After nearly throwing a perfect game in her previous outing, Hannah Rogers did not disappoint Thursday afternoon.
The freshman continued her streak of dominance, allowing only two singles and three walks while striking out seven, as the No. 4 Gators (10-0) scored seven runs on seven hits in a 7-0 win over Indiana in their first game at the Cathedral City Classic in Palm Springs, Calif.
In her third two-hit shutout of the season, Rogers moved her record to 4-0 and once again displayed her ability to consistently shut down opponents’ best hitters.
In four starts, starting No. 1-5 hitters have managed only five hits in 50 at-bats, including 11 strikeouts, against Rogers.
Offensively, the Gators’ typically high-powered lineup had its share of ups and downs on the day.
The inability to get into a rhythm seemed to throw off the Gators, who failed to hit a home run for the first time all season and had only two extra-base hits.
Much of that had to do with Hoosiers starter Morgan Melloh’s inconsistent pitching.
The NCAA’s 24th all-time strikeout leader fanned 14 Gators, but she also walked nine as she threw 170 pitches to Rogers’ 97.
After being shut down for the first two innings, UF took advantage of Melloh’s inability to find the strike zone by playing small ball.
After Samantha Holle walked to start the inning, freshman Kasey Fagan singled and Michelle Moultrie walked to load the bases.
Left fielder Kelsey Bruder drove in Holle with a sacrifice fly, and Megan Bush followed with an RBI single.
Melloh seemed to settle down the next two innings, striking out the side in the fourth and retiring Florida in order in the fifth, but the Gators put the game out of hand with a four-run sixth inning.
Once again, UF’s patience paid off as it loaded the bases after Bush doubled and Cheyenne Coyle and Tiffany DeFelice walked.
Fagan and second baseman Aja Paculba drew consecutive bases-loaded walks, and Moultrie hit a two-run single to left, putting the Gators up 6-0.
Holle later recorded her first RBI of the season when she plated Brittany Schutte with a seventh-inning double.
