The Florida softball team
(15-6) picked up two wins in the Cox Communications Invitational Saturday to
improve its record to 3-1 in the tournament. The Gators defeated Southern Miss,
4-1, in the first game of the day and won the rematch with Seton Hall, 3-0. In
the Southern Miss game junior pitcher Stacey
Stevens (Gainesville, Fla.) set the school record for career
strikeouts looking.
Florida opened the scoring early as freshman Kim Waleszonia (Fontana,
Calif.) scored on a senior Kristen Butler (Orlando, Fla.)
base hit in the top of the first. Waleszonia lead off
the inning with a base hit. She stole second and moved to third on a passed
ball in order to score on Butler’s
infield hit.
The Gators
added another run in the top of the third. With one out in the inning, Butler drove her second
hit of the day to left center for a double. Freshman Alicia Spack (West
Lafayette, Ind.) came in to pinch
run for Butler.
Freshman Brooke Johnson started a Gator rally in
the top of the sixth as she drew a leadoff walk. Waleszonia
followed with a base hit. Johnson advanced to third on a fly out to right by
senior Lindsey Cameron (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.)
and came around to score on a Butler
base hit. Butler
was able to advance to second on the play as the Golden Eagles threw out Waleszonia at third for the second out of the inning.
Junior Melissa Zick
(Tampa, Fla.)
was hit by a pitch and juniors Lauren Roussell (Cerritos, Calif.) and Lacy
Howard (League City, Texas)
were walked to bring in Butler
for the Gators fourth run of the game.
Southern
Miss scored its run in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Ashley Davis
knocked a base hit up the middle, but on the next play she was thrown out at second
on a fielder’s choice from Jennifer Fox. Allison Bullard’s base hit to center
moved Fox all the way to third. Fox scored on a Kristin Pilgrim base hit
through the right side.
Stevens
pitched the complete game for the Gators, improving her record to 6-1. she
struck out eight in the game, including catching three looking to set the
school record for career strikeouts looking with 137. Jenny Gladding (2003-04)
previously held the record with 136. Shea Naramore took the loss for the Golden Eagles, her first of
the season.
Florida took the first lead of its rematch
with Seton Hall in the second game of the day. Roussell
lead off the bottom of the second with an infield base hit. She advanced on a
Lacy Howard sacrifice bunt and came around to score on a Lindsay Norfleet (Madison,
Fla.) double to give Florida a 1-0 lead.
Waleszonia
added another run for the Gators in the top half of the next frame. She drove a
hit to left field and advanced all the way to third on an error by the Pirates’
left fielder. She scored on a Cameron hit to right field, putting Florida up 2-0.
Cameron hit
her sixth home run of the season to put Florida
up 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth.
Stacey Nelson (Los Alamitos, Calif.)
pitched the complete game shutout for Florida
to improve her record to 5-1 on the year.
Florida wraps up Cox Communications Invitational play on Sunday at
1:30 p.m. against Southern Miss and at 4 p.m. against Central
Michigan.
