Special report on the Florida Gators softball team:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 4 Florida overpowered Coastal Carolina, 17-1, & Georgia State, 8-0, in a pair of five-inning, run-rule victories to close out the Bubly Invitational at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium Sunday afternoon.
The Gators (21-1) offense churned out 15 hits in game one against the Chanticleers (9-9) and 11 hits in game two against the Panthers (7-11). Redshirt-junior Skylar Wallace led the way with six total RBI thanks in large part to a pair of home runs, with one being of the inside the park variety.
Overall as a team, Florida’s offense hit .500 (26-of-52) over the doubleheader with 25 runs scored, four doubles, three home runs and four stolen bases.
In the circle, the Orange & Blue picked up quality starts from Elizabeth Hightower (5-0) and Lexie Delbrey (7-1). Hightower pitched 4.0 innings in the start against the Chanticleers and gave up only a pair of hits and one run before she was relieved by Marissa Mesiemore in the circle.
Against the Panthers, Delbrey turned in the second complete-game, one-hit performance of her career. The Bainbridge, Ga. native struck out seven over 5.0 innings worth of work and allowed only three walks to the addition of the one hit.
In the game against Coastal Carolina, Florida burst onto the scoreboard in the 1st inning of action as Wallace ripped a shot off the center field wall for an inside the park home run that scored Kendra Falby and Hannah Adams.
UF continued to roll as three more runs would cross home plate thanks to pressure put on the defense by a Cheyenne Lindsey bunt single that turned into a throwing error, which allowed Charla Echols to score. Avery Goelz closed out the scoring in the frame to give the Orange & Blue a 6-1 lead with her two-RBI single to center field that scored Lindsey and Reagan Walsh.
The Gators tacked on a run in the bottom of the 2nd inning to extend the lead out to 7-1 via an RBI double to left field. Wallace scored on the play after she drew a one-out, five-pitch, walk. The team struck for an additional run in the 3rd inning when Avery Goelz scored from second base on Falby’s strikeout wild pitch.
The big inning came in the fourth as UF scored nine runs, the most in any inning so far this season, on seven hits, three walks and one Coastal Carolina miscue. With the lead stretched to 17-1, Mesiemore closed out the game in the top of the 5th with fly out and a pair of popups.
Florida turned the page after the first win of the day and finished the Bubly Invitational with a strong showing against the Panthers.
The Gators offense exploded once more with a seven-run bottom of the 2nd inning. Sam Roe plated the first run of the game via a sacrifice fly that scored Lindsey, which was then followed by RBI singles from Katie Kistler and Falby. Adams then doubled to left center to left center to extend the lead out to 4-0 and set the stage yet again for Wallace.
Wallace went on to drill her second home run of the day. However, the Woodstock, Ga. native sent this one over the center field wall instead of off of it for a two-run shot. The Gators scored once more via an error by the Georgia State center fielder to extend the lead out to 7-0.
Roe went on to complete the run-rule victory with a game-ending home run to left field. The early enrollee blistered a 2-0 pitch over the left field wall to close out the weekend.
The Gators will now rest, recover and prepare for SEC Opening Weekend that is slated this Saturday, Sunday and Monday against Mississippi State. The three-game series will be held at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium and all three games are set to be broadcast on SEC Network.
Notables:
* Kendra Falby achieved the all-time longest hit streak by a Gators freshman in Florida softball history with 14 games.
* The Odessa, Fla. native laid down a bunt single in the first inning against Coastal Carolina in game one to break the record and singled against Georgia State in game two to extend the streak to 14.
* Skylar Wallace extended her base streak to 13 games with an inside-the-park home run in the first inning against Coastal Carolina and a home run in the second inning against Georgia State.
* The redshirt-junior went for a combined 3-for-5 with two walks, four runs scored and six RBI on the day.
* Avery Goelz tied her single game career-highs with three hits and three RBI in game one against Coastal Carolina.
* She finished the afternoon a combined 5-for-7 with three runs scored.
* Cali Decker collected her first career extra-base hit with a double in the 4th inning of game one against Coastal Carolina.
* Sam Roe ended game two against Georgia State with her second-career home run with a blast over the left field wall.
* The Gators scored a season-high 17 runs today against Coastal Carolina. The 16-run differential is the largest margin of victory for the Gators this season. The last time the Gators won by 16 runs was April 4, 2021 against Georgia (17-1).
* This was the ninth time in program history where the Gators won a game by 16 runs.
* April 4, 2021- vs. Georgia – +16 – W, 17-1
* April 18, 2018 – vs. Florida A&M – +16 – W, 19-3
* April 22, 2016 – vs. Mississippi State – +16 – W, 16-0
* April 23, 2014 – vs. USF – +16 – W, 17- 1
* March 2, 2014 – vs. Maryland – +16 – W, 16-0
* March 4, 2012 – vs. Eastern Michigan – +16 – W, 16-0
* February 11, 2011 – vs. Marshall – +16 – W, 17- 1
* March 7, 2000 – vs. Sienna – +16 – W, 16-0
* Overall, the Gators combined for 25 runs and 26 hits through both games.
* The last time the Gators scored 25 runs on 26 hits in a doubleheader was Feb. 16, 2019 vs. San Diego (12 runs, 15 hits) and Utah State (13 runs and 11 hits).