While it was another conference game on paper, Florida felt like it was in the NCAA Tournament.
“I just wanted them to take the approach of taking this like a Super Regional matchup, where it’s a 1-1 matchup and we’ve gotta win it,” coach Tim Walton said. “We don’t lose very often and we’re in a tight race for the SEC (Southeastern Conference), so we can’t afford to have a weekend letdown.”
After starting hot and then fizzling out down the stretch in the first two games, the No. 3 Gators (34-5, 14-3 SEC) were able to sustain their first-inning momentum and ride a dominant performance from ace Stephanie Brombacher to a 5-0 victory and a series win over Kentucky (27-18, 11-11 SEC).
Brombacher scattered eight hits over seven innings of scoreless softball, striking out nine Wildcats en route to her fifth shutout of the season.
It was a bounce-back performance for the team and for Brombacher, who gave up three runs in 5.1 innings of action on Saturday.
“I felt like I was more in command of my pitches,” Brombacher said. “I was placing them where I wanted them, and I actually had an inside pitch to throw.”
Florida jumped out to a first-inning lead for the third-consecutive game, this time scoring a pair on RBI doubles from Francesca Enea and Brittany Schutte.
In Saturday’s doubleheader, the Gators scored a combined seven runs in the first inning but only brought a single run across the plate in innings two through seven. That lone run came courtesy of Kelsey Horton, who came through with another home run Sunday, leading off the second inning with a deep blast to center.
The home run was Horton’s third in only 16 career at-bats, and came in only her third-career start.
“It feels really good to be a contributor,” Horton said. “When you get a really good swing on it and it goes far, it’s a good feeling.”
Enea led off the third with a home run and Michelle Moultrie singled home a run in the fourth, giving the Gators the 5-0 lead that would eventually become the final.
Kentucky loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth and later with two outs in the seventh, but in each case Brombacher was able to pitch her way out of it.
“Today I mentally was more prepared for it and I stayed a little bit mentally stronger and pitched through those tough situations,” Brombacher said.
The win improves Florida’s record to 5-0 in games following losses.
Sunday’s victory also kept the team’s goal of winning every SEC series alive.
“I think we responded really well,” Brombacher said. “Our goal is to win the SEC, and we need to win every series to do that.”
