Gripping her bat tightly in the bottom of the first, Florida catcher Janell Wheaton patiently waited on a pitch from Texas A&M’s Samantha Show.
Wheaton brought her bat back just a tad before dropping her left shoulder. Next, she whipped her bat through the ball, sending it deep over the wall in left field.
Wheaton’s two-run shot to left field was the only home run hit by the Gators (25-3, 5-2 SEC) on Saturday night, but it helped them secure a 6-1 victory over the Aggies (29-5, 3-1 SEC) in the first of a three-game series at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
“I like first inning runs, that’s for sure,” UF coach Tim Walton said.
Pitcher Kelly Barnhill recorded her 13th win of the season with 111 pitches against Texas A&M. Barnhill only allowed two hits and struck out 12 batters.
Her sole blemish came in the top of the seventh inning when Texas A&M’s Sarah Hudek sent a solo homer to center field.
“(Barnhill) doesn’t try to overcoach herself. She doesn’t try to overtalk to herself. She doesn’t try to overdo it,” Walton said. “She just goes out and trusts her stuff.”
Florida left fielder Amanda Lorenz was a defensive standout on Saturday night, making two diving plays in the outfield.
In the top of the fifth, Lorenz dove toward the foul line, barely missing a catch as the ball landed in front of her glove. Her quick efforts, however, limited the Aggies baserunner from going further than first base.
Lorenz’s second diving play of the night came in the top of the seventh. She sprinted forward about 10 feet to make the catch, extending her right hand out and watching the ball find the palm of her glove as she skidded across the grass.
“This year I’ve been working a lot harder with (assistant coach Aric Thomas) just on first steps and reads and stuff like that,” she said. “I think that’s just why I’ve been a lot quicker and finally settling into left field.”
The Gators will face off against the Aggies again Sunday evening at 7 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium for Game 2 of the series.
Follow Mari Faiello on Twitter @faiello_mari, and contact her at mfaiello@alligator.com.
UF pitcher Kelly Barnhill recorded her 13th win of the season with 111 pitches against Texas A&M, allowing only two hits while striking out 12 batters. "She doesn’t try to overtalk to herself. She doesn’t try to overdo it,” Walton said.
