Florida Softball Holds Off Mizzou To Clinch Final Regular Season Series

The top ranked Florida Gator softball team scored enough runs to overcome a late surge by the 11th ranked Missouri Tigers to take Game 2 of the final regular season series, 9-6 in Columbia, Missouri on Saturday. Florida can clinch the regular season SEC title with a win or Auburn loss on Sunday.

Freshman pitcher Aleshia Ocasio was impressive against the Tigers for the first five innings, only allowing one run. Florida entered the bottom of the sixth inning up 9-1 and that is when Missouri stormed back.

Ocasio allowed three runs in the sixth and two runs in the seventh. For the second straight game, head coach Tim Walton brought Delanie Gourley out of the bullpen. She would allow one hit but would get the single out the Gators needed to get the W.

Florida would have multiple players contribute to the offensive onslaught, scoring at least one run in innings two through six. Senior Bailey Castro led the offense by way of the long ball, smacking two over the fence and bringing in four runs in the process. Junior Kirsti Merritt doubled two runs in as part of a four-run third inning for the Gators. Kelsey Stewart, Nicole DeWitt, and Taylore Fuller would contribute with multi-hit games along with Castro.

With the win, Tim Walton got his 200th SEC victory becoming just the fifth active coach to reach that milestone. A couple of Gator players reached some notable milestones as well. Kelsey Stewart’s lead off single extended her hitting streak to 19 games, a career-high. The junior second baseman is inching towards the Gator hit record with a whole year left of eligibility. Nicole DeWitt recorded her third consecutive multi-hit game and her 11th of the season.

The Gators will now go for the sweep against the Tigers. First pitch of Game 3 on Sunday is at 1 p.m.