Special report on the Florida Gators softball team:
No. 3-ranked University of Florida softball team concluded a 5-0 week at the Judi Garman Classic with a 9-4 win over Northwestern Saturday, March 4, at Anderson Family Field.
The entire week was much like a homecoming of sorts for the six California natives on the team along with coaches and staff with west coast ties. Fans tailgated and filed into Anderson Family Field for each day and game the Gators played in.
Today, the Gators (20-1) ended their trip to the west coast the same way that it started. With a win. The team produced seven runs on seven hits to defeat the Wildcats (6-11).
Leading the way was junior Aleshia Ocasio who went 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI. Ocasio recorded her first triple of the season on a hard hit ball that hit off the top of the wall in right field.
The scoring for Florida started in the second inning of play when the team produced three runs on one hit. Sophomore Amanda Lorenz ripped a two-RBI single that scored Ocasio and junior Janell Wheaton who both reached earlier in the inning via walks. Senior Justine McLean capitalized to score the Gators third run on an errant throw from Northwestern catcher Sammy Nettling.
Freshman Jordan Roberts pushed Florida’s lead out to 5-0 with a monster two-run home run in the fourth inning. Roberts third home run of the season easily cleared the center field wall and landed on the nearby Cal State Fullerton putting green to score Wheaton. Wheaton reached base in the previous at-bat on a four-pitch walk.
The Wildcats scratched across a run in the fifth inning of play with a bases loaded single up the middle by Sabrina Rabin.
Ocasio scored again for the Gators in the sixth inning after Northwestern second baseman Lily Novak missed on a shot from McLean. The run scored put the Gators back out to a five-run lead, 6-1.
Northwestern capitalized in the bottom of the frame with three runs on timely hitting and a rare Florida miscue defensively. A single by Brooke Marquez plated pinch runner Abbey Boyd and as the ball raced into the outfield it slipped under McLean’s glove to score Netting.
A SAC fly into right field later in the inning plated Northwestern’s final run of the game.
The Gators extended their lead out to three in the top of the seventh on a perfectly executed suicide squeeze by Ocasio. Nicole DeWitt raced down the third base line as Ocasio struck the ball and streaked for first.
Next up for the Gators is SEC Opening Weekend against the Missouri Tigers at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium March 11-13.
Coaches Corner
On the support received from family, friends and fans out in California…
“I just want to say thanks to all of the Gator fans that came out and supported us the past three days. The loud roars and cheers were greatly appreciated for all five of our games. Thanks for making it fun to play out west; you were a huge impact in the games we played. Thank you!”