Kirsti Merritt touched a base for every year she has been a Gator.
Her second home run in two days, the senior’s two-run shot capped a four-run rally for the newly crowned Southeastern Conference regular-season champs in the bottom of the third inning against Arkansas Saturday.
"Today was really emotional,” she said in a release. “Almost indescribable.”
No. 1 Florida (51-4, 19-4 SEC) rolled over the Razorbacks (17-38, 1-22 SEC) for the 23rd-straight time to the tune of a 5-0 victory.
It was Senior Day, and while Florida honored its five seniors, the whole team played with the poise and presence of a tested title-contender.
Tenacity took the form of Delanie Gourley in the pitcher’s circle.
The junior dazzled 1,679 sets of eyes at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium with one of the best performances of her collegiate career: a two-hit complete game, striking out a career-high 16 of 23 Arkansas batters.
Gourley struck out eight Razorbacks in the first three innings before Florida jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third.
Senior Kelsey Stewart began with a one-out single to extend a 10-game hitting streak. Freshman Amanda Lorenz followed suit. With runners on second and third, sophomore Kayli Kvistad collected her team-leading 59th and 60th RBIs of the year on a base hit up the middle, driving in both runners.
Then, Merritt, with an 0-2 count, turned and pulled her 36th-career home run, seventh most in school history, over the left-field fence to put UF up 4-0.
Florida would tack on another run for good measure in the bottom of the sixth after a leadoff single by sophomore Nicole Dewitt. Senior Aubree Munro’s sacrifice bunt sent DeWitt to second, and the sophomore swiped third after a wild pitch.
With a 2-2 count and one out, junior Justine McLean drove in her teammate on a single to center field, putting Florida up 5-0 for good.
Coach Tim Walton pulled the seniors out before the start of the seventh inning.
“This whole day has been a rollercoaster of emotions,” Munro said in a release. “When each of us seniors started to get called off the field, it was almost like, 'Coach, you can't be pulling everyone off the field already, it's not over yet.'"
Gourley assuaged her teammate’s doubts, striking out all three Razorbacks to retire the side and seal a Senior Day triumph.
“Today was very fitting,” Stewart said in a release. “After clinching the SEC yesterday, we were able to come out today relaxed and have fun while enjoying the day.
“For us to be able to come out today and alongside each other, these coaches, our teammates, and bring these fans an SEC Championship, it was great."
Florida will wrap up the series with its final regular-season home game Sunday, starting at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
UF's Kirsti Merritt crosses home plate to score the lone run of the game in the eighth inning of Florida softball's 1-0 win against Florida Atlantic during the NCAA Regional finals on May 17, 2015, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
