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Another generation of South Carolina softball players will not get
to see their team defeat Florida.
While the series sweep wasn't a marquee three days for the Gators
(43-8, 18-7 Southeastern Conference), it did move them into second
place in the SEC East and added to an already impressive
streak.
When South Carolina center fielder Lauren Lackey grounded out to
Kasey Fagan to end Sunday's 6-1 Gators win, it marked Florida's
23rd consecutive victory over the Gamecocks (25-27, 6-19
SEC).
The SEC's most powerful offense went to Columbia, S.C., with
expectations of an abundance of hits. It left the Palmetto State
with five timely home runs and a three-day stretch of strong
pitching and defense.
Senior Stephanie Brombacher gave the Gators a total of nine steady
innings on Friday and Saturday.
"I felt good," she said. "The strike zone was like throwing through
a straw on Saturday."
Hannah Rogers was featured in a relief role on both days.
The freshman right-hander got the start Sunday, pitching a one-run
complete game. She allowed eight hits and threw 108 pitches, her
highest seven-inning pitch count since April 9.
"[Rogers] didn't get hit hard," Brombacher said. "She didn't have
her best stuff, but she did what she needed to do."
Florida pitching had the luxury of solid defense all weekend. The
Gators were error-free, including an impressive outing from Fagan
on Sunday.
South Carolina, a team that specializes in small ball, was
consistently shut down by the freshman, who accounted for eight
outs playing a very shallow third base in the series finale.
"Kasey is just really knocking balls down and making plays,"
Brombacher said. "There's a lot of good communication between her
and [shortstop] Cheyenne [Coyle}."
The Gators flexed their muscles again this weekend as Coyle and
Brittany Schutte each had two home runs. Coyle's sixth-inning shot
Sunday was Florida's 100th blast of the season.
However, the Gators did falter when numerous opportunities were
presented to bust the series wide open. Partially responsible for
the lack of clutch production was the platoon designated player
position. Kelsey Horton and Samantha Holle combined to go 1-for-9
against the Gamecocks, the only hit coming on a late pinch-hit
single by Horton on Sunday.
"We were slacking a little bit on offense," senior Kelsey Bruder
said. "I expected more from us against a little bit of a lesser
pitching staff."
This spring has been loaded with school and conference records for
the Gators, and their South Carolina road trip included more of the
same.
First baseman Megan Bush passed Francesca Enea for the UF
single-season RBI crown on Saturday, and Michelle Moultrie is one
game away from equaling Bush's school-record 20-game hit streak
after notching her second home run of the season on Sunday.
The Gators return home for their final four regular season games.
They face Florida State on Wednesday before entering a crucial
three-game, division-deciding series against Tennessee on
Friday.
