Special report on the Florida Gators softball team:
TAMPA – The No. 7 Florida softball team swept Saturday’s doubleheader against USF, 6-3 & 15-0, behind an explosive offense led by junior Charla Echols. Echols finished the afternoon 6-for-6 with six RBI, a double, a triple, a home run and four runs scored.
The Gators (2-0) also received solid pitching performances from Katie Chronister (1-0) and Elizabeth Hightower (1-0). Chronister came in relief of Natalie Lugo in the 4th inning of the first game of the day and shut down the USF offense, while Hightower struck out seven and held the Bulls to just one hit in 4.0 innings of work.
Offensively, the Gators pounded out 24 hits through the two games which included six doubles, a triple and two home runs. UF batters also drew eight walks and four hit-by-pitches in the effort.
Game One | Gators 6, USF 3
The Gators wasted no time to put pressure on the Bulls in the first game as Florida immediately loaded the bases with one out in the top of the 1st inning of play. Jordan Matthews capitalized on the opportunity she was presented with and drove a double to right-center field to score Hannah Adams and Charla Echols.
Jaimie Hoover reloaded the bases after Matthews’ double when she was hit on an inside pitch thrown by USF starting pitcher Georgina Corrick. Baylee Goddard extended the lead in the following at-bat with an RBI single to shallow left field to score Cottrill from third.
The Bulls closed down the Gators lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Brooke Hartman and Kyndall Williams tallied back-to-back doubles to start the home half of the inning and give USF its first run of the game.
In the bottom of the following frame, Hartman tied the game 3-3 for USF via a two-run home run with two outs in the third.
A pitcher’s duel ensued in the 4th, 5th and 6thinnings between Gators hurlers Natalie Lugo and Katie Chronister, along with USF’s ace Georgina Corrick.
Echols finally broke the 3-3 tie in the top of the 7th inning with her two-RBI double off the outstretched glove of the Bulls center fielder. Cottrill tacked on the final run with her RBI single to close out the scoring 6-3.
Chronister (1-0) earned the win the circle as she pitched 3.1 innings and didn’t relinquish a single hit.
Game Two | Gators 15, USF 0
The second game of the afternoon started out much like the first, but instead of free bases in the form of walks or hit batters, the Gators produced back-to-back doubles from Adams and Lindaman which was then followed by a two-RBI triple from Echols to give UF an early 2-0 lead.
Echols scored later on in the frame via a wild pitch from USF starter Brittany Hook (0-1) to push the lead out to 3-0.
Florida went on to continue to blister the USF pitching staff and scored four runs in the 2nd, three in the 3rd, three in the 4th and two in the final 5th frame to bring the score to 15-0 on 14 hits.
Leading the way again was Echols who finished 3-for-3 in the game with an RBI triple and a three-run home run in the 2nd. Adams (2-for-4), Lindaman (2-for-4) and freshman Avery Goelz(2-for-4) also tallied multi-hit games, while Lindsey belted the games only other home run with a solo shot to right center and drew three walks.
In the circle, starting pitcher Elizabeth Hightower(1-0) turned in a solid 4.0 innings of work where she limited the Bulls to a lone hit and struck out seven. Rylee Trlicek came in to close out the game in the 5th inning and retired the side in order.
Next Up
The Gators and the Bulls are scheduled to close out the three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET) on ESPN+.