All
Kelsey Bruder could do was take a deep breath. For the second
straight game, the outcome of the game depended on her bat.
With the No. 9 Gators (40-8, 15-7 Southeastern Conference) down two
runs in eighth, the crowd at Pressly Stadium was going crazy and
hoped for a repeat performance as the senior left fielder stepped
to plate.
Although the fans wanted another walk-off bomb, Bruder had other
plans.
"Sometimes fans expect you to hit a home run every single
time...When you're known as the power hitter, obviously there's a
weight on your shoulders, but I knew that the home run wasn't what
I had to do," she said. "I just had to get on base and make it
happen for my team."
The veteran shelved the deep shot and, instead, sliced two, clutch
RBI singles in extra innings, sealing the series over the No. 3
Crimson Tide (42-7, 16-6 SEC) with a 3-2 win Sunday.
Through seven scoreless innings, the game was largely a pitching
dual between UF freshman Hannah Rogers and Alabama's Kelsi
Dunne.
"[Hannah] was really good. I was very happy and very pleased with
the way she changed speeds late through mixing in a couple
changeups - very unpredictable," UF coach Tim Walton said.
Rogers (25-5) worked the mound for all nine innings in the series
finale, allowing only three hits and zero earned runs, while
recording 10 strikeouts.
Originally, Stephanie Brombacher was pegged to start, but the
senior was ultimately kept out with sickness that hit her just
before the opening pitch.
"We had Stephanie throwing up all game, so she wasn't even able to
be used if we needed her," Bruder said. "Hannah knew that, and I
said ‘Hey, you're all we have,' and she stepped up and came
through."
Alabama finally broke the scoring draught, plating two runs in the
eighth on an error by Aja Paculba. However, in the bottom half of
the frame, Dunne hit two Gators and allowed Bruder's first RBI
single to cut deficit to one.
Fresham pitcher Jackie Traina was called on in relief and struggled
with her control too, walking a batter before hitting another and
bringing home the tying score.
"Great pitchers, both of them," Bruder said. "I knew it was going
to be hard regardless of who I had pitching at me, so I just
focused on my plan and said pitch whatever you want cause I'm
getting on."
Florida's defense would retire three straight in the ninth before
loading the bases for Bruder in the bottom of the inning. With one
out, the senior hit an RBI single to second that scored Cheyenne
Cole and gave the Gators their third consecutive series win in the
SEC.
