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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Nine-run third inning lifts Florida over Alabama State in NCAA Regional

<p>Nicole DeWitt bats during UF's 2-1 win against UNF on April 1, 2015, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.</p>

Nicole DeWitt bats during UF's 2-1 win against UNF on April 1, 2015, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

Nicole DeWitt’s triple bounced over first base and down the right-field line.

By the time she slid head-first into third, her bases-loaded hit had given Florida a five-run lead over Alabama State.

“I saw the pitch coming and liked what I saw,’ DeWitt said. “I was glad that we were able to put a few runs across afterwards.”

DeWitt’s triple was part of a nine-run rally for UF in the bottom of the third inning.

When the Hornets finally recorded the inning’s final out, fans rose to give Florida’s hitters a standing ovation.

The Gators (54-5) went on to beat the Hornets 11-0 in five innings in the first game of the NCAA Tournament Regional at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

Sophomore Aleshia Ocasio delivered a shutout performance inside the circle, striking out seven in four innings of work.

Alabama State batters had only one hit — an infield single — against the sophomore, who has the lowest ERA in the country.

“Whenever I went up to bat, she did have a lot of movement,” Alabama State’s Charlene Castro said. “She kept the ball low in the zone pretty much the whole time and I think that threw us off.”

Florida’s offense dealt with Maddie Phelps, Alabama State’s winningest pitcher.

Freshman Amanda Lorenz and sophomore Kayli Kvistad strung a couple hits together in the first inning but didn’t do any damage. The Gators didn’t record a hit in the second.

But by the third inning, Florida was tired of taking no runs for an answer.

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Senior Taylore Fuller walked on four pitches, then senior Kelsey Stewart got a grounder to go past the glove of Alabama State’s shortstop, putting runners on first and second.

Next, Lorenz logged the second hit of her first NCAA Tournament, a ground ball through the right side, scoring Fuller from second to put Florida up 1-0.

Then back-to-back walks loaded the bases and gave UF another run.

DeWitt came up to bat and hit an 0-1 pitch up in the zone down the line. The rightfielder bobbled the ball by the foul pole giving DeWitt time to reach third after three teammates scored, giving UF a 5-0 lead.

The next hitter, sophomore Janell Wheaton, drove DeWitt in on a single to right. Ocasio singled to left putting runners on first and second.

The Hornets (28-26) still hadn’t recorded an out.

Later in the inning, Fuller, in her second at bat of the third inning, slapped a double down the leftfield line.

Stewart then hit her second hit of the inning, an RBI-single bringing home to Ocasio.  

After a couple flyouts ended the inning, the Gators had put up seven hits and nine runs in the third.

Wheaton and senior catcher Aubree Munro drove in some insurance runs in the fourth to bring the lead to 11-0.

Freshman Kelly Barnhill came in to close the game in the top of the fifth and struck out the side.

UF will face UCF Saturday at noon.

“Every time we play UCF it’s a low-scoring, close game, so I don’t think there’s going to be any motivational factors needed,” Florida coach Tim Walton said after the game. “We just gotta come out and be ready to go and set the tone right from pitch one.”

Nicole DeWitt bats during UF's 2-1 win against UNF on April 1, 2015, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

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