For the first time since 2006, Florida suffered a home sweep. And once again, it was Georgia who stole the show.
After surrendering 23 runs in two days to the Bulldogs, the Gators looked poised to salvage the series Sunday with freshman Hannah Rogers returning from a two-game suspension.
But it was the Bulldogs who had the last bite.
Backed by a dominant performance from freshman Morgan Montemayor, No. 3 Georgia (27-4, 8-3 Southeastern Conference) rolled over No. 2 Florida (30-4, 7-3 SEC) 5-1, handing UF its first home sweep since the Bulldogs did so on April 15, 2006.
“We haven’t lost a series in four years,” Florida coach Tim Walton said. “We didn’t make any plays.”
UF’s pitching staff could not find a way to slow down Georgia’s aggressive lineup as Florida allowed 28 runs over three days.
The Gators had given up only 22 earned runs in 31 games prior to this weekend.
Rogers was tagged for a season-high five runs on nine hits, suffering only her second loss of the season.
“I don’t think we called the best game today,” Walton said. “We didn’t execute the pitches to where we called them.”
UF’s pitchers had trouble getting out of innings in the first two games, and Sunday was no different.
Georgia scored all five runs with two outs, while the Gators managed only three hits against Montemayor.
The young righty shut down UF’s lineup after allowing five runs and nine hits in a rough start Saturday.
“That’s the best she’s pitched all weekend,” Walton said. “She did a good job getting ahead in the count and using her off-speed pitches.”
Despite being in her first year, Montemayor has been one of the SEC’s top pitchers with a 13-2 record, and her performance Sunday against a tough Gators lineup was indicative of her ability.
“She keeps getting better and better,” Bulldogs coach Lu Harris-Champer said. “She was really in control of her game and pitched what she wanted to pitch when she pitched it.
“For a freshman to settle down and get better as the weekend goes on, you have to be proud of her for that.”
Senior Megan Bush accounted for UF’s only run with her team-leading 16th homer in the fifth inning.
But the rest of the lineup barely made a mark on the stat sheet.
Although Michelle Moultrie and Aja Paculba recorded singles, left fielder Kelsey Bruder went hitless, and the No. 5-9 hitters were a combined 0 for 11 with five strikeouts.
That lack of production from the bottom of the order proved problematic as Cheyenne Coyle, Kasey Fagan, Kelsey Horton and Samantha Holle went 7 for 30 with one RBI in the series.
“They’ve been struggling all year,” Walton said. “That’s why their batting averages are so low.”
