FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 4 Florida softball team put on a power display Saturday in sweeping a Southeastern Conference doubleheader from Arkansas, 9-5 and 12-3, at Bogle Park.
In the opening game, Florida got home runs from Francesca Enea, Megan Bush and Brittany Schutte to rally from a 3-0 first-inning deficit for a 9-5 victory. In the second game, junior second baseman Aja Paculba drove in five runs, four with his first career grand slam, as the Gators beat the Razorbacks 12-3 in five innings.
Florida (29-4, 11-2 SEC East) goes for the sweep Sunday at 2 p.m. against Arkansas (24-15, 8-5 SEC West).
The victory in the opener went to junior right-hander Stephanie Brombacher (20-4), who went 4.1 innings, allowing three runs on five hits with one walk and striking out five. This is the third straight season of 20 victories for Brombacher (20-4), who was relieved by freshman right-hander Ensley Gammel, who recorded her second save of the season by going the final 2.2 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and one walk while fanning one.
Gammel (8-0) picked up the victory in the second game, allowing just two hits and one walk with two strikeouts. She gave way for Erin
Schuppert, who surrendered three unearned runs on one hit and one walk.
Paculba went 3-for-7 on the day with a team-high six runs batted in, three runs scored and a pair of doubles to go with the grand slam home run. She extended her hitting streak to a career-long 13 games, which tied for the second longest ever in Florida history. The two-time All-American has scored 165 career runs, one behind the program leader, Kim Waleszonia.
Gammel went for 2-for-3 at the plate, while senior Enea and freshman Schutte each went 3-for-6. Schutte’s homer was her 10th of the season, tying the catcher for second on Florida’s all-time freshman list. Enea’s homer was her team-leading 15th, while Bush’s homer was her ninth. The three homers in the opener all came off losing pitcher Hope McLemore (12-6). Layne McGurit (7-6) suffered the setback in the second game for the Razorbacks.
The day started well enough for Arkansas, which scored three runs on three hits in the first inning off Brombacher. Jessica Bachkora doubled to lead off the bottom of the first and scored on a two-out single by Courtney Breault. Stephanie Brewer drove home Miranda Dixon and Breault for a 3-0 lead before Brombacher ended the inning with a strikeout.
It remained 3-0 until the fourth inning. Enea started with a leadoff walk and junior Kelsey Bruder moved her along with an infield single up the middle. Schutte homered to left to tie the game at 3-3. Bush then followed on the next pitch with a solo homer to center, the fourth time this season Florida has hit back-to-back home runs.
Senior Corrie Brooks, who has been on a recent hitting tear, kept things going with a single to left. Brooks stole second and moved to third on an infield hit. Paculba then doubled to left center to score Brooks for a 5-3 Florida lead.
After leaving the bases loaded in the fifth inning, Florida made it 9-3 with four runs in the sixth inning. Brittany Walker led off the inning with a double to right and Michelle Moultrie walked on four pitches to set the stage for Enea. On the first pitch she saw, the senior launched the ball over the left-field fence for her 56th career home run (second all-time in the SEC) and bringing her RBI total to 204 (third all-time in the league).
The homer chased McLemore and brought in Kim Jones. Bruder singled off the center-field wall and Schutte reached on an error. Walton then put on a double steal and Bruder scored when Arkansas catcher Jessica Waddle overthrew third base.
Ahead 9-3, Gammel surrendered single runs in the sixth and seventh inning that did no damage.
The Gators wasted little time giving Gammel a comfortable lead, scoring twice in the top of the first inning of the second game. Paculba led off with a four-pitch walk and Moultrie singled to put two runners aboard. An illegal pitch moved both runners up and Bruder plated Paculba with a groundout to second. With Schutte at the plate, Moultrie scored on another illegal pitch by McGuirt.
Gammel gave herself a 3-0 lead when she beat out an infield chopper, stole second and scored on Moultrie’s single to center.
In the fourth, Florida doubled its lead to 6-0, scoring three times on four hits. Brooks doubled to right center and Walker singled her home. Paculba then doubled to score Walker and she moved to third on the throw home. Enea’s single to center drove home Paculba.
In the fifth, a six-run outburst assured the victory. Schutte singled to lead off the inning and Lauren Heil came in as a pinch-runner and stole second before scoring on Bush’s double to left. Bush moved to third on a wild pitch after Brooks had walked. Gammel’s single scored Bush and Walker walked to set the stage for Paculba’s grand slam that made it 12-0.
In the two games, Florida totaled 22 hits while scoring 21 runs. Bruder had three hits and Enea two in the opener. Paculba, Moultrie, Schutte and Gammel had two hits each in the second game.