Florida Seals First SEC Softball Series Win in Walk-Off Fashion

It was a walk-off series win for No. 5 Florida on Sunday night after a weather delay and four extra innings of softball as the Gators beat the Missouri Tigers 4-3 in 11 innings at Katie Seashole Pressley Stadium. 

The Gators (25-1, 2-0 SEC) opened with a 2-0 lead after Gabi Comia hit a fielder’s choice and Taylor Shumaker hit a sac fly.

Leah Stevens got the start for the Gators, she pitched only 2 ⅔ innings, giving up all three of the Tigers’ runs off three hits in the third. Each of the three hits went out of the park, the first coming off the bat of Kayley Lenger to lead off the inning. Stevens recovered with two ground outs, but gave up back-to-back solo shots to Sidney Forrester and Abby Hay to put Missouri (7-15, 0-2) ahead by one run.

It was a pitching duel for the rest of the night, as only two runs were scored across the next eight innings. 

Olivia Miller relieved Stevens after she gave up the three homers. Miller pitched the longest outing of her collegiate career, 7 ⅓ innings. Miller faced 32 batters, only giving up five hits and striking out two. 

The Gators defense stood strong. Catcher Ella Wesolowski had a highlight-reel throw to shortstop Kenleigh Cahalan in the fifth to catch Tigers left fielder Linny Ramsey stealing second. 

It was a family affair for Cahalan, whose cousin, Claire Cahalan, pinch ran for the Tigers in the ninth inning. 

Jocelyn Erickson once again come up strong for the Gators, breaking the tie in the seventh with a solo shot to right field. 

Shumaker led off the 11th inning with a single and Kendall Grover followed with a walk to put runners in scoring position for Madison Walker, who drilled a game-winning single to left field to seal the win and give the Gators the lead for the first time in nine innings. 

The teams wrap the first SEC series of the season at 7 p.m. Monday (SEC Network).

Category: Feature Sports News, Gator Sports, Gators Softball, NCAA, SEC, Softball