Florida junior Katie Kistler doubled to left center to prevent a South Carolina no-hitter. However, freshman right-handed pitcher Olivia Gigante struck out to end the game with no runs scored.
The No. 11 Florida Gators (26-9, 4-5 SEC) lost to the South Carolina Gamecocks (26-9, 3-6 SEC) 3-0 Sunday afternoon at Columbia Softball Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.
Gamecocks senior pitcher Donnie Gobourne started her time in the circle with a strikeout to Florida junior shortstop Skylar Wallace. Sophomore infielder Kendra Falby walked and then advanced to second after Gobourne’s pitch hit graduate student third baseman Charla Echols.
Gators graduate student utility player Pal Egan walked to load the bases, but Gobourne ended the top of the frame with a strikeout to UF sophomore catcher Sam Roe.
Graduate student right-handed pitcher Elizabeth Hightower started the bottom half with two outs to keep the Gamecocks scoreless through the first inning.
Gobourne struck out Florida senior utility player Sarah Longley and junior outfielder Katie Kistler to try and keep the Gators off balance in the top frame of the second. Junior first baseman Avery Goelz reached first with a two-out walk but was left stranded after Wallace struck out to end the top frame.
Gamecocks junior infielder Riley Blampied homered to left field to score the first run for South Carolina and up their score to 1-0. Junior catcher Jen Cummings doubled to right center, and then sophomore Giulia Desiderio pinch-ran for Cummings.
However, freshman catcher Hannah Hawley grounded out into a 5-3 double play by Echols and Goelz to end the inning with a Desiderio out.
Gobourne held the Gators scoreless to end the top of the third. Junior infielder Zoe Laneaux reached on a fielder's choice to third base and then advanced to second after Hightower walked junior outfielder Aniyah Black.
Blampied doubled down the right-field line and brought Black and Laneaux home to extend the Gamecocks' lead to 3-0 to end the third inning.
Gobourne walked Roe, and she advanced to second on a wild pitch. Gobourne then struck out Kistler, which left Roe stranded to end the top half. Hightower and the Gators' defense didn't allow the Gamecocks to score any runs to end the fourth inning.
Gobourne started the top of the fifth with her season-high 10 strikeouts. She struck out Wallace and junior catcher Emily Wilkie to end the half inning.
Florida replaced Hightower with senior left-handed pitcher Rylee Trlicek to start the bottom half of the fifth. Trlicek held the Gamecocks scoreless to end the fifth inning.
The Gators and Gamecocks scored zero runs through the sixth.
Kistler doubled to left center to break up the almost no-hitter game, but freshman right-handed pitcher Olivia Gigante struck out to end the ballgame.
The Gamecocks won 3-0 to mark their first series victory against the Gators in 23 years.
UF will open its weekend series of Southeastern Conference play against Auburn at 6 p.m. Thursday in Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
Contact Alyssa Britton-Harr abritton-harr@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @abrittonharr.
Alyssa Britton-Harr is a second-year journalism major and a sports reporter for The Alligator. In her free time, she enjoys cheering on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and spending time with her friends.
