PALM SPRINGS, CA — As long as Stephanie Brombacher keeps hurling shutouts, the Florida Gators are going to keep winning.
Brombacher, a sophomore right-hander from Pembroke Pines, Fla., gained her sixth victory of the year by throwing her sixth shutout of the year as No. 2 Florida beat No. 17 Nevada, 5-0, on the second day of the Cathedral City Classic.
The victory was the ninth straight for coach Tim Walton’s Gators (11-1) who came right back to play Washington Friday night.
Brombacher, now 26-0 lifetime, scattered eight Nevada hits — the most she has allowed in an outing this season — and one walk while recording seven strikeouts. Katie Holverson (4-3) suffered the loss for the Wolfpack (7-3).
The Florida hitting attack was led by sophomores Kelsey Bruder and Aja Paculba, a pair of Californians who combined for three RBI. Bruder, who is from Corona, went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI and a run scored. Paculba, Florida’s leadoff hitter from Wildomar, was 2-for-4 with an RBI and one run scored.
The Gators took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second. Junior Corrie Brooks walked and moved to second on a single by Bruder. Sophomore Kristine Priebe then sacrificed Brooks and Bruder to third and second, respectively, and sophomore Megan Bush walked to load the bases.
Paculba delivered a two-our single, scoring Brooks, and a throwing error on the play allowed Bruder to score.
In the third inning, senior Ali Gardiner doubled off the fence in center field and junior Francesca Enea walked. Walton sent in pinch-runners Lauren Heil and Brooke Johnson. Nevada made a pitching change, bringing in Mallary Darby. Brooks grounded back to her to move the runners up and Bruder followed with a two-run single and a 4-0 Florida lead.
Florida’s final run came in the fourth inning when Paculba singled, stole second and then scored on senior Kim Waleszonia’s triple. It was her fourth triple of the season in 12 games, one off her season record of five. It also was the 17th triple of her career.
Nevada had the bases loaded in the second against Brombacher, who managed to get a fly out to Paculba at second base. After two singles in the fifth, Brombacher got two groundouts to end that threat.