Lauren Haeger’s perfect season looked like it was in jeopardy Friday night.
Haeger coughed up a 1-0 lead after surrendering a two-run home run to Texas A&M’s Tori Vidales in the top of the fourth inning.
But with some help from Kelsey Stewart and the offense, Haeger rebounded and went the distance as the top-ranked Gators (45-4, 14-4 Southeastern Conference) defeated the No. 25 Aggies (34-15, 9-10 SEC) 7-3 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Haeger improved to 22-0 in the circle this season after allowing three earned runs and striking out six through seven innings.
“That’s probably one of the worst games she’s thrown in a while,” coach Tim Walton said. “But at the end of the day, [she] made her pitches when she had to.”
Florida made good use of the opposite field to take an early 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Stewart doubled down the left field line to lead off and later scored from third when Kirsti Merritt lofted a single to right field.
Stewart finished the game 4-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. The Wichita, Kansas, native is now 13-for-15 in her career against Texas A&M.
Stewart also extended her hitting streak to 16 games and is hitting .449 on the season and .554 in SEC play.
“[When] she gets on, we usually score,” Haeger said. “That’s Kelsey Stewart.”
After not producing a hit in the first three innings, the Aggies figured Haeger out and took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning.
April Ryan led off with a single to left and scored on Vidales’ home run, her 16th of the season.
But the Gators responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Florida loaded the bases on two singles and a throwing error on a bunt from TAMU catcher Ashley Walters. Then Stewart drove in a run with an infield single to the second baseman before Nicole DeWitt knocked one in on a fielder’s choice ground ball.
UF scored its third run of the inning on a double steal of second and home from DeWitt and Justine McLean.
“Our team is really fast, and I don’t really think people see us as a fast team,” Stewart said. “Don’t sleep on us.”
Bailey Castro pushed Florida’s lead to 5-2 in the fifth inning when she sailed a home run over the scoreboard in left-center field.
In the top of the sixth, the Aggies cut UF’s lead to 5-3 when Haeger was knocked around for three hits and walked in a run with the bases loaded.
But yet again, the Gators roared back.
Florida tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth when Stewart scored from second on a Merritt sacrifice bunt and Castro plated a run with an infield single.
The Gators and Aggies will face off for game two of the series Saturday at 1 p.m.
Follow Patrick Pinak on Twitter @Pinakk12
UF's Lauren Haeger pitches during Florida's 5-0 win against Florida State on April 22, 2015, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
