Heading into the sixth inning of the second game of a doubleheader, the No. 1 Florida Softball team desperately needed a jolt on offense.
After starting the game up three runs early against Northwestern State, the Lady Demons had clawed their way back into the contest, eventually knotting it up at three apiece.
A response was needed, and quickly. And while no individual Gator made a game-saving play or demolished a ball over the fence, their response as a collective unit made the difference in their 9-3 victory over NSU, as well as against Florida A&M earlier in the day.
“We’ve shown some toughness,” head coach Tim Walton said. “I was happy with the way we’ve responded…now three times, I thought we responded to a little bit of adversity.”
Five singles and four walks helped the Gators (8-0) disassemble the Lady Demons’ (4-3) defense in Florida’s first home stand of the season. Sparked by singles from junior pitcher Aleshia Ocasio and freshman third baseman Jaimie Hoover, Florida was finally able to get on base and play aggressively.
“As a team, we just really came together in the sixth inning and just really started putting the pressure on them,” said junior first baseman Kayli Kvistad, who had two hits and three RBIs in the win.
Prior to that moment, the offense had gone practically stone-cold, not able to get past the pitching of sophomore Katelyn Boles.
Once the Demons tied the game up, coach Walton decided to make a switch and substitute senior ace pitcher Delanie Gourley.
In three innings of work, Gourley gave up only one hit on 54 pitches.
In the first game of the doubleheader between Florida and FAMU, the Rattlers (0-8) kept the matchup competitive throughout but were unable to generate much offense in the 8-1 loss.
Sophomore Kelly Barnhill and freshman Katie Chronister combined for 17 strikeouts while allowing two walks and five hits.
Florida’s offense made the most of its opportunities while creating some for itself as well. The team combined for nine stolen bases and gathered 13 hits.
Junior second baseman Nicole DeWitt had a career day, earning three runs, stealing three bases and hitting a triple in the bottom of the fifth inning. That was the second triple of the Gators’ season.
“You always want to come out hot,” DeWitt said. “It’s just working out for me.”
The Gators showed their defensive mettle late in both contests.
In the final inning of both games, Chronister and Gourley faced only three and four players, respectively, before sealing the win.
“I don’t think we played particularly awesome today,” Walton said. “But a W’s a W this time of year. We’ve got a lot of new looks, a lot of new things going on.”
The Gators continue the Aquafina Invitational Saturday morning when they face winless Maryland at 11:15 a.m., followed by another meeting with Northwestern State at 1:30 p.m.
Contact Skyler Lebron at Slebron@alligator.org or follow him on Twitter @SkylerLebron
Kelly Barnhill pitches during UF's doubleheader sweep of Jacksonville on Feb. 27, 2016, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
