After losing its regular-season series to LSU at home last season, the Florida softball team knew its three-game set in Baton Rouge would provide a significant challenge.
The Gators passed the test.
No. 1 Florida (33-1, 8-1 Southeastern Conference) defeated No. 7 LSU (26-8, 3-6 SEC) 6-2 on Saturday, marking the first time Florida has opened its conference schedule with three consecutive series victories since 2013.
Proving she is becoming more comfortable in big conference matchups, freshman Kelly Barnhill (11-0) turned in another effective performance, allowing just five hits and two unearned runs over 6.2 innings while striking out seven.
With two runners on base and two outs in the seventh inning, sophomore Aleshia Ocasio relieved Barnhill and recorded the final out, cementing the Gators’ victory and earning her fourth save.
While the Gators hit a paltry .207 in its three weekend games against the Tigers, its pitching staff didn’t give up an earned run and struck out 24 batters.
“Our pitching and defense was the difference this weekend,” coach Tim Walton said in a release.
“However, to me more than anything we have to give the credit to our pitching staff. All three of them have done a phenomenal job of keeping us in every game.”
As has been the trend this season, Florida found success despite not hitting any home runs.
Kelsey Stewart led UF with three hits — all singles — and scored three runs. Freshman Amanda Lorenz and sophomore Kayli Kvistad did most of the heavy lifting for the Gators, combining for four hits and five RBIs on the afternoon.
The duo hit a combined .400 (8-for-20) in the series.
“I tried a little different lineup today, just to give Amanda (Lorenz) a little bit of a break. I think she’s been getting everyone’s best shot, which she should, but today she performed really well,” Walton said.
“She had some important hits in some big spots for us. I thought she responded very well and was exactly what we needed today.”
Contact Brian Lee at blee@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @brianlee_17.
Kelly Barnhill pitches during the second game of UF's doubleheader sweep of Jacksonville on Feb. 27, 2016, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
