Special report on the Florida Gators softball team:
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – No. 5 Florida walked away with a 5-1 victory over Jacksonville Wednesday afternoon at the Debbie and Fred Pruitt Softball Complex. Hannah Adams went 3-for-3 and blasted her fifth home run of the season to help seal the victory.
The Gators (25-3) drew a season-high 10 walks in the midweek contest against the Dolphins (17-10) and also picked up a solid pitching performance from starter Natalie Lugo (7-1). Lugo hurled 6.0 innings and only allowed four hits, three walks, one unearned run and struck out five.
Offensively, Florida walked its way on to the scoreboard in the 1st inning and took an initial 1-0 lead via five walks issued by Dolphins starting pitcher Skylar Whitty (7-4). Adams, Kendyl Lindaman, Julia Cottrill, Emily Wilkie and Jaimie Hoover all drew walks. Hoover’s patience allowed Adams to score as she watched a 3-2 pitch fall out of the zone.
UF extended its lead out to 2-0 in similar fashion, but picked up a pair of key hits from Cheyenne Lindsey and Adams in the process. Sarah Longley led off the frame with full-count walk, which was then followed by a single through the right side of the Dolphins infield by Lindsey.
Adams extended her career-long hit streak out to 13 games when she ripped a shot back to the circle and off of Whitty to load the bases. Whitty then issued her seventh walk of the afternoon to Lindaman, which pushed across Longley to score the second run of the afternoon for the Gators.
The Dolphins lifted Whitty after the walk to Lindaman and inserted Alyssa Bilodeau into the circle.
After a scoreless 3rd inning, the Gators offense picked back up in the 4th inning and extended the lead out to 3-0. Adams registered her second hit of the game to leadoff the frame, while Lindaman moved her into scoring position with her third walk of the game. Charla Echols advanced Adams to third on a deep fly to right field and Cottrill drove her home with an RBI single through the left side.
The Gators extended the lead out to 5-0 in the 5th inning thanks to a two-run home run by Adams to left field. Lindsey kept the inning alive for Adams’ two-run two-out opposite field shot with a single of her own to center field.
The Dolphins broke onto the scoreboard in the home half of the 5th inning via an RBI groundout by Samantha Poehlman. Poehlman plated Ashley Darakjian on a bases loaded groundout to second base to close down the Gators lead to 5-1.
Lugo went on to finish the 6th inning before she gave way to sophomore Rylee Trlicek. Trlicek closed out the final inning and only allowed one Dolphin to reach base via a walk.
Next up for the Gators is a Top 25 series in Athens, Ga. against No. 20 Georgia this upcoming Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m. and Monday at 7 p.m. (ET).
Notable Notes:
- Florida improved to 24-0 all-time against Jacksonville and 9-0 when playing at the Debbie & Fred Pruitt Softball Complex.
- UF also improved to 17-2 against non-conference opponents this season.
- Hannah Adams extended her career-long hit streak out to 13 games, which is now tied for seventh all-time with Aja Paculba (Feb. 12 – March 4, 2011) and Jenny Gladding (April 18 – May 9, 2003).
- Adams also finished the day 3-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored. It’s her 13th multi-hit game of the season.
- Cheyenne Lindsey turned in her eighth multi-hit game of the season after going 2-for-4 against Jacksonville.
- She is also on a four-game hitting streak.
- Julia Cottrill went 1-for-4 today to extend her hit-streak out to seven games, which is also the third longest of the season.
- Kendyl Lindaman notched season-high for walks with three in today’s game. Overall the Gators drew a season-high 10 in this afternoon’s game against JU.
- Lindaman also extended her reached base safely streak out to 16 games. Adams currently has a 13-game reached base safely streak and Echols has reached safely over the last 10.