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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Lorenz gets her birthday wish as Florida softball defeats FSU at home

<p>It was left fielder Amanda Lorenz's birthday on Wednesday. She went 2 for 3 and scored a run in UF's 5-1 win over Florida State. </p>

It was left fielder Amanda Lorenz's birthday on Wednesday. She went 2 for 3 and scored a run in UF's 5-1 win over Florida State. 

When junior left fielder Amanda Lorenz woke up this morning she had one wish for her birthday: a win against Florida State.

After going scoreless for over half the game, the Gators finally got on the board in the sixth inning when senior third baseman Nicole DeWitt sent a line drive to center field toward Florida State’s Morgan Klaevemann, while Lorenz stood at second.

As the center fielder tried to track the ball down, she dove at it, hoping the yellow sphere would find the web of her glove. But it didn’t.

Instead, Klaevemann missed the ball entirely, which gave Lorenz enough time to round third base and make it home, scoring the first run of the night for Florida softball.

She got her wish.

No. 5 Florida (42-7) defeated No. 8 Florida State Wednesday night at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium, 5-1.

“(It was) a good birthday as long as we won,” Lorenz said. “Two hits…that’s the icing on the cake.”

Lorenz finished the night going 2 for 3 at the plate with one strikeout in addition to two singles smacked up the middle.

“I think she has come into her own,” coach Tim Walton said. “She’s one of the best and most-feared hitters in the country and she has the ability to win the game all by herself… She showed that today.”

It took awhile for the Gators to find their rhythm, but once they did, the Seminoles (39-9) struggled to stop them.

In addition to DeWitt’s RBI, senior catcher Janell Wheaton singled through the left side with the bases loaded giving the third baseman enough time to score the second run of the night for the Gators.

It was around that time that Lorenz and sophomore catcher Jordan Roberts started leading Orange and Blue chants from the left field dugout. The chants echoed throughout the stadium.

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“They (the fans) get really, really excited for this game,” Lorenz said. “I think that’s really awesome to get so much fan engagement during the Florida State games.”

The Seminoles tried to change things up on the mound when sophomore Cassidy Davis came in to relieve starting pitcher Meghan King after the two runs scored in the bottom of the sixth, but couldn’t stop the bleeding.

Redshirt sophomore shortstop Sophia Reynoso stepped into the batter’s box to take her second at-bat of the game and sent the ball just inside the left field line.

The softball made its way toward the back wall as chaos ensued on the field for FSU as not one, not two, but three Gators made their way around the diamond, bringing the score to 5-0.

Davis closed out the sixth inning with a strikeout against Jaimie Hoover, ending Florida’s scoring for the night.

Florida State’s Jessie Warren answered in the top of the seventh, sending a solo home run toward center field and scoring the only run of the night for the Seminoles.

Junior pitcher Kelly Barnhill remained composed on the mound as she struck out the next three batters and brought the midweek matchup to a close.

The stadium erupted in excitement as the Gators ended their two-game losing streak against the Seminoles.  

Barnhill finished the night with 10 strikeouts, only allowing two hits and the single run on 98 pitches.

Up next, the Gators will take on a home series against the LSU Tigers. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Friday.

“The best part about playing in the SEC is each weekend we can never take a weekend off,” Lorenz said. “There’s always somebody.”

 

You can follow Mari Faiello on Twitter @faiello_mari or contact her at mfaiello@alligator.org. 

It was left fielder Amanda Lorenz's birthday on Wednesday. She went 2 for 3 and scored a run in UF's 5-1 win over Florida State. 

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