Top Ranked Gator Softball Hosts Arkansas In Final SEC Series Of Regular Season

The top ranked Florida softball team has its final regular season SEC series of the year coming up starting Friday at home as the Gators host the Arkansas Razorbacks.   Florida will also honor its seniors this weekend who have been part of one of the most productive and decorated classes in UF softball history as Taylore Fuller, Kirsti Merritt, Aubree Munro, Taylor Schwarz and Kelsey Stewart will be recognized by the school and Gator fans.

Florida is coming off a doubleheader sweep midweek of fifth ranked Florida State to move its record to 49-4 on the season.   Florida is 17-4 in SEC play and has a game and a half lead over second place Auburn so any combination of two Gator wins or Auburn losses will give Florida the regular season SEC title.

Florida will play an Arkansas team that has struggled mightily this season; the Razorbacks are 17-36 overall and just 1-20 in league play.   In addition, Arkansas comes into the series having lost 11 straight games.

The big problem for the Razorbacks is in the circle where their team earned run average of 6.85 is by far the worst in the SEC.   Contrast that to Florida’s earned run average of 0.94 which is the best mark in the SEC and one of the best in the country.

Arkansas hits .267 as a team, the second worst number in the league while the Gators hit at a .315 clip.  There is a marked difference defensively as well between the two teams as Florida leads the SEC in fielding percentage at .982 while Arkansas is last at .955.  Offensively, the Gators are led by the one-two punch of Kayli Kvistad and Amanda Lorenz who hit .407 and .396 respectively.