No. 8 Florida Ready to Open Southeastern Conference Play Against Missouri
The series between the Gators and Tigers has adjusted to a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. (ET) Friday, March 17, with the series finale still scheduled for Sunday, March 19, at 1 p.m. (ET).
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The eighth-ranked Florida softball team finally opens Southeastern Conference play this weekend against Missouri with a doubleheader set for Friday, March 17, at 3 p.m. (ET), while the series finale is still scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET) at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. All three games of the series with the Tigers will be streamed via SEC Network+.
The schedule was adjusted due to inclement weather that is expected in the area Saturday. Fans with tickets to Saturday’s game will be able to redeem them for general admission seating for Friday’s doubleheader. In addition, due to SEC Baseball policy, a formal request and decision on the scheduling of games two and three of Florida baseball’s series with Alabama cannot be made until Friday morning.
The Gators (20-4) earned their 20th win of the season with an 8-0 (6 inning) run-rule victory over Bucknell, Wednesday, March 15. The Orange & Blue picked up a superb outing from starting pitcher Rylee Trlicek, who hurled three perfect innings, and scored her first career run as a Gator when she pinch-ran out of the flex position for the designated player Olivia Gigante.
The trio of Trlicek, Samantha Bender and Gigante secured the program’s fourth one-hitter of the year.
Florida’s run-rule shutout was the 15th run-rule and 10th shutout of the season. The 15 run-rule victories are tied for 10th most all-time in program history. UF produced single-season record 21 run-rule wins on three separate occasions with marks set in 2009, 2011 and 2016.
Offensively, Florida was consistent at the plate as the team produced 11 hits in the game. Leading the way was Skylar Wallace (2-for-3), Charla Echols (2-for-4) and Olivia Gigante (2-for-4), while Kendra Falby, Reagan Walsh, Sam Roe, Avery Goelz and Katie Kistler each tallied a hit in the game.
Florida holds an all-time 15-5 record against Missouri (18-9, 0-3 SEC) entering this weekend. The Tigers opened up SEC play last weekend and was swept in Columbia by Kentucky, but rebounded with a pair of midweek wins over Illinois.
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