Special report on the Florida Gators softball team:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 8 Florida split a pair of games during day two of the Bubly Invitational as Rylee Trlicek hurled a no-hitter in the, 8-0 (5 inning), win over Mercer, but UF then fell, 1-0, to RV/No. 24 Louisiana Saturday afternoon at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Trlicek’s no-hitter in the Gators (17-4) first game of the day against the Bears (6-17) was the second of the left-hander’s career. The Hallettsville, Texas native retired 15 of the 16 batters faced on just 51 pitches.
The lone baserunner to reach was a leadoff walk issued to the first batter of the game and from that point forward Trlicek let the Florida defense work behind her as she induced 10 groundouts, a flyout, a lineout, a popup and a helped her own cause with a pair of strikeouts.
Florida offense notched 11 hits against Mercer which included a 3-for-3 performance from sophomore Kendra Falby and a pair of 2-for-2 games by Reagan Walsh and Avery Goelz.
In the second game of the day, the Gators found themselves in a pitcher’s duel against the Ragin’ Cajuns (16-8). Sophomore Lexie Delbrey (3-1) battled against UL’s Meghan Schorman (6-3) as each pitcher went wire-to-wire in the circle for complete-games.
For a majority of the game, both Delbrey and Schorman allowed their defenses to work behind them.
Highlighting the defensive effort was Florida’s eighth double play of the season in the top of the 4th inning when the defense turned a grounder to Skylar Wallace at shortstop into 6-2-5-4-6 double play that retired Louisiana runners at second and third base to end the inning.
However, Louisiana was finally able to find their way onto the scoreboard and break the scoreless tie in the top of the 5th inning as Ragin’ Cajuns bypassed Florida’s outstanding defense with a solo home run from Alexa Langeliers to go ahead 1-0.
The Gators will look to rebound against Louisiana Sunday, March 12, at 11:30 a.m. (ET) on SEC Network and will wrap up play in the Bubly Invitational with a game against Rutgers at 2 p.m. on SEC Network+.
Notables:
* The Gators run-ruled Mercer, 8-0 (5 innings), in the first game of the day.
* Overall, the Orange & Blue has posted 12 run-rule victories in 2023. In 2022, the program had 13 run-rule victories.
* Florida has outscored opponents 177-44 on the year and average 8.85 runs per game.
* Rylee Trlicek hurled the second no-hitter of her career and the first since her first career start in 2020 against Georgia State on Feb. 9
* It’s also the 33rd complete-game no-hitter in program history and first complete-game no-hitter at KSP Stadium since Natalie Lugo last year against North Florida.
* Kendra Falby went 3-for-3 in the game against Mercer and overall was 7-for-7 at the plate against the Bears in two games.
* Charla Echols extended her hit-streak to six games after going 1-for-3 against Mercer and 1-for-3 against Louisiana.
* Skylar Wallace extended her reached base safely streak to 17 games this season.