Report on the Florida Gators softball team:
BATON ROUGE, La. – Freshman Amanda Lorenz went 3-for-3 with a career-high tying three RBI and freshman Kelly Barnhill picked up her 11th win as No. 1 Florida Gators defeated No. 7 LSU Tigers, 6-2, to sweep its second SEC series of the season. The Gators (33-1/8-1 SEC) swept the Tigers (26-8/3-6 SEC) for the first time since April 3-4, 2010.
In addition, this weekend marked the first time since April 18-19, 2009 that Florida recorded a three-game sweep of the Tigers in Baton Rouge, La. During that series, UF shutout the Tigers in all three games.
This was fourth time in school history that Florida completed a three-game sweep of LSU.
It took the Gators until the ninth inning to score in last night’s game, so Florida flipped that script and got on the board early on Saturday with two runs in the third inning.
After UF stranded a pair of runners in scoring position in the second inning, the Gators didn’t make that mistake twice. With the bases loaded and two out in the third inning, Lorenz recorded a two-run single to left. Seniors Kelsey Stewart and Kirsti Merritt set the table for the rookie, as they recorded a pair of bloop singles to get into scoring position.
Stewart and sophomore Nicole DeWitt led off the fifth inning with a back-to-back singles to place runners on first and second with no one out. Merritt followed with a sacrifice bunt, but instead of just moving the runners up just one base, Stewart scored all the way from second on the play.
With DeWitt on third after the sacrifice, Lorenz drove her in with a sacrifice fly to center field.
LSU answered with a run in the fifth and sixth innings, both unearned. Sandra Simmons accounted for both of the Tigers runs as she led off the fifth with a single, moved to third on a Florida miscue and scored on a fielder’s choice. In the sixth, Simmons recorded a clutch two-out RBI single up the middle.
UF scored the game’s final two runs in the seventh when sophomore Kayli Kvistad roped a two-run single into left.
In the circle, Barnhill (11-0) allowed a two runs (both unearned) on five hits while notching seven strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched. LSU’s Carley Hoover (10-3) shouldered the loss as she tossed four innings and gave up four runs.
Sophomore Aleshia Ocasio relieved the rookie with two on and two out in the bottom of the seventh and retired the second hitter she faced to get out of the jam. For her work out of the bullpen, Ocasio earned the fourth save of her season.
News & Notes
* Florida is now 33-1 on the season, which is the best start in school history. In addition, UF has now opened SEC play with three-straight series victories for the first time since 2013.
o Also, Florida has started 8-1 in SEC play for the first time since 2012, when UF got off to a 10-1 start.
* UF has now outscored its opponents this season, 220-30.
o In 2015, UF had a plus-175 run differential (238-63) through 34 games.
o In 2014, UF had a plus-179 run differential (238-59) through 34 games.
* Florida’s 30 runs allowed through 34 games is tied for the second fewest in school history through this point in any season.
o UF’s 2009 squad allowed 24 tallies through 34 contests and Florida’s last two NCAA Championship teams had allowed 59 (2014) and 63 (2015) runs, respectively.
* The Gators have made just 14 errors this season and currently sport one of the best fielding percentages (.984) and earned run averages in the nation (0.78). For comparison, Florida had committed 26 errors in its first 34 contests last season and had a fielding percentage of .970. UF went on to record a .981 fielding percentage and commit just 33 errors, which were both school records.
* Florida’s senior class is now 206-29, which currently ranks eighth among four-year class records in program history.
o They surpassed UF’s 2008 graduating class this weekend, as that group went 204-75 throughout its four seasons.
o Taylore Fuller, Kirsti Merritt, Aubree Munro, Taylor Schwarz and Kelsey Stewart are trying to catch UF’s 2011 class which boasted a 238-33 mark during their four years.
* Tim Walton is now just 16 wins away from his 600th win at Florida.
o Walton earned his 700th career win on March 12 at Auburn.
* Saturday’s game was broadcast on ESPN2. Florida posted a 15-5 record on national television a season ago and is now 5-1 so far this season.
* The Gators batted .207 on the weekend and its pitching staff compiled a 0.00 earned run average, with 24 strikeouts and 13 walks.
* Amanda Lorenz and Kelsey Stewart paced the Gators offense this weekend they hit a combined .400 (8 for 20) with four RBI and five runs scored.
* In the circle, Aleshia Ocasio led Florida as she went 2-0 with one save 10.0 innings pitched with 10 strikeouts.
* UF did not allow a stolen base on Saturday, remaining the only team in the SEC who has yet to allow more than three stolen bases in 2016.
o Missouri entered this weekend second in the league with nine stolen bases allowed.
* Kelly Barnhill crossed the century mark for strikeouts during her outing on Saturday. Meanwhile, Gourley has already achieved this feat and Ocasio is closing in on it. (Kelly Barnhill – 106, Delanie Gourley – 102, Aleshia Ocasio – 83).
o They are looking to become the second trio in school history to all record 100+ strikeouts in a season.
o UF achieved this feat last season when Lauren Haeger (214), Aleshia Ocasio (155) and Delanie Gourley (105) all reached the century mark.
o Barnhill became the fifth Gator freshman in six years to record 100+ strikeouts.
* Florida’s pitching trio has now combined to allow just 30 runs, while they have totaled 291 strikeouts. Both of those numbers lead the SEC.
* Ocasio ran her scoreless innings streak to 19.0 with 0.1 shutout innings on Saturday. Her season and career long streak is 20 innings.
* Florida recorded its 18th double play of the season in the third inning.
o UF had turned just 10 double plays through 34 contests a season ago.
* Amanda Lorenz recorded a career-high tying three RBI, as she last recorded that mark against Virginia Tech in the opening weekend of the season.
Coaches’ Corner
Head Coach Tim Walton:
On the sweep…
“Our pitching and defense was the difference this weekend. We made some hard defensive plays look really easy, including some great plays up the middle by Kelsey Stewart and Nicole DeWitt. However, to me more than anything we have to give the credit to our pitching staff. All three of them have done a phenomenal job of keeping us in every game.”
On Amanda Lorenz…
“I tried a little different lineup today, just to give Amanda (Lorenz) a little bit of a break. I think she’s been getting everyone’s best shot, which she should, but today she performed really well. She had some important hits in some big spots for us. I thought she responded very well and was exactly what we needed today.”
Series History
* The Gators now hold a 7-3 advantage over the Tigers in the two schools’ last 10 meetings, but LSU holds the all-time series lead, 32-27, including a 15-12 mark in Baton Rouge, La.
* Prior to this weekend, Florida and LSU last met at the Women’s College World Series on May 29, 2015, when the Gators defeated the Tigers, 4-0.
Next Up
Florida will host Alabama in a three-game series next weekend. The action begins Friday at 6:00 p.m. ET. Live streaming will be available to subscribers on SEC Network+ via WatchESPN. In addition, Friday’s game can be heard on Florida Sports Talk (WGGG-AM & WMOP-AM/FM). Live stats links for each contest over the weekend can be found on the Gators’ schedule page.