UF catcher Janell Wheaton was part of a controversial call in the fourth inning that allowed UCLA to card five runs in the frame.
UF catcher Janell Wheaton lifted up her glove with the softball secured.
She just tagged UCLA’s Aaliyah Jordan during a play at home plate with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the fourth. It was close, but replay showed the tag was in time. Unfortunately, umpire Brandon Bluhm gave advantage to the runner, and Jordan cut the Gators’ lead to 4-2.
Four pitches later the Bruins were on top. UCLA catcher Taylor Pack uncorked a belt-high pitch from pitcher Kelly Barnhill just over the left-field wall to put her team up 5-4.
The five-run fourth inning by the Bruins (58-5) was too much for Florida to overcome on Friday night, as it fell 6-5 at the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City. The controversial call at the plate was the turning point in a game that Barnhill and the Gators (56-10) began in dominant fashion.
The UF starter struck out the first eight batters she faced and was boosted with plenty of run support.
Left fielder Amanda Lorenz led off the evening for Florida by getting on base via an error from Bruins shortstop Briana Perez. She would advance to third on a one-out single by first baseman Kayli Kvistad. Then, a wild pitch from National Player of the Year Rachel Garcia brought Lorenz home for the first run of the contest. The junior also drew a walk on the night, bringing her season total to 69. She’s gotten on base in every game in 2018.
The Gators doubled their lead in the bottom of the second after a home run by shortstop Sophia Reynoso, only her second of the season.
Kvistad came back in the next inning and added two more runs on a blast into the left-field stands. The shortstop and the first baseman went a combined 5 for 6 with three RBIs on the game while the rest of the team finished 2-22 with one RBI and 14 strikeouts.
After the fourth-inning five-spot by the Bruins, Garcia kept UF runners out of scoring position for the next two innings.
UCLA added an insurance run in the top of the sixth on a solo homer from center fielder Bubba Nickles.
However, pinch hitter Jordan Roberts cut the UCLA lead in half with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth.
It was her second at-bat of the World Series.
It was also her second home run of the World Series.
Garcia faced Lorenz with two outs and runners on first and third later in the inning, but she induced a ground ball by the left fielder to get out of the jam.
In the top of the seventh, Barnhill struck out her 12th and 13th Bruins of the night in a 1-2-3 inning. Yet, some of the strike calls by Bluhm infuriated UF coach Tim Walton, who was ejected for the remainder of the contest after slipping the home-plate umpire some choice words.
In the seventh, Garcia shut the Gators down. The sophomore struck out the side to end her outing, and UCLA advanced to the semifinals of the WCWS.
Florida will move into elimination play and will await the winner of another elimination matchup between Oklahoma and Arizona State. First pitch is scheduled tonight for 7 ET.
You can follow Mark Stine on Twitter @mstinejr or contact him at mstine@alligator.org.
