Gator Softball Tries To End Skid, Hosts No.19 Auburn

The No. 6/7 Florida Gator softball team will look to break its four-game-losing streak as the No.19 ranked Auburn Tigers come to town Friday night.

The Gators and Tigers have been on very different paths lately. The Tigers have won their last two series, winning 14 of their last 16 games overall. The Tigers come into Friday’s game with an overall record of 31-6-1 and a conference record of 6-3. The Tigers are tied for third in the SEC, sitting just two games behind the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The Gators, on the other hand, have lost five of their last six, including consecutive series to Alabama and Tennessee. When you add a mid-week loss to FSU, things haven’t been looking good. The Gators are 5-7 in SEC play, placing them in a tie for eighth with the South Carolina Gamecocks. Despite the Gators’ impressive 31-8 record on the season, they find themselves in a rough patch.

Despite struggles, there are plenty of bright spots for the Orange and Blue. On Wednesday night, freshman pitcher Delanie Gourley compiled four strikeouts through two innings of work against FSU and became the first Gator pitcher of the season to reach 100 strikeouts. Sophomore shortstop Kelsey Stewart led off Wednesday night with a single to left field and continued her hot hitting from the plate. She leads the team with a .410 batting average and has reached base in every single game this season.

The Gators have had plenty of success against the Tigers in years past. The Gators have won 21 of 25 matchups against Auburn under head coach Tim Walton, including a 10-1 record dating back to 2006. The Gators will be looking desperately for momentum over the weekend before a second matchup against FSU Wednesday.

The Gators and Tigers will meet Friday night with first pitch is set for 6pm.