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Friday, March 29, 2024

Stephanie Brombacher was one out away from her first career loss.

After giving up two home runs in as many innings, the undefeated sophomore pitcher had to watch from the dugout as her teammates - including her roommate - brought the Gators back from a 3-2 deficit against FSU.

In front of the second largest crowd in UF softball history, Megan Bush stepped up to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning and tied the game at 3-3 with a solo home run off the scoreboard.

"I pretty much knew she could do it," Brombacher said. "I love her. She's my roommate. I owe her whatever she wants."

Bush's homer sent the game in to extra innings. Two innings later, Francesca Enea's leadoff solo home run gave No. 1 UF (40-3, 18-1 Southeastern Conference) the 4-3 victory over No. 21 FSU (29-13) at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium on Wednesday night.

UF has made a habit out of coming from behind and putting games away late, as Enea's shot to left field was the team's second walk-off home run in three games. Right fielder Kelsey Bruder hit a walk-off grand slam to beat Mississippi State on Saturday.

"We like to make things exciting," Enea said. "We know that we can go out there and beat teams, but sometimes we like to go out there and mix it up."

For the second time this week, the Gators rushed out of the dugout to celebrate their come-from-behind win by dogpiling one of their power hitters at home plate.

"When I was running around the bases, I was like, 'I hope they dogpile me. I've never been in one,'" Enea said. "Then I saw Kristina (Hilberth) bounding toward me, hands in the air ready to tackle me, and I was like, 'Do it!'"

UF coach Tim Walton brought in senior pitcher Stacey Nelson (24-3, 0.47 ERA) during the eighth inning to relieve Brombacher, and Nelson gave up just one hit while striking out three batters.

Brombacher got the start against the Seminoles and pitched 7 1/3 innings, giving up 3 runs on seven hits while striking out seven batters.

Brombacher gave up two home runs - matching her total this season - to allow FSU to climb back in to the game after UF took a 2-0 lead into the sixth inning.

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"It's one of the biggest games she's ever pitched in," UF coach Tim Walton said. "I need her to get in that atmosphere. I wanted Stephanie to go the distance. For her first big, big, big start, I thought she pitched really well early and just didn't close it out."

The Gators jumped out to an early lead against the Seminoles, scoring a run in the first and adding another in the third inning, when a bizarre play in which center fielder Michelle Moultrie stole second base, thought she had been called out and began walking toward the dugout before realizing she was safe.

Moultrie then had no choice but to run to third and ended up scoring when Seminoles second baseman Kristie McConn overthrew third baseman Michelle Snyder.

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