It’s a good thing there’s a net in front of the scoreboard at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
If there weren’t, Florida catcher Kendyl Lindaman might have damaged it.
The junior transfer from Minnesota hit a three-run home run off the mesh in front of the video board in the bottom of the third inning. She added another three-run shot in the fourth, giving her five homers in the past five games and eight for the 2019 campaign.
The UF softball team distanced itself from Mercer (13-19) early and captured a 10-2 run-rule victory on Saturday in Gainesville.
Lindaman led the ball club offensively and went 2 for 3 with six RBIs, which tied her career high. She received plenty of help from the rest of the team as well. Eight different batters recorded a hit to give Florida 10 runs on 10 hits.
It was burst of productivity from the Gators (26-6) at the plate. They struggled in the four games prior to Saturday’s victory. Everyone excluding Lindaman hit a combined .099 over that stretch.
The struggles led to lineup changes by UF coach Tim Walton. Junior transfer Jade Caraway was the new leadoff hitter, and freshman Cheyenne Lindsey started in left field and in the ninth spot.
Caraway recorded a hit, while Lindsey picked up an RBI on a ground out.
“Definitely pleased to see the way we’re able go up and down the lineup with some different run production than we’ve had here in the past few games,” Walton said. “Decided to slide it down a little bit and put Amanda (Lorenz) in the three and Kendyl (Lindaman) in the four just to see if we can stretch the lineup a little bit more and get some more offense.”
Designated player Jordan Roberts was 1 for 10 in the last four contests, but she opened the scoring in the home half of the second with a blistering home run. She lined a 2-2 offering from Bears pitcher Bailey Pattison off the roof of the bullpen behind the left field wall.
Jaimie Hoover got her first start of the season at third base and performed well in the lineup’s eighth spot. She went 2 for 3 with an RBI double off the right-field wall in the second inning.
UF’s strong showing in the batter’s box was equalled by dominance from its pitchers.
Kelly Barnhill threw three hitless innings and improved to 17-3 on the year. She struck out seven batters and struck out the side in the top of the first. Barnhill gave up just one base runner on a hit-by-pitch in the third, and she allowed only two Bears to put the ball in play, both of which were fly outs.
“It’s nice to be able to get a couple innings in today and be able to hand it off to the other pitchers,” Barnhill said. “For me personally, when I’m throwing good, and I’m starting to get into a zone… I just want to keep on going, build that positive muscle memory.”
Natalie Lugo hurled the fourth inning and struck out the side on 10 pitches, nine of which were strikes.
Freshman Danni Farley came in to pitch the top of the fifth, and she allowed the two hits and run. After walking the leadoff batter and relinquishing a single, she committed a fielding error that allowed Mercer’s Kenlie Harvey to score from second.
Farley was pulled two batters later after allowing an RBI single to Shaila Warren, and Katie Chronister got the final two batters to ground out to finish the game.
“It was a great game,” Lindaman said. “I really think it boosted our confidence and got us ready for tomorrow’s game and taking this confidence into the next series.”
Follow Mark Stine on Twitter @mstinejr and contact him at mstine@alligator.org.
Junior Kendyl Lindaman hit two three-run home runs in Florida's 10-2 run-rule victory over Mercer.
