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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Florida claims second win against Missouri behind Barnhill’s 12 strikeouts

<p>Kelly Barnhill pitches during UF's doubleheader sweep of Jacksonville on Feb. 27, 2016, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.</p>

Kelly Barnhill pitches during UF's doubleheader sweep of Jacksonville on Feb. 27, 2016, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

In the bottom of the first inning, freshman third baseman Jaimie Hoover hit a ball straight to Missouri shortstop Braxton Burnside.

Although Hoover was thrown out, she brought home sophomore Amanda Lorenz. It was her twenty-sixth RBI in the 23 games the Gators have played this season.

And although that was the game’s only run, it was enough for the Gators, as Florida (22-1) took another win against Missouri in its opening weekend of SEC play by a score of 1-0.

No. 3 Florida now holds a 9-4 edge all-time over the Tigers, and it will look for the sweep when it faces No. 24 Missouri in the final game of the series.

Two hits from Lorenz marked 24 hits for her on the season. Senior Justine McLean, redshirt freshman Sophia Reynoso and junior Kayli Kvistad all hit a single in the game, but Florida was only able to capitalize in the first inning. A total of five hits were recorded by the Gators, with five runners being left on base.

In the top of the sixth inning, Missouri pinch runner Gabby Garrison tried to steal second in an attempt to put herself in scoring position and tie the game. But she was not quick enough for junior catcher Janell Wheaton, who threw her out at second base to end the inning.

Sophomore pitcher Kelly Barnhill did not give Missouri another chance to tie the game, striking out two and forcing a pop-out in the final inning.

In her first game since allowing four runs against Northwestern in the Judi Garman Classic, Barnhill struck out a total of 12 Tigers in the victory and allowed three hits.

Going into Sunday’s game, Barnhill boasted an ERA of 0.28, and her performance marked the 12th time this season she has allowed two earned runs or less.

Florida’s weekend performance comes as a response to its finish at the Judi Garman Classic played last weekend.

Florida went 5-0 in the tournament, and the Gators won their first three games against Iowa, Long Beach State and No. 23 California by a combined score of 29-0. But in their final two games out in Fullerton, California, Florida allowed both then-No. 7 UCLA and Northwestern to score four runs, something uncharacteristic to its defense.

The only other game in which the Gators allowed four runs was in their lone loss of the season to Maryland.

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Florida will be looking to continue the tough defense it has displayed this weekend, as Missouri faces the possibility of recording no runs in three games against the Gators. The final game of the series will begin tonight at 7 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

Contact Cassie Amundson at camundson@alligator.org or follow her on Twitter @camundson_

Kelly Barnhill pitches during UF's doubleheader sweep of Jacksonville on Feb. 27, 2016, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

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