Special report on the Florida Gators softball team:
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – No. 8 Florida routed UAB in game two of the series, 10-0 (6 innings), for its 10th run-rule victory of the season. UF belted four home runs in the effort and was led by Charla Echols at the plate, while Lexie Delbrey hurled a complete-game, one-hit shutout.
The Gators (13-3) scored in the 1st inning for the 12th time this season and took an early 1-0 lead over the Blazers (10-9) via Echols RBI single up the middle.
Florida added to its lead and went ahead 2-0 in the top half of the 2nd inning when freshman Kaila Pollard belted an RBI double to left center field that scored junior Katie Kistler from first base. After a scoreless 3rd inning, UF scored another run in the 4th inning to go up 3-0 when sophomore Sam Roe scored on a wild pitch when junior drew a full-count walk.
The Orange & Blue’s offense kicked into high-gear in the 5th and 6th innings. Echols blasted her first home run of the day to right field in the top of the 5th inning and junior Avery Goelz followed up with an RBI double that scored sophomore Reagan Walsh to push the lead out to 5-0.
The Gators doubled their score total and took a 10-0 lead with a five-run 6th inning thanks to a trio of home runs by Pollard, Wilkie and Echols. Pollard and Wilkie blasted back-to-back home runs to left field, while Echols drilled a three-run home run to cap the scoring.
In the circle, Delbrey kept the Blazers offense off-balance as she tallied five strikeouts compared to one hit, two walks and a pair of hit batters, which occurred in the 1st inning.
The Gators and the Blazers will close out the three-game series Sunday at 11 a.m. (ET) with the broadcast being stream on ESPN+.
Notables:
* Florida has now outscored opponents 148-39 on the season and turned in 10 run-rule victories in 16 games played.
* Today was also the seventh shutout of the year.
* Charla Echols tied her career-high in home runs (2) and RBI (5) in the win today.
* The pair of home runs was also the fourth multi-home run game of her career and the first since April 4, 2021 when she hit two against Georgia.
* The Gators hit four home runs in today’s game, which is the 27th time in program history that the team has hit four in a game.
* It’s also the first time since Feb. 9, 2020 when the program hit four against Georgia State.
* Freshman Kaila Pollard and junior Emily Wilkie both celebrated their birthdays today with hitting back-to-back home runs in the 6th inning against UAB.
* Sophomore Lexie Delbrey hurled a complete-game one-hitter which was her first of the season and the third of her career.
* Overall, it’s the third one-hitter of the season for Florida and the 84th complete-game one-hitter in program history.
* Delbrey has not allowed an earned run through her three appearances and 12 innings of work in the circle.
* Skylar Wallace went 1-for-4 at the plate which extended her hit-streak to a career-long 10 games.