Special report on the Florida Gators softball team:
AUBURN, Ala. – No. 7 Florida bounced back to take game three, 6-1, and the series over No. 19 Auburn at Jane B. Moore Field Sunday afternoon.
The Gators (39-13, 11-10 SEC) capitalized early in the game off the struggles from the Tigers (35-15, 10-11 SEC) starter Lexie Handley (6-3). Amanda Lorenz and Kendyl Lindaman drew back-to-back walks to start the game and Hannah Adams loaded the bases with a one-out walk which prompted the removal of Handley from the circle.
Auburn elected to bring in Friday starter Ashlee Swindle to face Jordan Roberts with the bases loaded and one out. With a 1-1 count, Roberts roped the ball well over the wall in right-center field to give the Gators and starter Kelly Barnhill (27-9) a 4-0 lead.
Barnhill only gave up a pair of hits in her complete-game outing, with one being a solo home run in the bottom of the first. However, UF responded with two more runs in the third to put the game well out of reach from the Tigers. Hannah Sipos and Cheyenne Lindsey stepped up to drive in the final two runs of the game.
UF returns home to Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium to close out the regular season against Mississippi State this Friday through Sunday.
How It Happened
| T-1st | 4-0 | Roberts notched the first hit of the game and put the Gators ahead early with her second career grand slam. Previously in the inning, Lorenz, Lindaman and Adams all reached via a walk from starter Lexie Handley. |
| B-1st | 4-1 | Tannon Snow closed down the UF leads with a two-out solo home run to left field. |
| T-3rd | 5-1 | Sipos extended the lead back out to four runs when she drove in Adams from third with an RBI single up the middle. |
| T-3rd | 6-1 | Lindsey pushed across Roberts for the second run of the inning when she sent a high chopper back to the circle. |
Standout Statistics
- Jordan Roberts’ grand slam in the first inning against the Tigers was the second of her career and first of the season.
- This season the Gators have hit four grand slams, two against SEC opponents.
- Roberts only other grand slam came during her freshman campaign against USF March 22, 2017
Notable Notes
- Florida now holds a 42-22 all-time record against Auburn and is now 25-6 when on the road.
- Kelly Barnhill produced 10 strikeouts in today’s game against Auburn.
- Barnhill struck out side in the fourth and fifth innings and has now struck out the side 26 times this year.
- The Marietta, Ga. native has now tallied 10 or more strikeouts in 10 games this season.
- It’s the seventh game she has accomplished the feat against a top-25 opponent.
- As a team, UF has now produced 18 games with 10 or more strikeouts, eight of which were against top-25 competition.
- Lorenz produced her third triple of the year, 11th of her career, in the top of the seventh inning. She currently ranks fourth all-time in UF history in the category.
- Lorenz also extended her hit streak to eight games. Her longest hit streak of the season was 10 games.