A day after losing in heartbreaking fashion, No. 5 Florida (16-1) came back from a two-run deficit late in the game to defeat Georgia Tech (8-6) 5-3 in its final game at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, Calif.
Sophomore Lauren Haeger started for the second straight game. Haeger pitched four innings against No. 7 Missouri on Saturday but did not make it that long against the Yellow Jackets.
Haeger tossed three innings, giving up one run on three hits while striking out three.
Junior Hannah Rogers came in to relieve Haeger, and she picked up the victory. Rogers pitched four strong innings. She struck out five while giving up two runs, only one of which was earned.
Rogers pitched 18.2 innings during the weekend.
The Gators opened the game with a run, scoring after freshman Kelsey Stewart and senior Ensley Gammel both singled. Stewart stole second base, advanced on Gammel’s hit and scored on a ground out by sophomore Bailey Castro.
But the Florida offense stalled after the opening frame.
Georgia Tech outfielder Katie Johnsky homered in the bottom of the second, knotting the game up at one. That score held until the bottom of the fifth when Georgia Tech knocked in two runs after Rogers and third baseman Stephanie Tofft both committed errors.
But the Gators’ bats woke up in the sixth inning.
Florida loaded the bases on a single by Castro, a walk to Kelsey Horton and Briana Little and Aubree Munro both being hit by pitches. After Castro scored when Munro took her base, Stewart came up big with a RBI double, clearing the bases and giving the Gators a 5-3 lead.
Rogers locked down the seventh inning with two groundouts and a strikeout to end the game.
The Gators’ next game will be a littler closer to home. Florida plays No. 17 USF (6-5) in Tampa on Wednesday.
Junior Hannah Rogers pitches during Florida’s 3-2 victory against Auburn on April 13 at Pressly Stadium. Rogers had her no-hitter reversed in a 4-1 win against Drake on Saturday. The right-hander finished the game with a one-hitter.
