BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – No. 8 Florida routed UAB in game two of the series, 10-0 (6 innings), for its 10
th run-rule victory of the season. UF belted four home runs in the effort and was led by
Charla Echols at the plate, while
Lexie Delbrey hurled a complete-game, one-hit shutout.
The Gators (13-3) scored in the 1
st inning for the 12
th time this season and took an early 1-0 lead over the Blazers (10-9) via Echols RBI single up the middle.
Florida added to its lead and went ahead 2-0 in the top half of the 2
nd inning when freshman
Kaila Pollard belted an RBI double to left center field that scored junior
Katie Kistler from first base. After a scoreless 3
rd inning, UF scored another run in the 4
th inning to go up 3-0 when sophomore
Sam Roe scored on a wild pitch when junior drew a full-count walk.
The Orange & Blue's offense kicked into high-gear in the 5
th and 6
th innings. Echols blasted her first home run of the day to right field in the top of the 5
th inning and junior
Avery Goelz followed up with an RBI double that scored sophomore
Reagan Walsh to push the lead out to 5-0.
The Gators doubled their score total and took a 10-0 lead with a five-run 6
th inning thanks to a trio of home runs by Pollard, Wilkie and Echols. Pollard and Wilkie blasted back-to-back home runs to left field, while Echols drilled a three-run home run to cap the scoring.
In the circle, Delbrey kept the Blazers offense off-balance as she tallied five strikeouts compared to one hit, two walks and a pair of hit batters, which occurred in the 1
st inning.
The Gators and the Blazers will close out the three-game series Sunday at 11 a.m. (ET) with the broadcast being stream on ESPN+.
Notables:
- Florida has now outscored opponents 148-39 on the season and turned in 10 run-rule victories in 16 games played.
- Today was also the seventh shutout of the year.
- Charla Echols tied her career-high in home runs (2) and RBI (5) in the win today.
- The pair of home runs was also the fourth multi-home run game of her career and the first since April 4, 2021 when she hit two against Georgia.
- The Gators hit four home runs in today's game, which is the 27th time in program history that the team has hit four in a game.
- It's also the first time since Feb. 9, 2020 when the program hit four against Georgia State.
- Freshman Kaila Pollard and junior Emily Wilkie both celebrated their birthdays today with hitting back-to-back home runs in the 6th inning against UAB.
- Sophomore Lexie Delbrey hurled a complete-game one-hitter which was her first of the season and the third of her career.
- Overall, it's the third one-hitter of the season for Florida and the 84th complete-game one-hitter in program history.
- Delbrey has not allowed an earned run through her three appearances and 12 innings of work in the circle.
- Skylar Wallace went 1-for-4 at the plate which extended her hit-streak to a career-long 10 games.
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