The No. 14/16 Florida Softball team (13-2) defeated Southern Illinois, 3- 2, in the UNLV Invitational Sunday. The Gators finished the rain- shortened tournament with a 2-1 record.

Florida tallied 11 hits in the game. Kristen Butler and Stacie Pestrak each went 3-for-4 on the day, while Lindsey Cameron wenr 2-for-4.

Florida scored first in the top of the second inning. Melissa Zick led off the inning with a base hit to right field. The Saluki right fielder let the ball go between her legs to the fence, allowing Zick to advance all the way to third. Kristen Butler scored her with a double to left center. Butler advanced to third on a Mandy Schuerman sacrifice. She scored on a Savana Kelly fielder's choice that saw both runners safe and gave the Gators a 2-0 lead.

Southern Illinois narrowed Florida's led to 2-1 in the bottom half of the inning on a solo home run by Katie Louis.

The Salukis tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. Leadoff batter Amanda Clifton reached on an error and scored on a Tiffanie Dismore triple to right center to tie the game at 2-2.

The Gators went up 3-2 in the top of the seventh. Pestrak and Shelley Stevens led off the inning with back-to-back infield hits. Pestrak scored on a Cameron double to give the Gators the one run win.

Schuerman came in to relieve starter Stacey Stevens with one out in the third to earn her fifth win of the season. Stevens struck out five batters before she left the game.

Florida will travel to Daytona on Tuesday to play Bethune-Cookman in a single game at 6 p.m.