Through five innings, the Gators softball team didn't look anything
like a top-five squad.
Florida entered the top of the sixth tied 1-1 with Southeastern
Conference pushover South Carolina (25-26, 6-18 SEC). The Gators
(42-8, 17-7 SEC) had stranded 11 runners, left the bases loaded
three times and failed to capitalize on nine walks by Gamecocks
pitching.
Florida's only run came when Cheyenne Coyle was hit by an 0-2 pitch
from freshman Julie Sarratt with bases loaded.
But when Megan Bush stepped in with bases full in the sixth, the
offense started to look more familiar. The senior launched a deep
fly ball to right center, landing in the glove of Lauren Lackey,
but the shot allowed Bush to record her UF-record 71st RBI of the
season and extend her single-season sacrifice fly record to
nine.
After an ensuing Brittany Schutte three-run blast and Bush's
seventh-inning RBI single, Florida cemented a 6-1 victory.
Early on, it looked as if the Gators were due for an upset loss in
their 1,000th game in program history.
Florida came in with 21 consecutive victories over South Carolina,
but starter Stephanie Brombacher fell behind quickly when Laura
Mendes knocked an RBI double to deep left center in the
first.
The run was just the second the Gamecocks have scored in six games
against the senior right-hander.
Brombacher recovered, spreading three hits over four innings, and
retiring her final seven batters before Hannah Rogers entered in
relief in to start the fifth.
The freshman from Lake Wales recorded the only two Gators
strikeouts of the game, using a drop ball and rise ball,
respectively, to conquer back-to-back Gamecocks batters in the
sixth. The SEC wins leader is now 26-5 on the year.
For most of the night, the Gators struggled offensively as Michelle
Moultrie failed to come through in two bases-loaded, two-out
situations. The center fielder did extend her career-long hit
streak to 18 games with a bunt single in the seventh. By game's
end, the Gators had stranded 19 batters after the Gamecocks walked
11 and had two illegal pitches with Florida runners on first and
second.
Florida will go for the sweep Sunday at 12 p.m. at Beckham
Field.
