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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Florida’s softball team finishes weekend against non-conference opponents with four wins

<p>Freshman Natalie Lugo logged her first career start Saturday against Hampton. </p>

Freshman Natalie Lugo logged her first career start Saturday against Hampton. 

Split-second decisions can make the difference in any kind of outcome.

And for shortstop Sophia Reynoso, it was exactly that kind of decision that helped seal one of Florida’s three wins on Saturday.

As the Gators were finishing up their last matchup of the day against Jacksonville, Reynoso found herself on second base in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Center fielder Alex Voss was at the plate and singled up the middle, allowing Reynoso enough time to make it safely to third. Then, she decided to chance a dash to home.

“I had a doubt, but there was no going back,” Reynoso said. “I wasn’t nervous.”

As Reynoso sprinted toward the plate, Dolphins outfielder Allie McCourt overthrew the ball to catcher Kamille Larrabee.

Larrabee struggled to get the ball back in control as Reynoso was only a few feet away from home.

The two met in diving efforts at the plate, but the umpire ruled Reynoso was safe. Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium erupted in excitement as Florida took a 3-0 lead.

The No. 4 Gators (32-4) logged three wins on Saturday, defeating Hampton (13-17) in a 7-0 shutout, Jacksonville (20-15) in a 2-1 victory and the Dolphins again in another 4-0 victory.

In the Gators’ first matchup of the day against the Pirates, freshman pitcher Natalie Lugo recorded her first collegiate start.

Lugo finished the contest only allowing three hits and no walks. On 103 pitches, she recorded 11 strikeouts

Florida then picked up from where it left off in Friday’s postponed matchup against the Dolphins in the top of the fifth.

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Senior Aleshia Ocasio relieved pitcher Kelly Barnhill at the very beginning of Saturday’s contest and finished the first half of the fifth inning in a quick fashion leading into back-to-back groundouts for the Dolphins’ offense.

First baseman Kayli Kvistad broke a 1-1 tie and sealed the win for the Gators in the bottom of the fifth. Kvistad sent a line drive to right field allowing enough time for outfielder Amanda Lorenz to round third base and score.

The Dolphins didn’t respond for the rest of the contest.

In the top of the sixth, with just one out on the board, Jacksonville outfielder Danielle Baker smacked the ball toward Ocasio, who turned around to start a 1-6-3 double play.

The Dolphins continued to struggle getting on the board in their second matchup against the Gators. Florida broke out to an early lead by the end of the first inning after scoring twice off RBIs from catcher Janell Wheaton and designated player Jordan Matthews.

However, things got tenser in the bottom of the fifth.

As freshman Hannah Adams was rounding third base following a single from Kvistad, JU’s Jordan Daniels bumped into her, causing her to stop midway between third base and home, crouching down and balancing herself on the palms of her hands and tips of her toes.

The umpire awarded her the run and called interference on the play bringing the Gators up 4-0.

“Very odd looking when you send someone to the plate who is going to be safe and next thing you know she’s stopping halfway,” Walton said. “Definitely a scary little moment.”

Barnhill notched her 15th win of the season and recorded 13 strikeouts during the contest. The junior only allowed one hit on 91 pitches.

Florida’s next matchup will be against UCF on Wednesday at 6 p.m. It will mark the first of five away games scheduled within a week’s time.

Follow Mari Faiello on Twitter @faiello_mari and contact him at mfaiello@alligator.org.

Freshman Natalie Lugo logged her first career start Saturday against Hampton. 

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