Florida Gators

TAMPA, Fla. – The No. 4-ranked University of Florida softball team opened the season with a five-inning shutout victory for the third consecutive season as the team cruised past Illinois State 9-0 Friday, Feb. 10, at the USF Softball Stadium.

Senior left-handed pitcher Delanie Gourley tossed her eighth career one-hitter in the effort against the Redbirds (0-3). The Lakeside, Calif. native was efficient as she recorded 12 strikeouts over 16 batters faced on the day.

Her performance in the circle set the tone for the competition and for the Florida offense.

The Gators (1-0) opened the scoring in the bottom of the initial inning of play thanks to back-to-back doubles from juniors Kayli Kvistad and Janell Wheaton. Kvistad, a 2016 second team NFCA All-American, ripped a shot to left center just under the outreached glove of Annie Heineman to score  Amanda Lorenz and Nicole DeWitt, who both reached earlier in the inning via fielder's choice and a walk.

Wheaton followed up with a hard hit ball to right field in the next at-bat to score Kvistad and put the Gators ahead 3-0 over the Redbirds.

However, the big inning came in the bottom of the third where UF produced five runs. Kvistad led off the inning with a walk, which allowed freshman Jacqui Switzer to see her first collegiate action as a pinch runner. Wheaton picked right back up where she left off in the first inning and proceeded to hit a two-run home run to right field and push Switzer across home plate.

Senior Chelsea Herndon followed up Wheaton in the next at-bat with a solo home run, the fifth of her career. Freshman Jordan Roberts nearly made it three consecutive home runs with a double that hit off the top of the wall in right center field. Junior Aleshia Ocasio saw her first action of the season after she entered the game to pinch run for Roberts.

Later in the inning, freshman Jaimie Hoover produced her second straight walk of the game to put Gators on first and second. The duo executed a double steal with redshirt freshman Sophia Reynoso at the plate to put the Gators into scoring position.

Reynoso executed a sacrifice hit down to third base that scored Ocasio for her first collegiate RBI. Hoover later scored on an Illinois State passed ball that opened up an 8-0 lead.

The final run of the game came in the fourth on a bases loaded walk from pinch hitter Brooke Clemens that scored Kvistad.

Coaches Corner
On setting the tone early in the first game of the season:
"You know, you preach that to the team and Delanie just came out and set the tone for us right away and it was really just a good quick tempo. I thought we responded obviously with the three hits in a row but we really just got after it early."

Notables

• Florida improves to 32-5 overall with its 13^th consecutive opening day win.
• Freshmen Jaimie Hoover and Jordan Roberts tallied their first collegiate hits.
  • Roberts hit a double in the third inning & Hoover singled in the fourth.
• Gourley also threw the last one-hitter for the Gators, which occurred May 21, 2016 against UCF.
• Herndon tied her career-high with a pair of hits. She ended the game going 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and RBI.
• Reynoso made her first career start for the Gators at the shortstop position. She was expected to make her debut last season but redshirted last year due to injury.

Next Up
Florida takes on St. John's at 10 a.m. and follows up with a contest against No. 6 Michigan with a 12:30 p.m. scheduled start time. Daniel Gillman and and Kelsey Horton will have the call on WGGG (92.1 FM/1230 AM) & WMOP (100.1 FM/900 AM).

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