Florida Sweeps Series at UAB

The No. 8 Gators softball team defeated the Blazers Sunday afternoon 4-1 to close out the three-game series in Birmingham, Alabama at Mary Bowers Field. Florida previously outscored UAB in five innings on Friday 9-0, and in six innings on Saturday 10-0.

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Scoring Summary

The Gators fell behind 1-0 in the second inning. UAB’s Lilly Crowe singled to second base to score sophomore Olivia Valbak, who had doubled down the left-field line. The Blazer’s lead did not last long as the Gators put two on the board in the third. Sarah Longley homered to right center, one of two such achievements of the game. Sophomore Kendra Falby doubled to the same spot, placed perfectly on the base paths for Charla Echols who scored Falby at the end of the inning, making it 2-1 Florida. Echols’ RBI tallied 24 on the season for the graduate student, a team leader in the category.

Florida broke the game open in the seventh inning. The team put up two more runs, partly due to Longley’s second homer of the day; her career-high record. Falby contributed her second double of the day, also her career-high, for Reagan Walsh to score her with a single to shortstop. The game concluded 4-1 Florida.

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On The Mound

Right-handed pitcher Elizabeth Hightower started for the Gators. Hightower gave up three hits, and left-hander Rylee Trlicek came in at the bottom of the fourth to steal promising momentum from the other side, who had bases loaded with two outs. Trlicek forced a ground-out to end the inning, and gave up a mere two hits in the remaining 3 innings she threw. The Blazers didn’t score against Trlicek.

Olivia Valbak, named USA Softball Pitcher of the Week after her last go-round, gave up seven hits against and two runs against the Gators. Sarah Cespedes came in as a recovery and gave up three hits as well as another two runs against Florida.

Coming Up

Catch the Gators back in action on Wednesday back at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. The team will take on UCF. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.