GAINESVILLE– No.7-ranked Florida capped its nine-game home stand with an 8-0 victory in five innings over in-state foe Jacksonville Wednesday evening at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
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Junior
Natalie Lugo stood strong in the circle with the Gators (12-1) defense behind her to hurl the first complete-game no-hitter of her career in the win over the Dolphins (7-4). The West Covina, Calif. native struck out nine of the 15 batters faced and threw just 70 pitches in the effort.
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The right-hander only posted a pair of blemishes to the scorecard as she hit the first batter she faced in the top of the 1
st inning and issued a full-count two-out walk in the 4
th inning.
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Offensively, the team scored in four of the five innings played thanks to a pair of home runs, timely hits and savvy base running.
Charla Echols and
Jordan Roberts each tallied a pair of hits to pace the Gators, while
Kendyl Lindaman,
Julia Cottrill,
Sophia Reynoso and
Cheyenne Lindsey each contributed a hit on the night.
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How It Happened – Jacksonville – W, 8-0 (5 Innings)
| Inning |
Score |
Play |
| B-1st  |
2-0 |
The Gators jumped out in front early when Lindaman blasted a two-run home run off the scoreboard in left center field to score Adams. |
| B-1st  |
3-0 |
Echols matched Lindaman's home run in her next at-bat with one of her own as she sent Bilodeau's 2-0 offering over the right field wall. |
| B-3rd |
4-0 |
Roberts drove in Goddard to start the scoring in the 3rd inning on an RBI single through the left side of the Dolphins infield. |
| B-3rd |
5-0 |
With pinch-runner Taylor at third and Reynoso at first, the Gators put on the double steal. Reynoso took off for first and forced the Dolphins to cut the throw off before second but it was too late as Taylor was already sliding into home plate for the fifth run of the game. |
| B-4th |
6-0 |
Cottrill sent a grounder to Makenzie Buss out a shortstop that took a high hop off the shoulder and caromed into center field to score Echols with one out. |
| B-4th |
7-0 |
The one out rally continued when Roberts drove in her second run of the game with a double down the left field line that scored Goddard again. |
| B-4th |
8-0 |
Pinch-hitter Jordan Matthews concluded the scoring with a bases loaded RBI walk that pushed Cottrill across home plate. |
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Standout Statistic
Junior
Natalie Lugo's complete-game no-hitter is the first of her career and the second of the season by a Gator.
- Overall Lugo has also been a part of two combined no-hitters, which includes a perfect game.
- Tonight was the first no-hitter since freshman Rylee Trlicek no-hit Georgia State opening weekend at the USF-Rawlings Invitational.
- Overall the Gators have 29 career individual complete-game no-hitters, plus an additional seven individual complete-game perfect games.
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Notable Notes
- Florida improved to 23-0 all-time against Jacksonville and has outscored the Dolphins 169-15. The results include 12 shutouts and eight run-rule victories.
- Lindaman's home run in the first inning extended her hit-streak out to 12 games, which ties Gator Great Francesca Enea's 12-game hit streak in the senior hit-streak record book.
- 20 Games – Megan Bush – Feb. 25 – March 25, 2011
- 16 Games – Melissa Zick – April 14 – May 10, 2007
- 13 Games – Aja Paculba – Feb. 11 – March 4, 2011
- 12 Games – Francesca Enea – Feb. 19 – March 7, 2010
- 12 Games – Kendyl Lindaman – Feb. 8-19, 2020
- 11 Games – Ashley Boone – Feb. 16-24, 2001
- It's also tied for eighth overall in all-time hit streaks that includes the likes of Lauren Haeger, Briana Little, Ali Gardiner, Boone and Enea.
- Echols drove in her 19th run of the season with her solo home run in the 1st inning. The Newnan, Ga. native ranks second nationally in the category.
- Roberts and Echols' multi-hit gamers are the 22nd and 23rd total multi-hit performances on the season for the team.
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Next Up
The Gators take flight to Palm Springs, Calif. to take on nationally ranked No. 1 UCLA, No. 5 Arizona, No. 16 Arizona State and No. 25 Northwestern at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. The team will close out the classic against Nebraska Sunday.
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