Florida's offensive had double Auburn's hits, but the Gator softball team
lost 6-5 in the three-game Southeastern Conference series closer due to a
season-high five errors Thursday afternoon at the AU Softball Complex.
AU (29-16, 6-6 SEC) won the series 2-1. UF (29-16, 9-9 SEC) out-hit the
Tigers 10-5. All of AU's runs were unearned.
Freshman Amanda Moore (Tuscaloosa, Ala./Hillcrest) got the start in the
circle and gave up three runs in the first inning. Senior Renise Landry
(West Monroe, La./West Monroe) came in relief and recorded a strikeout to
get out of the inning. Landry sat the Tigers down in order the next two
innings.
"We let them get too many too early," Coach Karen Johns said. "It changed
the whole pace of the game. We were in a tight game, and let it effect our
fielding."
UF only got one back in its second inning. Senior first baseman Ashley
Boone (Irvine, Calif./Woodbridge) doubled for an RBI. It was one of her
two hits on the day. Each team scored once in the fourth. UF trailed 4-2
when catcher Emily Marino (Joliet, Ill./Joliet) led off the top of the
fifth inning with her second solo homer of the series. The senior's shot
to center field was her third this year and 28th in her career. Freshman
left fielder Mylin Prieto (Cooper City, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) singled
and scored the tying run on her 19th birthday on third baseman Jenn
Mossadeghi's (Jupiter, Fla./The King's Academy) double down the left field
line.
Both clubs scored once in the sixth. Mossadeghi had a one-out base hit to
left field in UF's seventh inning, but Tiger reliever Mary Petrie left her
there with a groundout and a strikeout. A dropped catch in right field put
the game winning run on second. Petrie sacrificed the Jenn Kraemer over
and a single up the middle scored her.
Landry (14-8) took the loss, allowing three unearned runs on four hits and
two walks, and fanned four over six and a third innings. She held AU
center fielder Ashley Moore hitless, breaking the leadoff batter's 24-game
hitting streak. Petrie (1-0) closed the book with on run on three hits,
one walk and one strikeout in two innings.
UF is host to Ole Miss in a three-game home stand April 7-8. Saturday's
double header is at 3 p.m. Sunday's game is at noon and will be telecast
live on Sunshine. Admission is free.