The seniors on the UF softball team ‒ pitcher Aleshia Ocasio, first baseman Kayli Kvistad, third baseman Nicole DeWitt and catcher Janell Wheaton ‒ were honored during their second game of the series against No. 13 LSU on Saturday. Their numbers adorned Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium and were traced behind home plate, planted next to their positions and embroidered into the outfield.
“We came out before pregame,” Wheaton said. “We saw all the detail... on the field. Our field guys did a really good job.”
However, the day ended bittersweet for the Gators (43-8, 16-4 SEC).
The Tigers (37-12, 10-9 SEC) spoiled Senior Day, shutting out Florida by a final score of 3-0, tying the series 1-1 and handing it the second home loss of the season.
“Today was an emotional day,” Wheaton said. “It’s crazy all coming to end. But even though it didn’t go our way, it was still a great day for us.”
The game started as a pitching showdown between Ocasio and the Tigers’ Maribeth Gorsuch.
Through four innings, neither pitcher allowed more than three baserunners total and the game remained scoreless.
After giving up a leadoff double in the top of the fifth, Ocasio showed her fielding ability when she played an attempted sacrifice bunt by LSU shortstop Amber Serrett. The senior scooped up the ball, turned and fired to third base in time to catch the speedy pinch runner, sophomore Akiya Thymes.
However, after Ocasio made what appeared to be a run-saving play, she conceded the game’s first score.
The St. Cloud, Florida, native left a 1-0 pitch over the plate to Tigers catcher Michaela Schlattman, who punished the mistake with a two-run bomb into the bushes behind the center-field wall.
The home run was the only run support that Gorsuch needed. She struck out only one but caused 12 fly outs and held the Gators hitless through the first four innings. Gorsuch ended the day with only three hits in 6.1 innings of work.
“(Gorsuch) changed speeds, changed locations, wasn’t very predictable at all. Really did a good job of changing the height of her pitches,” UF coach Tim Walton said.
Yet, she found herself in trouble in the bottom of the fifth.
A pair of singles by sophomores Jordan Roberts and Jaimie Hoover put a runner in scoring position with two outs and Hannah Adams in the batter’s box. The second baseman skied a fly ball to deep left field, but it was knocked down by the wind and caught for the inning’s final out.
A scoreless sixth transitioned into a seventh inning where Ocasio allowed another leadoff double.
A hard-hit single to left center by Schlattman brought the leadoff batter ‒ third baseman Shemiah Sanchez ‒ around third to score and extended the LSU lead to 3-0.
However, Florida found opportunity in the bottom of the inning.
The Gators put two of their first three batters on base and forced LSU coach Andy Lee to go to his bullpen.
“Typically with a pitcher like that, the left-handers will have more success than the right-handers,” Walton said. “Today the right-handers had a lot more success than the left-handers did.”
Reliever Allie Walljasper struck out pinch hitter Danielle Romanello, but walked right fielder Jaimie Hoover to load the bases.
Hannah Adams approached the plate as the game-winning run. She smacked a 1-2 pitch toward second base, but it was smothered by Serrett and relayed to first baseman Amanda Doyle for the final out.
Sunday’s rubber match will start at noon and UF’s Kelly Barnhill will take the circle. The junior is looking for her 14th-straight victory.
You can follow Mark Stine @mstinejr or contact him at mstine@alligator.org.
UF catcher Janell Wheaton was part of a controversial call in the fourth inning that allowed UCLA to card five runs in the frame.
