The No.
19/20 Florida Softball team (10-3) won its first game on championship ship day
of the Cox Communications Classic, 4-0 over Marshall, but fell 4-3 in the
championship game to North Carolina State.
The
Gators put four runs in their half of the second against Marshall. Sophomore Ali Gardiner (Waccabuc, N.Y.) led off with a walk and advanced to second on a
sacrifice bunt by senior Lauren Roussell
(Cerritos, Calif.). Freshman Corrie Brooks’ (Christmas, Fla.)
dropped a double in left field to score Gardiner for Florida’s first run of the game. Sophomore Brooke Johnson (Lakeland, Fla.)
an infield single. Senior Lacy Howard
(League City, Texas) hit the Gators’ second double of the
inning to score Brooks. Sophomore Kim
Waleszonia (Fontana, Calif.) was hit by an Amanda Luers pitch to
load the bases. Freshman Jenna Olmo
(Pembroke Pines, Fla.) hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring
Johnson. Howard scored Florida’s
fourth run on a throwing error by the Herd catcher as she was trying to catch
Enea stealing second.
That
inning would be all the Gators needed as Marshall
left 11 batters stranded in the game and was not able to push a run across.
Sophomore
Stacey Nelson (Los Alamitos, Calif.)
earned her seventh win of the season. She struck out eight in her second shutout
of the season.
The
Gators were leading the championship game 3-1 heading into the bottom of the
sixth inning, but the Wolfpack was not going to give up. Kristine Bechtholdt
drew a walk. Megan Dalthorp reached on a fielder’s choice, but Bechtholdt was
safe at second on the Gator throwing error. Shana Smith drew a walk from Florida senior pitcher Stacey Stevens (Gainesville,
Fla.) to load the bases. Miranda
Ervin grabbed a pinch hit single to score pinch runner Krystal Hawkins and
narrow Florida’s
lead to only one run. Nelson came into replace Stevens in the pitching circle
for Florida.
Heather Gelbard reached on a fielder’s choice and the Gators made the second
out of the inning, but Dalthorp crossed the plate to tie the game. Claudia
Cooper walked to again load the bases. The second Gator error of the inning
proved to be the end for Florida
as Smith scored on the error before Nelson sat the final batter of the inning
down looking.
The
Gators took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the second as everyone in the
lineup saw time at the plate. Florida
scored all three of its runs with two outs. Brooks drew a walk with one out in
the inning. Following a Johnson strikeout, Howard ripped a base hit through the
left side. Waleszonia was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Sophomore Kristina Hilberth (Dunedin, Fla.)
reached on an error by the Wolfpack second baseman, allowing Brooks to score.
Enea struck out swinging, but reach first on a passed ball while Howard scored
the Gators’ second run. Senior Melissa Zick
(Tampa, Fla.)
earned a RBI as she drew a walk on a 3-2 count with the bases loaded to score
Waleszonia for the 3-0 Gator lead.
North Carolina State narrowed the Gator lead to two
runs in the fourth as Jennifer Patterson hit a lead off home run.
Stevens
took the loss for Florida,
her second of the season. Abbie Sims earned the win for NC State after
relieving Shaina Ervin with the Gators leading 3-0 in the top of the fourth.
Florida will play at home Wednesday night against North Florida. The doubleheader begins at 4 p.m.
