UF Softball: No. 7 Gators Wrap Up Mary Nutter With Victory Over Nebraska

No.7 Florida concluded its stay at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with a 6-3 victory over Nebraska at Big League Dreams park Sunday morning.

The Gators (16-2) finished the weekend going 4-1 with three wins over top-25 opponents.

Down 1-0 headed into the 3^rd frame of the final game of the Mary Nutter against the Huskers (6-8), the Gators (16-2) rallied to take the lead 2-1. Julia Cottrill provided the spark with her leadoff double down the right field line, and Jaimie Hoover kept it alive with a one-out full-count walk.

Natalie Lugo (6-1) worked out of a one-out jam in the 5^th inning of play. Nebraska produced a triple down the right field line with one out, but Lugo rallied in the circle to strike out the next two batters and preserve a 2-1 lead.

Florida pushed across three more runs in the 5^th inning to take a 5-1 lead. Hannah Adams drew a walk on a 3-1 count to start the frame, and Kendyl Lindaman roped a double down the left field line in the next at-bat to set up Charla Echols’ SAC fly to left field.

Jordan Roberts plated pinch-runner Mia Buffano and Baylee Goddard on a laser double to right-center field. Buffano entered to run for Lindaman, and Goddard reached on a fielding error by the third baseman.

Nebraska closed the lead down to 5-3 on a two-run home run to left field. The Huskers forced Lugo from the circle and prompted the entrance of senior Katie Chronister. Chronister issued a walk to the first batter faced, and the Husker found her way to third, but the Gators ended the threat with a pair of groundouts. Chronister earned her first save of the season.

Cottrill’s day at the plate wasn’t over, as she put a cap on the scoring with her second double of the day. The RBI extra-base knock drove home Goddard, who reached via hit-by-pitch to lead off the frame. Cottrill finished the day 2-for-3 at the plate, with a run scored and an RBI.

Lugo re-entered the game in the bottom of the 7^th to secure the victory for the Gators. She struck out eight, allowing one walk and four hits through 6.0 innings.

Next Up

Florida returns home to Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium for a 12-game home stand that will start with a three-game series, Feb. 28-March 1, against No. 11 Louisiana. The series will be streamed via the SEC Network + and broadcast live on the radio on WGGG (92.1 FM/1230 AM) & WMOP (100.1 FM/900 AM).

Notable Notes:

• Florida improved to 4-1 all-time against Nebraska and has won the last three meetings with the Huskers.
• The Gators wrapped up the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with a 4-1 record that included three wins against Top 25 teams.
  • UF is 3-2 on the season against Top 25 squads.
• Lindaman’s hit streak ended at 15 games against UCLA the prior evening, but she went 2-for-4 against the Huskers.
  • She has recorded a hit in 16 out of the 18 games the Gators have played so far this season.