A special report on the Florida Gators softball team from the UAA:
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No.1-seed Florida advanced the SEC Softball Tournament Championship with a 7-6 come-from-behind victory over No.4-seed Missouri Friday afternoon at Rhoads Stadium. It’s the 12
thcomeback victory of the season for UF.
The Gators (42-8) initially fell behind 1-0 after the 1
st inning of play, but rallied for five-straight runs to take a 5-1 lead into the final two frames of action. The Tigers (38-15) were able cut the lead down to 5-2 in the 6
th and retook the lead, 6-5, in the 7
th with four more runs.
The Gators defeated Mississippi State 6-2.
No. 1 seed Florida, now (41-8) overall, will advance to the semifinal round of the SEC Softball Tournament at Rhoads Stadium.
https://twitter.com/GatorsSB/status/1392903446655688709?s=20
Mississippi State took a 2-0 lead in the game at the top of the second inning, but the Gators didn’t waste any time to chomp back. After Jackie McKenna’s two-out double down the left-field line, Elizabeth Hightower buckled down and went on to pitch 2.1 scoreless frames.
The score for Mississippi State remained at 2-0 as the Gators began their come-up. Florida’s offense showed out in the bottom half of the 5th inning to take the lead 3-2 when Kendyl Lindaman hit a three-run homer allowing Charla Echols and Emily Wilkie to also score.
An early deficit did not shut down the Gators Softball team against Texas A&M. With the Aggies posting three runs in the first three innings, the Gators trailed by one for much of Friday evening. However, Charla Echols added to her team-leading home run total in the final frame.
A one-out, three-run home run to center field erased the deficit and pushed the Gators to a series-opening victory. Furthermore, the number four Gators improved to 38-8 on the season.
Early Deficit
This Florida team seems to thrive when they score first. Earlier in the season, head coach Tim Walton said that is when his team is at its best. Contrarily, they may struggle when the opposition strikes first.
May 8, 2021
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 4 Florida captured its eighth Southeastern Conference series with a 4-0 victory over Texas A&M Saturday afternoon at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. UF is the only program to have won all eight of its SEC series in 2021.
The Gators (39-8, 18-5 SEC) picked up a complete-game gem from senior right-handed pitcher Natalie Lugo (14-2). Lugo’s complete-game shutout to defeat the Aggies (31-19, 8-15 SEC) was her second against an SEC opponent.
The West Covina, Calif. went the distance for the fourth overall time this season and allowed only four hits and one walk, while she also dealt four strikeouts.