No one was going to get Kelsey Bruder out Wednesday.
After hitting the ball hard, but often into defenders’ gloves, the past few series, Bruder broke through with six hits, six runs and nine RBIs in the No. 2 Gators’ pair of wins against Mississippi State.
Although she missed the cycle by only a triple, Bruder went a perfect 4 for 4 in the second game, raising her average to .395.
The senior blasted two home runs, including a three-run shot as UF (27-1, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) dismantled the Bulldogs (12-14, 2-2 SEC) 18-1 in Game 2.
“It’s really hard not to get down on yourself when you think you’re hitting the ball well,” she said. “You just got to keep pushing along. I’m not fast enough for a triple, so I think this is one of my better days.”
Florida’s power stroke didn’t stop with Bruder, as senior Megan Bush and sophomore Brittany Schutte launched home runs of their own.
In UF’s 8-0 Game 1 victory, Bush smashed a ball for her second grand slam of the season.
After getting pitched around early on, Schutte slammed a three-run homer as part of her five-RBI effort in the second game.
It was also an encouraging afternoon for freshman third baseman Kasey Fagan, who had a solid day defensively and at the plate.
After coming to UF as one of the top high school players in the nation, she hasn’t made as many flashy plays as some expected.
But Fagan showed some serious glove skills with an acrobatic diving catch on a sharply hit ball to her right. She also knocked down a ball and flipped it to shortstop Cheyenne Coyle, who was covering third base.
She broke out of a 1-for-15 slump with two hard-hit RBI singles.
While she hasn’t been consistent at the plate, she has stepped up when it counts.
“She’s hitting really well in SEC play,” UF coach Tim Walton said. “Defensively, she hadn’t made those plays for us yet, but she did a good job.”
Freshman Hannah Rogers continued to dominate, picking up two more wins to improve to 13-1.
The young righty needed only 53 pitches to get through Game 1 and threw 36 in four shutout innings in Game 2.
With a 0.51 earned run average, Rogers has matched senior Stephanie Brombacher pitch for pitch.
“Hannah’s amazing,” Bruder said. “She’s pitching well beyond her years. We’re lucky to have her.”
