The Florida softball team (23-10, 3-3 SEC) finished the series sweep of Ole Miss Sunday in Oxford, Miss. The Gators tallied 14 hits in the game, paced by a 3-for-4 performance with two doubles and three runs batted in from senior Kristen Butler (Orlando, Fla.).

Freshman Kim Waleszonia (Fontana, Calif.) led off the game for the Gators with a walk from Ole Miss pitcher Dana Brill. She moved to second on an infield base hit by senior Lindsey Cameron (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.). Senior Kristen Butler (Orlando, Fla.) moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice, her team leading fifth of the season. All it took for the Gators first run was a RBI ground out to short by junior Melissa Zick (Tampa, Fla.), allowing Waleszonia to score from third. Junior Lauren Roussell (Cerritos, Calif.) drew a two out walk on a full count to keep the Gators alive. Junior Lacy Howard (League City, Texas) legged out an infield hit for an RBI to score Cameron for a 2-0 Gator lead. Freshman Kristina Hilberth (Dunedin, Fla.) reached on an error by the Rebel third baseman, allowing Roussell to score from second and put Florida ahead by three runs.

Roussell led off the top of the third with a base hit to centerfield. Freshman Alicia Spack (West Lafayette, Ind.) came in to pinch run for Roussell. She wouldn’t be out there long though as Howard took an 0-2 count deep to left center for a double to score Spack from first for the 4-0 Gator lead.

Mary Jane Callahan came in to replace Brill in the pitching circle for Ole Miss in the top of the fourth. It wouldn’t hold up the Gators though as Florida added another run in the inning. With one out, Cameron walked. She stole second to move into scoring position. Butler dropped a double right inside the right field fence to score Cameron to put Florida in the lead by five runs.

Florida freshman pitcher Lindsay Littlejohn (Bartow, Fla.) did not give up a hit until the bottom of the fourth. Lisa Conchos grabbed a Littlejohn offering for a double to right field with one out in the inning. Lauren Rowe added a second hit that was just over the reach of Florida’s 6-1 shortstop Roussell for a base hit to shallow left putting runners at the corners for the Rebels. A fielder’s choice play would get a runner at second for the second out of the inning for the Gators, but still left runners on the corners. Brittany Warner legged out an infield base hit to short for a RBI to narrow Florida’s lead to four runs at 5-1.

Zick knocked a double to left center with one out in the top of the sixth to start a Gator rally. A bloop single by Roussell moved Zick to third. Zick came around to score on a fielder’s choice on Howard’s at bat, the found Roussell out at second, but putting the Gators up by five runs again at 6-1.

Senior Stacie Pestrak (Gainesville, Fla.) helped the Gators in the top of the seventh as she led off the inning reaching base on an error by the Rebel first baseman. Waleszonia showed her speed as she beat out the throw on a bunt single between the pitcher and the first base line. With one out, Butler knocled her second double of the day to the wall in left center to score both runners and put the Gators up 8-1.

Littlejohn struck out seven Rebel batters, including catching three looking, in the win. Her record improves to 7-4 on the season. Brill took the loss for the Rebels to move her record to 5-7.

The Gators return home for the first time in 17 days as they face Jacksonville in a doubleheader at the Florida Softball Stadium beginning at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. The first 250 fans at the game will receive a coupon for a post-game meal with the team.