GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No.6 Florida softball returns to Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium Wednesday, March 10, for a midweek tilt against Kennesaw State at 6 p.m. on the SEC Network+. Kyle Crooks and Francesca Enea will have the call on the digital video stream, while Ryan Urquhart and Tom Collett will give an audio only call of the action on FloridaGators.com
Tomorrow's contest between the Gators (14-1) and the Owls (6-9) will be the first ever meeting between the two programs.
Florida enters the week after a weekend split with in-state rival Florida State. UF picked up a one-hit shutout performance from right-hander
Elizabeth Hightower (7-0) to defeat the Seminoles at home 5-0, but FSU turned around the next day to deal the Gators their first loss of the 2021 season in Tallahassee.
Hightower's successful week in the circle through two appearances earned herself SEC Pitcher of the Week and D1Softball.com Pitcher of the Week honors. The Monticello, Fla. native held opposing batters to just a .057 average at the plate through 11.0 innings. She currently ranks seventh nationally in hits allowed per seven innings with only 2.24 hits given up per game.
The Gators hold one of the lowest hits allowed per game averages in the country as the staff is limiting opposing offenses to just 3.26 hits per game and 0.49 hits per inning pitched. Through 15 games, UF pitchers have only allowed more than five hits in only one game so far this season.
Offensively, Florida enters the game with three batters averaging over .400 for the season with
Cheyenne Lindsey leading the way with a .463 average.
Hannah Adams and
Charla Echols aren't far behind Lindsey with .447 and .419 averages respectively.
Lindsey also has one of the hottest bats in the lineup as she is currently riding a nine-game hit-streak entering tomorrow's contest with the Owls.
Kennesaw State comes into tomorrow's game after having picked up an upset win in its final meeting of a three-game series with No. 22 UCF. At the plate they are led by the trio of Lexi Solorzano, Brea Dickey and Taylor Cates, and in the circle, Melanie Bennett is the leader in ERA (3.71), wins (5) and strikeouts (47).
Following tomorrow's midweek matchup with the Owls, the Gators will welcome No. 9 Kentucky to KSP Stadium for SEC Opening Weekend. The series will be streamed via the SEC Network+.
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