The Florida Gators and the Mississippi State Bulldogs softball teams met in the 2021 Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinals on this afternoon
The Gators defeated Mississippi State 6-2.
No. 1 seed Florida, now (41-8) overall, will advance to the semifinal round of the SEC Softball Tournament at Rhoads Stadium.
🐊Semi-Finals Bound 🐊
Two three-run home runs by @Kendyl_23 & @charlaechols secure the W!
Presented by @WellsFargo | #GoGators pic.twitter.com/n30nOOtA2D
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) May 13, 2021
Mississippi State took a 2-0 lead in the game at the top of the second inning, but the Gators didn’t waste any time to chomp back. After Jackie McKenna’s two-out double down the left-field line, Elizabeth Hightower buckled down and went on to pitch 2.1 scoreless frames.
The score for Mississippi State remained at 2-0 as the Gators began their come-up. Florida’s offense showed out in the bottom half of the 5th inning to take the lead 3-2 when Kendyl Lindaman hit a three-run homer allowing Charla Echols and Emily Wilkie to also score.
B5 | OPPO TACO‼️ Lindaman with a three-run homer gives the Gators the lead.
That’s the 69th of her career #GoGators
Gators 3 | Bulldogs 2 pic.twitter.com/eAtU6hdwBa
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) May 13, 2021
The energy of the game was raised after celebrating Lindman’s 69th career home run.
In the sixth, Echols also hit a homer off to the right-center field. This advanced Cheyenne Lindsey and Hannah Adams home putting the Gators up 6-2.
B6 | Echols goes yard with a three-run 💣💣💣‼️ #GoGators
Gators 6 | Bulldogs 2
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) May 13, 2021
Gators Make History
This is the ninth time in program history that Gators Softball has earned the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament. The Gators now hold a 33-27 record in the SEC Tournament and now hold the third-best winning percentage among SEC programs in SEC Tournament play.
Spotlights
Adams (1-for-3) is now on a six-game hitting streak.
Echols turned in her 16th and eighth multi-hit games of the year.
Lindaman ranks fourth among active NCAA career leaders in home runs.
Looking Ahead
The Gators will play No.4-seed Missouri on Friday at 4 p.m. (ET) ESPN2.