Florida Gators

 
 | SEC Network Recap | Game 3 Highlights
 
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida softball team (34-3/9-3 SEC) dropped its series finale with Alabama (31-7/5-4 SEC), 3-0, on Sunday afternoon at KSP Stadium. Florida dropped its first SEC series since LSU topped the Gators in Gainesville a season ago.  
 
Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium held a three-day attendance record 6,759 fans this weekend. In addition, this was the first time in program history that UF drew crowds of over 2,000 fans in three-straight games.
 
Sunday's contest had 2,409 fans in attendance, which was the fifth-largest crowd in program history.
 
Alabama put the pressure on Florida's defense early, as Haylie McCleney led off the game with an infield single. UA's Chandler Dare followed with a sacrifice bunt attempt, but a throwing error allowed McCleney to score and Dare to advance all the way to third.
 
Dare came around to score later in the inning on a passed ball to make the score 2-0.
 
The Crimson Tide added an insurance run in the sixth on an RBI double by Sydney Booker.
 
Florida was only able to get one runner get into scoring position all day.
 
UA's Sydney Littlejohn (14-2) picked up her second win of the weekend with Sunday's complete-game shutout. Junior Delanie Gourley (10-2) shouldered the loss for Florida as she tossed 5.1 innings and allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits.
 
Team Notes

• Florida dropped its first SEC series since LSU defeated the Gators last season in Gainesville.
• UF was shutout for the first time since Michigan blanked the Gators on June 2, 2015 in the second game of the Women's College World Series Championship Series.
• Florida was shutout at home for the first time since Alabama blanked the Gators 7-0 on March 23, 2014.
• Florida's senior class is now 207-31, which currently ranks eighth among four-year class records in program history.
  • Sitting seventh on this list is UF's 2013 graduating class that went 211-45 throughout its four seasons.
  • Taylore Fuller, Kirsti Merritt, Aubree Munro, Taylor Schwarz and Kelsey Stewart are trying to catch UF's 2011 class which boasted a 238-33 mark during their four years.

 
Stat Watch

• Florida's 37 runs allowed through 37 games is the second fewest in school history through this point in any season.
  • UF's 2009 squad allowed 32 tallies through 37 contests and Florida's last two NCAA Championship teams had allowed more than 70 runs each, respectively.
• The Gators have made just 17 errors this season and currently sport one of the best fielding percentages (.982) and earned run averages in the nation (0.85). For comparison, Florida had committed 27 errors through 37 contests last season and had a fielding percentage of .971. UF went on to record a .981 fielding percentage and commit just 33 errors, which were both school records.
• UF did not allow a stolen base on Sunday, remaining the only team in the SEC who has yet to allow more than three stolen bases in 2016.
  • In addition, three stolen bases is the fewest Florida has allowed in school history through 37 games.
• Hitting Streak:
  • Amanda Lorenz – five games (four shy of career long)

 
Coaches' Corner
Assistant Coach Jennifer Rocha:
On Sunday's game…
"I think it speaks to what we've been good at all year, pitching and defense. When you play a team like Alabama you can't make mistakes. One pitch or one mistake can really come back and get you."
 
On UF going forward…
"It just reminds us that there's always things to work on. Sometimes you get exploited in the middle of the season, there's no secrets, everyone knows what your weaknesses are and teams will attack those. We're just going to have to do a better job of understanding in all aspects of the game."
 
Series History

• Following this weekend's series, Alabama holds the all-time series lead, 35-31, including a 16-11 mark in Gainesville, Fla.
• Prior to last season's three-game matchup in Tuscaloosa, UF and UA last met in the 2014 Women's College World Series Championship Series when Florida swept Alabama to capture its first NCAA Championship.

 
Next Up
Florida will travel to Orlando on Wednesday for the matchup with UCF. That game can be heard on Florida Sports Talk (WGGG-AM & WMOP-AM/FM) and a live stats link for the contest can be found on the Gators' schedule page.
 
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