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Friday, March 29, 2024
<p>Amanda Lorenz prepares to hit a ball during Florida's doubleheader sweep of Jacksonville at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.</p>

Amanda Lorenz prepares to hit a ball during Florida's doubleheader sweep of Jacksonville at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

When Amanda Lorenz stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning, only one thing mattered.

It wasn’t that South Florida hadn’t given up a run in 42 innings, or that the Gators hadn’t recorded a hit since the first inning.

It was a fastball, left out over the middle of the plate.

The lefty freshman stepped into the pitch and sent a line drive over the left-center field fence to give Florida the 1-0 lead.

“I was looking for something over the plate with a 3-1 count, and it looked like (a pitch) I could do something with,” Lorenz said.

The No. 1 Gators never relinquished that edge as they went on to beat the No. 23 Bulls 3-0 Wednesday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

Florida’s (42-3) three-pronged pitching attack was in full effect, as each UF hurler took part in the shutout.

Both teams looked primed to score early.

Undefeated freshman Kelly Barnhill started in the circle for Florida, but after a walk, a strikeout, a fielder’s choice and an error from shortstop Kelsey Stewart, USF (39-11) had the bases loaded just four batters into the game.

But Barnhill bared down.

The freshman struck out opposing pitcher Erica Nunn and escaped the inning after Taylore Fuller stepped on third base for the force out on a ground ball.

Florida threatened back in the bottom of the first.

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Kelsey Stewart kick-started UF’s offense with a leadoff infield hit to second. She stole second and slipped to third on a throwing error from USF catcher Lee Ann Spivey.

Two walks and two strikeouts later, Florida had all its ducks in a row. But a flyout off the bat of Janell Wheaton ended UF’s hopes of scoring in the first.

On the other side of the diamond, Barnhill kept the Bulls at bay, giving up just one more hit before being taken out by coach Tim Walton before the fourth inning.

Sophomore Aleshia Ocasio took her place in the circle, and gave up two singles to her first three batters. But the nation’s ERA leader kept her poise, getting a pop out and a strikeout to retire the side.

Florida’s offense started to spark in the bottom of the fifth.

With one out, Lorenz launched her opposite-field home run right below the scoreboard. The solo shot was her fifth home run of the season and third in April.

“I’ve just been hitting a lot, working harder, trying to feel good,” Lorenz said. “I think I just try to hit a good pitch when I’m up there.

“Sometimes they go out, sometimes they don’t. I’m normally not really a big home run hitter.”

The round-tripper put Florida up 1-0 and the Bulls on their heels.

“I’m very happy with Amanda,” coach Walton said. “I mean her work ethic, it fits in very well around here, and her desire to be successful is second to none.”

Sophomore Kayli Kvistad piled on after reaching on an infield single that deflected off Nunn’s glove.

Senior Kirsti Merritt took the plate next, and singled to left to put runners on first and second.

Nicole DeWitt capitalized for Florida. With the outfield playing in, she hit a line drive into the left-center gap, sending USF’s outfielders to the fence and both Gator runners to the plate.

Florida took a 3-0 lead on DeWitt’s fourth double of the year and never looked back.

The Bulls went three up, three down in the bottom of the fifth. And Walton put junior Delanie Gourley in the pitcher’s circle to close out the seventh.

The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week gave up a walk but got two strikeouts and a groundout to wrap up the game.

“We figured we were going to be able to try throw all three pitchers before the game,” coach Walton said. “I thought Kelly did a good job. I thought Aleshia did a really good job grabbing the momentum for us. And then (it was) just time to change it up and let Delanie get her inning, get ready and get sharpened up for the weekend.”

Florida will face Mississippi State for a three-game series in Gainesville beginning 6 p.m. Friday.

Amanda Lorenz prepares to hit a ball during Florida's doubleheader sweep of Jacksonville at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

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