In her first two years at Florida, outfielder and designated player Bailey Castro had hit only 12 home runs.
Coach Tim Walton thought she had the talent to be more productive.
“I really talked to her going into the season about hitting more home runs,” Walton said of the Pembroke Pines native. “I think she’s got the capability to do a lot more than she’s been doing.”
And in Game 2 against Alabama on Saturday, Castro proved Walton right.
The junior hit a fifth-inning grand slam to left center field to lift the No. 1 Gators to a 7-1 victory over the No. 9 Crimson Tide at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
“I’ve just really been working on my approach at the plate, trying to take it one pitch at a time with every pitch,” Castro said. “It was a good pitch, and it was a good swing. It just worked out in my favor.”
Florida (30-3, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) did not need a hit to get its first run on the scoreboard.
Junior Lauren Haeger was walked to open the bottom of the second inning, she advanced to second base and then to third after Alabama (26-5, 7-1 SEC) pitcher Leslie Jury threw two illegal pitches against Castro, who was also walked.
After Chelsea Herndon hit into an unassisted double play, Haeger walked home when Jury threw a third illegal pitch.
First baseman Taylor Schwarz then added insult to injury, belting a full-count home run to center field to give the Gators a 2-0 advantage.
“Alabama is a really good team,” coach Tim Walton said. “You’ve got to be able to keep them at bay. For us to be able to get on the board early was huge.”
While Florida jumped out to an early lead, Hannah Rogers made sure that Alabama remained quiet at the plate.
The senior right-handed pitcher limited the Crimson Tide to just one earned run on five hits. She struck out two of the 26 batters she faced while 71 percent of her 97 pitches were called strikes.
“I just try and keep them off balance, go out and jam them in or start inside and go out,” Rogers said. “Go down, go outside, go low. Just mix it all in.”
Alabama cut Florida’s lead to one after a Jadyn Spencer home run in the fourth inning, but UF responded in the fifth frame.
Sophomore Kirsti Merritt hit an RBI single to score Justine McLean and bring Florida up 3-1. Stephanie Tofft drew a walk and then Haeger was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Castro’s grand slam.
“I’ve given her the green light to hit a home run anytime she wants,” Walton said. “I think she understands that. For her, it’s about just being able to keep working. I’m certainly going to allow her to enjoy this moment, but we’re going to go back to work and keep doing the things we’re doing, because I don’t want her to become complacent. I want her to ride this confidence.”
Follow Jordan McPherson on Twitter @J_McPherson1126
