Taylore Fuller plated only eight hits this season heading into No. 4 Florida’s midweek matchup against UCF.
But of those eight hits, five were home runs.
The sophomore catcher continued that trend against the Knights on Wednesday, hitting a two-out grand slam to left field as UF (31-4, 5-4 Southeastern Conference) cruised past UCF (24-11, 3-0 American Athletic Conference) 10-6 in Orlando.
“I thought we did a good job with our at-bats,” coach Tim Walton said in a release. “We also did a really good job of hitting both with two strikes and with two outs.”
The Knights jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, taking advantage of an underperforming Hannah Rogers. After UCF left fielder Linnea Goodman logged an infield single and third baseman Farrah Sullivan walked on four pitches, cleanup hitter Mariah Garcia hit a two-RBI double to a gap in left-center field.
Rogers struggled to play consistently against the Knights, walking a season-high five batters and giving up four hits and three earned runs in just four innings.
Florida cut the lead in half in the top of the second when Taylor Schwarz hit a one-out home run off of UCF right-handed pitcher and former high school teammate Shelby Turnier.
After a quiet third inning from both teams, UF surged in the fourth frame, driving in seven runs before three outs were made.
Turnier walked Schwarz and Briana Little to start the inning. Freshman Justine McLean then reached base on a fielder’s choice before junior right-hander Mackenzie Audas relieved Turnier in the circle.
The pitching change didn’t help UCF, as leadoff hitter Kelsey Stewart cleared the bases with a two-RBI double before being tagged out trying to reach third base.
UF’s next four batters reached base — Kirsti Merritt drew a walk, Stephanie Tofft hit an RBI double down the left-field line, Bailey Castro was walked and Chelsea Herndon reached first base on a passed ball despite striking out — to set up Fuller’s grand slam.
Fuller and Schwarz have improved their power hitting this season. The sophomores have already combined for 12 home runs on the season after hitting only 13 throughout all of 2013.
“With the two of them, it’s always been about confidence and pitch selection,” Walton said.
“They’re both perfectly capable of hitting the ball out to all parts of the field, and they’ve done it in their careers.”
Florida extended its lead to 10-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth, and it looked as if UF had the game locked up, but miscues on defense and poor pitching kept UCF in the game.
Freshman Delanie Gourley, who needed only 15 pitches to finish off the Knights in the fifth inning, walked two straight batters with full counts to start the sixth frame.
UCF leadoff hitter Kahley Novak loaded the bases with an infield single, Goodman reached first base on a fielder’s choice to score a run.
Sullivan reloaded the bases with an infield single, and Mariah Garcia drove in two runs with a single down the right field line to bring the Knights within four runs.
But Gourley rebounded in the final inning, striking out two of her last three batters in order to pick up her second save of the season and keep the Gators undefeated in nonconference play.
“We came from behind,” Walton said.
“So that was a huge moment for the offense to be able to be down and still scratch and claw their way back.”
Follow Jordan McPherson on Twitter @j_mcpherson1126
Taylor Schwarz bats during Florida’s 8-0 win against Indiana on Feb. 22 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Schwarz hit a solo home run in UF’s 10-6 win against UCF on Wednesday.
