Missouri’s fences couldn’t contain Bailey Castro.
Castro lined a two-run home run into the left field bleachers in the third inning that gave the Gators a 5-1 lead against Missouri.
Two innings later, the senior cranked a solo homer to left to seize a 7-1 Florida lead.
Castro’s output helped the No. 1 Gators (49-4, 18-4 Southeastern Conference) down the No. 11 Tigers (37-13, 13-10 SEC) 9-6 and clinch the series Saturday in Columbia, Missouri.
Castro finished the game 2-for-3 with two runs scored and four RBI. The Pembroke Pines native’s 16 home runs this season now leads the team.
“That’s who I recruited,” coach Tim Walton said in a release. “I recruited a ferocious home-run hitter, and she’s growing into that role now.”
Taylore Fuller opened the scoring for Florida in the second inning with a solo home run to left field, her 11th of the season. The 11 blasts set a career best for the Trenton, Florida, native after she hit 10 in 2014.
Missouri answered back with an RBI single up the middle from Angela Randazzo in the bottom of the second to tie the game 1-1.
UF scored four runs in the third inning when Kelsey Stewart scored from third base on a wild pitch, Kirsti Merritt doubled home Lauren Haeger and Castro belted the two-run homer.
Merritt increased the Gators’ lead to 6-1 in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly ball that scored Stewart from third. Then Castro tacked on a run in the fifth inning with the solo home run.
Florida took a 9-1 lead in the sixth when Missouri pitcher Cheyenne Baxter loaded the bases on three straight walks before Castro and Chelsea Herndon drew bases-loaded walks.
Looking to close the game out in the bottom of the sixth, UF pitcher Aleshia Ocasio surrendered a three-run homer off the bat of Amanda Sanchez.
Down 9-4, the Tigers scored two more runs in the seventh inning on a solo home run and an RBI single to cut the score to 9-6, but they couldn’t complete the comeback.
Delanie Gourley relieved Ocasio of the last out in the seventh inning and earned her fourth save of the season.
Ocasio allowed six earned runs on eight hits in 6.2 innings of work. Despite the shaky start, the freshman earned the win and improved to 16-3 on the season.
The Gators will look to sweep the series and win their 18th straight game Sunday at 1 p.m.
Follow Patrick Pinak on Twitter @Pinakk12
Bailey Castro bats during UF's win against UNF on April 1 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
