It’s been a long and decorated career for Lauren Haeger.
And now she can add the biggest accolade of her career to her name.
Haeger hit a grand slam in the top of the first in the first game of a doubleheader against the Georgia Bulldogs.
But it wasn’t just another home run for Haeger. The senior’s home run was the 66th of her career, which set the Gators program record and the Southeastern Conference mark previously held by Megan Bush.
“To reflect on her whole career first, I think she’s been a very consistent and steady with home runs [and] RBI,” coach Tim Walton said in a release. “She’s been a big hitter for us.”
But while the senior set the program record for home runs, it was a freshman’s grand slam that pushed the Gators over the top in game one.
No. 2 Florida (43-4, 13-4 SEC) beat No. 11 Georgia (35-13, 11-10 SEC) 8-4 behind Nicole DeWitt’s grand slam in the top of the seventh inning.
UF went on to sweep its doubleheader as they beat the Bulldogs 4-3 in Game 2.
In the first game, Florida took an early 4-0 lead in the first inning after Haeger’s grand slam, but after that Bulldogs starting pitcher Brittany Gray settled down and retired the next 12 Gators in a row.
Georgia answered with three runs in the bottom of the first after a Tina Iosefa three-run home run.
The Bulldogs tied the game at four after a solo home run Alex Hugo in the bottom of the third.
It became a pitcher’s duel after that as no runs were scored until DeWitt’s grand slam. DeWitt had a walk off home run taken away from her earlier in the season against Michigan.
This time though, her grand slam wouldn’t be taken away and it became the difference in the first game.
Haeger battled against UGA and was able to pick up her 20th win of the season in the as she’s now 20-0 with a 1.20 ERA.
In the second game of the doubleheader, the start for Florida was very much the same.
Bailey Castro, who was dealing with flu like symptoms the past week, hit a three run home run in the first inning.
However, Georgia starting pitcher Chelsea Wilkinson didn’t do allow the Gators to do much of anything the rest of the way as Florida added an RBI groundout by Briana Little in the top of the seventh.
UF starting pitcher Aleshia Ocasio cruised through most of the game until the bottom of the seventh.
Hugo led off with a solo home run, her third of the day. Iosefa ended Ocasio’s day in the circle as she went back-to-back with Hugo to bring the Bulldogs within one run.
Walton brought in Delanie Gourley who proceeded to strikeout the three batters she faced to end the game.
“As bad as we’ve been in relief, she’s been outstanding,” Walton said. “I think that for her to be able to change the momentum of that game ––Lele (Ocasio) gave us everything she had, and give Georgia credit.”
Florida will look to sweep its third consecutive SEC series, as they will finish its series against Georgia tomorrow.
“For us, it’s about being able to be a little bit more productive offensively,” Walton said. I’d like to see us come out and be more consistent, but still productive.”
Follow Luis Torres on Twitter @LFTorresIII
UF's Lauren Haeger bats during Florida's 2-1 win against UNF on April 1, 2015, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
