Special report on the Florida Gators softball team:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. –The Florida softball team won 9-0 in five innings before falling 5-0 to FIU in doubleheader action Wednesday, March 28, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Senior Aleshia Ocasio hurled her first complete-game no-hitter of the season in the initial game.
Florida vs. FIU – Game One | W, 9-0 (5)
Highlights
Ocasio needed just 55 pitches to work through the Panthers lineup in the first game of the day. Her only blemish came in the top of the fourth via a one-out walk as the St. Cloud, Fla. native registered her second career complete-game no-hitter, first of the season, in the 9-0 victory over FIU. Her last no-hitter came against Jacksonville Feb. 17, 2016 in a 6-0 victory.
The Gators plated one run in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead over the Panthers. Hannah Adams ripped an RBI single to the right side of the FIU infield and scored Amanda Lorenz before Kayli Kvistad was thrown out at home for the final out. UF loaded the bases prior to Adams’ single with a trio of walks from Lorenz, Kvistad and Jordan Matthews.
In the bottom of the third, Lorenz led off with her second walk of the game and DeWitt followed up with a single through the right side to put runners on first and second. With one out on the board, Matthews loaded the bases for Ocasio with a single through the hole between second and first base.
Ocasio plated the Gators second run of the game to extend the lead out to 2-0 on an RBI groundout to second base.
Florida exploded for seven runs in the fourth inning to take the lead 9-0 thanks to three singles, two doubles and a triple. Lorenz doubled to score Janell Wheaton who reached on a single up the middle to start the frame. DeWitt went on to register a pair of RBI in the inning with a single through the right side.
Matthews notched a two RBI double to right center field and Ocasio blasted her second triple of the season to score Matthews. Pinch hitter Danielle Romanello closed out the scoring with a fielder’s choice RBI that scored Ocasio.
Florida vs. FIU – Game Two | L, 5-0
FIU recovered and bounced back in the second game of the doubleheader. The Panthers scored three runs in the first inning off starting pitcher Katie Chronister. An uncharacteristic error by the Gators outfield allowed the first run to score but Kasandra Castle cleared the bases with her two-run home run.
After a leadoff walk, the Gators opted to bring in freshman Natalie Lugo to relieve Chronister. Lugo relinquished a single to put runners on first and second and FIU center fielder Jackie Schoff drove in the pair with a two RBI double down the left field line.
Lugo settled in and went on to scatter four hits over the last five innings of play. The West Covina, Calif. native finished with six innings pitched for her longest outing of the year and tallied five strikeouts with only one walk.
The Gators return to action Friday, March 30, at 4 p.m. with a pair of games against Hampton and Jacksonville.
Notable Notes
· Florida holds the lead in the all-time series against FIU at 15-4 after this afternoon’s split in the doubleheader.
o The Gators also now how a 21-2 record against non-conference competition this season.
· Ocasio threw her first complete-game no-hitter of the season in game one against FIU.
o Ocasio needed just 55 pitches to work through the Panthers lineup and the only baserunner to reach did so via a walk with one out in the top of the fifth inning.
o It’s her second career complete-game no-hitter. She hurled one against Jacksonville Feb. 17, 2016.
o Florida now has seven no-hitters, six complete-game and one combined, on the season.
· The Gators have scored 23 times in the first inning out of 32 games played after scoring one run in the first game.
o The team holds a record of 25-2 when scoring first.
· Amanda Lorenz extended her reached base streak to 32 games played.
o Over her career she has reached base safely in 156 of 163 games.
· After going 2-for-3 in game one of the day, Nicole DeWitt posted a season-high seven game hitting streak.
Walton’s Words
On Aleshia Ocasio in the circle…
“She really did a good job changing speeds. I thought pitched well when she was ahead a lot, and when she wasn’t ahead she was able mix speeds or put the ball in a good location to get someone out. I think overall she had really nice stuff. Fifty-five pitches, and she had some easy outs. She was pitching. I didn’t think she was throwing at all. She was really pitching.”
On FIU’s Saile able to be effective in game two…
“I think the ability to change speeds like she can and when she wants to, but also the ability to throw a pitch in the zone and be able to get a ball out of the zone. She does a really good job of changing eye levels. When you change eye levels and change speeds, you’re definitely tough. She’s a tough pitcher. She’s been really good, and everything about her career says that she’s really good.”
From the Players
Amanda Lorenz
On it being a tale of two games…
“We got a run on the board early in the first game – we probably still could have done a bit more damage in that inning, but I am proud of what we did in the fourth inning. We are super contagious, passing the bat along. Credit to them in the second game, they came out swinging against Katie. I am upset that we couldn’t get her some runs – her and Natalie work really hard in practice. I am proud of Natalie’s performance and I am proud of Katie’s fight. I always love when she is on the mound, she is really competitive, so I am just disappointed that we couldn’t get her any runs. Credit to them, they outplayed us.”
Aleshia Ocasio
On her consistency in the circle…
“I felt like I got better throughout the game, but our offense worked hard and put up nine runs on the board. That gives you a lot of confidence on the mound, knowing that you have that wiggle room. I felt really good on the mound today.”