The ball exploded off the bat of UF third baseman Nicole DeWitt in the bottom of the fifth inning with runners on first and second.
It soared over the head of South Florida center fielder AnaMarie Bruni, who tracked it all the way back until it disappeared over the wall.
Game over.
Already with a commanding lead, DeWitt’s home run thrusted the No. 6 Gators softball team (24-3, 4-2 SEC) to a 9-0 mercy-rule victory over the South Florida Bulls (22-13) at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium on Wednesday night.
The win kicked off a 10-game homestand, and the performance of pitcher Kelly Barnhill paced the Gators once again.
The junior phenom tossed her fifth individual no-hitter this season. She only walked two batters and cruised through USF’s lineup with an efficient 12 strikeouts on 71 pitches.
Barnhill’s dominance has been so consistent that it has become UF’s new normal.
“I honestly didn’t even know it was a no-hitter,” DeWitt said. “She’s been working really hard. So I’m just happy for her.”
Florida’s offense navigated its way through South Florida’s pitching with patience at the plate, drawing six walks and three hit-by-pitches and recording six hits.
Fittingly, a leadoff walk by left fielder Amanda Lorenz started the game for UF, which entered the contest tied for the second-highest team walk total in the nation (128).
Two batters later, first baseman Kayli Kvistad roped a triple down the right-field line, scoring Lorenz from first. Designated player Jordan Matthews followed the senior by driving her in on a groundout and giving UF a quick two-run lead.
Kvistad also tacked on a run in the bottom of the second. With two outs and runners on first and second, she clipped one of pitcher Hannah Parker’s rise balls just enough to draw a high pop-up, which found a gap between the Bulls’ second baseman and right fielder. Shortstop Sophia Reynoso scored from second, but Kvistad was thrown out trying to turn her single into a double.
Florida also left three runners on base in the bottom of the fourth inning, but not before it recorded three more runs.
With two runners in scoring position, Lorenz kept a low line drive just inside the right field line and increased the lead to 5-0. Later in the inning, pinch hitter Jordan Roberts gave UF its sixth run after reaching on a fielder’s choice with one out and the bases loaded.
The victory is a vital bounce back after the Gators suffered two losses at the hands of rival Georgia. It also provides some much-needed momentum heading into the weekend series against conference foe Texas A&M, which begins Saturday at 5 p.m.
“I just told my team today that we’re going to get prepared for Texas A&M, but I want the Gators to get prepared for the Gators,” UF coach Tim Walton said. “And if we can be the best ‘we’ we can be, we’re tough to beat, I don’t care what the other team’s name is.”
Follow Mark Stine on Twitter @mstinejr and contact him at mstine@alligator.org.
Junior Kelly Barnhill needed just 71 pitches to toss her fifth no-hitter this season.
