Special report on the Florida Gators softball team:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The second-seeded Florida softball team advanced in the Gainesville Regional with a 10-2 victory over Ohio State Saturday afternoon at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
The Gators (52-8) produced its ninth come-from-behind victory of the year after the team fell behind 0-2 to the Buckeyes (35-15) early in the game. Jaimie Hoover sparked the offense with her sixth RBI of the regional on a single up the middle in the fifth.
Later in the inning, Amanda Lorenz gave the Orange & Blue the lead, 3-2, with her two-RBI single through the right side. With the lead in hand, UF ran away with the game thanks to a seven-run sixth inning.
Kelly Barnhill (28-1) picked up the victory in the circle, while Aleshia Ocasio notched her second save of the season.
How It Happened
| Inning | Score | Play |
| Top 4th | 0-1 | Ashley Goodwin put the Buckeyes ahead with a solo home run over the left field wall after falling behind 0-2 in the count. |
| Top 5th | 0-2 | With runners on first and third, Lilli Piper pushed the Ohio State lead out to 2-0 with her RBI single to right field. |
| Bottom 5th | 1-2 | Jaimie Hoover delivered again for the Gators. With the bases loaded, she scored Jordan Matthews on an RBI single up the middle. |
| Bottom 5th | 3-2 | Amanda Lorenz pushed through a single through the right side of the OSU infield with two outs to score Sophia Reynoso and Hoover. |
| Bottom 6th | 4-2 | Sophia Reynoso produced a bases loaded RBI walk that scored Matthews. |
| Bottom 6th | 5-2 | Hoover recorded her second RBI of the game with another bases loaded walk that scored pinch runner Haven Sampson. Sampson ran for Janell Wheaton who reached earlier in the frame on a full-count walk. |
| Bottom 6th | 6-2 | Ocasio scored on a wild pitch from OSU pitcher Morgan Ray |
| Bottom 6th | 7-2 | Hannah Adams pushed across Reynoso on an RBI groundout to the shortstop xx |
| Bottom 6th | 8-2 | Lorenz struck for an RBI single up the middle that scored Hoover from third. |
| Bottom 6th | 9-2 | Matthews followed up with an RBI single up the middle that plated Nicole DeWitt. |
| Bottom 6th | 10-2 | Ocasio ended the game with her single through the right side that scored pinch runner Katie Chronister. |
Standout Statistic
Florida set a new season-high for walks in a game with 15 against Ohio State. Of the 10 runs scored today, five reached base via base on balls. Prior to today the season high for walks in a game was 11 which was achieved against Alabama (April 9) and Maryland (Feb. 23).
The single-game record for walks is 18 which was set March 5, 2011 against North Dakota State.
Notable Notes
- Florida improved to 40-19 in NCAA Regional play with today’s win over Ohio State.
- The Gators have now produced 23 games with 10 or more strikeouts and hold a 23-0 record when doing so.
o Barnhill, today’s starting pitcher, hurled nine strikeouts, while Aleshia Ocasio produced one.
- This year the pitching staff has amassed 513 strikeouts. It’s only the fourth time in program history that the Gators have had north of 500 strikeouts in season.
o Last year, UF set the single-season record with 683 strikeouts.
- UF drew a season-high 15 walks in today’s game against the Buckeyes and now have 320 walks on the year. The school record was set in 2013 when the Gators drew 332 walks.
- The Orange & Blue has only relinquished two earned runs over the last 113.1 innings of NCAA Regional action.
Next Up
The Gators return to action Sunday, May 20 at Noon and will face the team that advances out of the bottom half of the bracket.