GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 6 Florida dropped a pair of Southeastern Conference games, 3-1 & 6-1, to No. 5 Alabama at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium Friday evening.
The Gators (37-11, 9-8 SEC) struck for a run in the top of the first inning to take the initial lead in the first game against the Crimson Tide (44-4, 13-4 SEC). However, Alabama responded with a two-run third inning and tacked on one in the fifth.
UF put runners on and in scoring position in the third and fifth innings in an attempt to mount a comeback, but Alabama managed to escape each threat and close out the game.
Kelly Barnhill (25-7) received the loss in the circle after she pitched 5.1 innings with six strikeouts.
Florida looked to rebound in the second game of the day, but a complete-game performance from Sarah Cornell (18-1) in the circle for Alabama kept the Orange and Blue offense at-bay.
Amanda Lorenz scored the lone run for the Gators with a solo home run in the third to tie the game 1-1.
Freshman
Elizabeth Hightower (3-1) received the loss in the circle after she pitched 4.1 innings and allowed only two runs.
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How It Happened – Game 1 – No. 5 Alabama – L, 3-1
| Inning |
Score |
Play |
| B–1st |
1-0 |
Lindaman plated Lorenz for the first run of the game via an RBI double to right center field. Lorenz reached in the previous at-bat after she drew a full-count walk |
| T–3rd |
1-1 |
Kaylee Tow pushed across Alabama's first run of the game with an RBI single up the middle. KS Sides scored on the play after she reached via |
| T–3rd |
1-2 |
Bailey Hemphill scored Skylar Wallace with another RBI single up the middle. Wallace reached on a four-pitch walk with one out earlier in the inning. |
| T–5th |
1-3 |
The Crimson Tide tacked on an additional run in the fifth on a two-out error at second. Skylar Wallace scored from third after she reached with a leadoff triple to right field. |
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How It Happened – Game 2 – No. 5 Alabama – L, 6-1
| Inning |
Score |
Play |
| T–1st |
0-1 |
Alabama scored first in the second game of the day on an infield single to second base from Reagan Dykes. Tow scored on the play after she initially reached with a full-count walk. |
| B–3rd |
1-1 |
Lorenz knotted the game 1-1 after she connected on a changeup from Sarah Cornell and sent it over the right center field wall. |
| T–5th |
1-2 |
Wallace put the Crimson Tide back in front with an opposite field solo home run. Â |
| T–6th |
1-3 |
Maddie Morgan extended Alabama's lead in the sixth with a two-out RBI single through the left side of the Florida infield that scored Sides from third. |
| T–7th |
1-5 |
Hemphill's two-run home run in the seventh added to the scoring in the game for the Crimson Tide. Tow reached base with a leadoff walk. |
| T–7th |
1-6 |
Morgan capped the scoring with an RBI single to left field |
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Notable Notes
- Florida now trails Alabama in the all-time series 36-39 and 13-19 when playing at home.
- The Gators are now 13-11 against top-25 teams.
- Barnhill picked up six strikeouts in the first game of the day against the Crimson Tide and is now just nine strikeouts away from tying the all-time strikeout record set by Stacey Nelson.
- Nelson tallied 1,116 strikeouts over 1,141.2 innings pitched, while Barnhill has only hurdled 703.1 innings.
- Lorenz tallied her 40th career home run with her solo shot in the second game of the double header.
- She currently ranks sixth all-time in UF history in the category.
- Lorenz also picked up four walks through the two games and extended her UF career record mark to 219.
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