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<p>Coach Tim Walton walks back to the dugout during Florida's 1-0 win over Florida Atlantic on May 17, 2015, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.</p>

Coach Tim Walton walks back to the dugout during Florida's 1-0 win over Florida Atlantic on May 17, 2015, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

The last time the Gators faced Maryland was in 2014.

Back then, Florida routed the Terrapins 16-0 in five innings.

Today was a much different story.

It was Maryland (1-8) that handed No. 1 ranked Florida (9-1) its first loss of the season by a score of 4-2.

“They out pitched us, they out base ran us and they out played us,” coach Tim Walton said. “They beat us. We didn’t make any mistakes. We just couldn’t get a hit when we needed it, and I thought they did.”

Although it was the Gators who went up quick, scoring two runs in the first inning, Maryland responded with three runs in the fourth and another in the fifth.

Florida was able to get on base, but unable to capitalize with runners in scoring position. In the bottom of the sixth, Florida had loaded up the bases with one out.

But a rain delay paused the game for nearly 90 minutes, and when play was resumed, neither junior Janell Wheaton nor senior Chelsea Herndon were able to make a play at bat.

And then in the seventh inning, it was junior Aleshia Ocasio who couldn’t get on base with two runners in scoring position. Florida had six total hits in the game.

Senior Delanie Gourley allowed nine hits, the most she’s allowed in a game all season.

After the loss, Florida immediately prepared for the next game against Northwestern State.

How did the team respond after losing against a previously winless team?

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With dominance, as Florida, which faced Northwestern State Friday night, won 10-0 in five innings.

A single by junior Kayli Kvistad set the tone early in the first inning, quickly putting the Gators up 1-0.

After another run in the second and three more in the fourth, Florida scored five runs in the final inning of the game. It was led by freshman Jordan Roberts, who hit a two run homer, followed with an RBI single by redshirt freshman Sophia Reynoso.

Reynoso ended the game with three hits that balanced big catches at short stop.

“After the first game I know we just wanted to brush it off and get back to doing what we do, and that’s playing hard and getting hits and making plays and I think we did a good job of that as a team,” Reynoso said.

Sophomore Kelly Barnhill earned her fourth win and second one-hitter of the season.

“We really just went after it,” Barnhill said. “Making clean plays and just going after batters.”

It was the kind of response Walton wanted to see after the loss.

“You’re going to have some setbacks, you’re not always going to be your best,” Walton said. “You’re going to have to do a good job of responding and coming back and I thought we did that.”

Florida’s final game in the Aquafina Invitational is tomorrow at 11:15 a.m. against FIU.

Contact Cassie Amundson at camundson@alligator.org or follow her on Twitter @camundson_

Coach Tim Walton walks back to the dugout during Florida's 1-0 win over Florida Atlantic on May 17, 2015, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

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