GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 10
th-ranked Florida softball team continues non-conference action with a trio of games between Mercer, Friday at 6 p.m., and Indiana, Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m., at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
The Gators (22-4) enter the weekend slate after they claimed their 18
th run-rule of the season with an 11-2 (5 inning) decision against Stetson just yesterday. Senior outfielder
Katie Kistler had a career night at the plate as she set a new career-high in RBI (5) and tied her career-high in runs scored (3) thanks to going 2-for-2 with a home run, a double and walk. Junior
Reagan Walsh also excelled at the plate going 2-for-3 with a pair of home runs, the mark tied her career-high in the category and was her second multi-home run game of the season.
In the circle,
Ava Brown (10-1) earned her 10
th victory of the season after she threw four innings, while fellow freshman
Keagan Rothrock closed out to the final frame of action.
Florida first opponent of the weekend will be Mercer (9-12). UF will be the Bears second ranked opponent of the year as they faced then-ranked No. 10 Clemson last weekend at the Tiger Invitational. MU fell 7-2 in the contest held a McWhorter Stadium and were recently defeated by Kennesaw State last night on the road 6-4.
The Bears offense enters the weekend with a .274 batting average with four batters in the lineup hitting over .300. Alyssa Woods leads the way with a .342 average, while she's accompanied by Tori Hedgecock (.333 BA), Emma Dorval (.327) and Kassidy Moore (.310). MU has a total of 21 home runs on the season as well with Hedgecock sporting 10 alone, while Moore and Avery Barton each have five.
The inning pitched are almost evenly distributed between four Mercer pitchers as Gabby Ellis (2.06 ERA – 34.0 IP), Grace Taylor (3.24 ERA – 45.1 IP), Grace Roark (3.55 ERA – 25.2 IP) and Hannah Pitts (6.04 ERA – 24.1 IP) have carried the load. The staff as a whole has struck out 77 and walked 55 batters, while allowing a .275 opposing batting average.
The Hoosiers (20-4) have been impressive this season and the Gators will be their fifth ranked opponent of the season. The opened up the 2024 season with a win over then ranked No. 15 Oregon, 7-5, but have lost to then-ranked No. 5 Clemson, 3-2, and No. 17 Arizona, 6-3 and 10-9 (14 innings) by the narrowest of margins.
Their offense is hitting .326 at the plate with seven batters in their lineup over the .340 mark. Leading the way is .400-plus hitter Aly VanBrandt (.438 BA), followed by Cora Bassett (.382 BA) and Brianna Copeland (.380 BA).
Indiana is also impressive in the circle this season as their staff holds a 1.49 ERA with one of the best pitchers in the country in Sophie Kleiman (0.68 ERA – 51.1 IP). Copeland doesn't just get things done at the plate for Indiana as she holds the most innings pitched (67.2 IP) and leads the staff in strikeouts (80), while having just a 1.24 ERA.
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| Date |
Home |
Away |
Stats |
Audio |
Video |
| March 15 |
Indiana |
Mercer |
Link |
N/A |
N/A |
| March 15 |
Florida |
Mercer |
Link |
Link |
N/A |
| March 16 |
Mercer |
Indiana |
Link |
N/A |
N/A |
| March 16 |
Florida |
Indiana |
Link |
Link |
Link |
| March 17 |
Florida |
Indiana |
Link |
Link |
Link |
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