The Gators (24-6, 3-2 SEC) and the Razorbacks (23-9, 4-4 SEC) battled in game two of the series and the Orange & Blue prevailed thanks to clutch hitting and strong relief performance in the circle from senior Rylee Trlicek (8-1). Tricek entered the game in the 4th inning and allowed only one hit with no walks and tied her season-high with five strikeouts.
Offensively, Florida cranked out eight hits with three going for extra bases. Charla Echols notched five RBI in the contest with a double and home run, while Sarah Longley blasted her fourth home run of the year. It’s the fourth time this season that Echols has driven in five or more runs in a game.
Echols broke open the scoring in the top of the 1st inning of action and put UF ahead 2-0 early thanks to her seventh home run of the year. The Newnan, Ga. native blistered the offering from UA starting pitcher Robyn Herron over the center field wall to score herself and Reagan Walsh, who drew a one-out walk to reach base.
Arkansas struck back in the home half of the 1st inning to tie the game 2-2 on a two-RBI single with two outs. The Razorbacks put runners on with a leadoff single and a walk before Cylie Halvorson placed a ball down in left field.
The Razorbacks tacked on an additional run in the bottom of the 2nd inning to take their first lead of the game via a bases loaded hit-by-pitch with two outs.
After a scoreless 3rd inning, Florida punched back to retake the lead 5-3 lead in the top of the 4th inning. Freshman Olivia Gigante started the rally with a leadoff single to right field and was pinch-ran for by Bryn Thomas. Sam Roe followed up with a walk and the pair was moved into scoring position via a SAC bunt by Kendra Falby.
With runners on second and third with one out, Longley launched her fourth home run of the year to plate three runs and give UF back the lead.
Arkansas bounced back and closed the lead down 5-4 in the bottom of the 4th inning via an RBI single up the middle.
The Gators extended their lead in the top of the 6th inning with a six-run frame that pushed the score out to 11-4. The rally started with a Sam Roe single to left center field and a defensive miscue by the Razorbacks third baseman that allowed Falby to reach. Emily Wilkie drew a one-out hit-by-pitch to load the bases and turn the lineup back over to the top of the order which then allowed Wallace to draw an RBI walk that scored pinch-runner Avery Goelz.
Walsh was hit in the next at-bat to plate Falby and then Echols opened the flood gates with her bases clearing three-RBI double to the gap in left center field. Echols ended the scoring when she scored a wild pitch.
Notables:
* Florida’s 11 runs scored against Arkansas are the most runs scored against an SEC opponent since defeating Ole Miss, 10-9, April 15, 2022.
* It’s also the largest margin of victory since defeating Texas A&M, 11-3, March 20, 2022.
* Charla Echols hit her seventh home run of the year with a two-run shot in the top of the 1st inning of play and drove in three more with a bases clearing double in the 6th inning.
* Overall, Echols tallied five RBI, which is the fourth time this season she has driven in five or more runs in a game.
* This season the Newnan, Ga. native has 42 total RBI through 30 games played.
* Echols has now reached base safely in 17 consecutive games.
* Sarah Longley hit her fourth home run of the season in the top of the 4th inning against Arkansas. It was a three-run shot to center field that gave UF a 5-3 lead.
* Freshman Olivia Gigante went 2-for-4 tonight for her third multi-hit game of the season.
* Wallace’s bases loaded RBI walk extended her reached base safely streak to 26 games.
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