Delanie Gourley must have felt right at home pitching against the second-best team in the nation – because she was home.
The sophomore from Lakeside, California, tossed a complete-game shutout as No. 1 Florida blanked No. 2 Oregon 3-0 in San Diego on Friday. The Gators also defeated Cal Poly 6-1 to sweep the doubleheader and improve to 19-0.
Pitching in San Diego, which sits about 30 minutes from her hometown, Gourley’s nerves must have been settled, if she had any. She allowed only two hits and struck out eight en route to her fifth win this season.
“She was really good,” coach Tim Walton said in a release. “Having her come home and pitch a game against a ranked opponent – nonetheless a ranked opponent in the top-five – she really had good stuff today.”
Florida plated its first run after Kelsey Stewart doubled in the bottom of the third inning and later scored on a wild pitch from Oregon pitcher Cheridan Hawkins.
Meanwhile, Gourley was on cruise control in the circle and didn’t allow a hit until two outs in the top of the fifth inning when Oregon left fielder Koral Costa doubled down the right-field line.
The Gators tacked on two more runs to pad their lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Senior Bailey Castro singled home Jessica Damico from second and later in the inning, sophomore Justine McLean scored from third on a throwing error.
In the second game of the doubleheader against Cal Poly, the Mustangs couldn’t contain Florida third baseman Taylore Fuller.
After taking a 1-0 lead off a Kelsey Stewart RBI single in the top of the third inning, Fuller broke open the game the next inning.
Following back-to-back singles from Lauren Haeger and Castro, Fuller blasted a three-run home run that gave UF a 4-0 lead. The dinger was Fuller’s fourth of the season.
But Fuller was hungry for more.
In the fifth inning, the Trenton, Florida, native smashed another home run, this time a two-run shot that bumped the score to 6-1. The junior finished 2-4 with two home runs and five RBIs, both career highs.
“She’s hot and cold,” Walton said. “Just when you think you’ve got her and she pops one up in her first at-bat, she comes back with a three-run homer.”
Cal Poly’s only run came in the bottom of the fourth inning when freshman Stephanie Heyward doubled off Haeger down the right field line.
Haeger, who started the game in the circle, finished with one earned run, three hits and six strikeouts through four innings as she improved to 9-0.
Freshman Aleshia Ocasio polished off the Mustangs and earned her second save of the season, allowing zero runs and one hit through her three innings of work.
The Gators will next play UC Davis Saturday at noon.
Follow Patrick Pinak on Twitter @Pinakk12
The Gators began their championship run with a bang after Delanie Gourley no-hit the Rattlers in the opening game of the NCAA Regionals.
In a shortened five-inning contest (UF run ruled FAMU 8-0), Gourley struck out seven and only surrendered one walk.
She recorded Florida’s 15th no-hitter in program history and the first ever during the postseason.
