UF Softball: No. 7 Gators Split With No. 16 Arizona State & No. 1 UCLA
Photo by Nick Allen
Courtesy of UF Athletic Association
No.7 Florida split a pair of top 25 contests on its second day at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with a thrilling 4-1 victory over No. 16 Arizona State and extra-innings defeat, 5-4, to No. 1 UCLA at Big League Dreams Park.
The Gators (15-2) battled with the Sun Devils (12-3) in a scoreless affair until the 5th inning of play before the offense erupted to score four runs on six hits in the final three frames. Senior Kendyl Lindaman went 2-for-3 at the plate to extend her hit-streak out to 15 games.
Junior Natalie Lugo started in the circle against ASU and hurled 4.2 innings, before she gave way to freshman Rylee Trlicek with runners on first and second with two outs. Despite a run scoring later in the frame to tie the game 1-1, Trlicek battled to turn in a scoreless 6th inning and saw one batter in the 7th before Lugo returned to notch her fourth save of the season.
Arizona State attempted to mount a rally in the bottom of the 7th inning, but a line drive reeled in by Charla Echols doubled off the Sun Devils and popup on the infield sealed the victory.
In the nightcap against the Bruins (14-0), the Gators stood toe-to-toe with the defending national champions and forced an extra-innings affair in front of a standing room only crowd.
The Gators picked up hits from Baylee Goddard (1-for-2), Jordan Matthews (1-for-3), Sophia Reynoso (1-for-3), and Jaimie Hoover (1-for-3) in effort. Goddard scored two of the Gators four runs and lifted her 3rd home run of the season well over the right field wall in the 3rd inning.
With the score tied 4-4 in the 8th inning, UF was poised to take the lead as Hannah Sipos executed a sacrifice bunt to move Cheyenne Lindsey to third with one out. Roberts followed up with a fly ball to left field and Lindsey was streaking home to break the tie but was out on a perfect throw to the plate.
UCLA countered in the bottom half of the inning with a bunt single to put runners on the corners and eventually scored in the next at-bat on a wild pitch.
Next Up
Florida closes out play at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with an 8:30 a.m. (PT)/11:30 a.m. (ET) contest against Nebraska.