Auburn pitcher Maddie Penta walked Gators junior shortstop Skylar Wallace to start the bottom of the eighth inning. She then walked sophomore infielder Kendra Falby and graduate student third baseman Charla Echols to load the bases.
Florida sophomore second baseman Reagan Walsh singled to center field and brought Wallace home for a walk-off run to win the game.
“I just knew we were going to find a way to get the job done,” Wallace said. “We have been way more focused and have been supporting each other through all the hard work this week.”
The No. 15 Florida Gators (27-9, 5-5 SEC) beat the Auburn Tigers (28-11, 6-4 SEC) 3-2 Thursday evening in Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Graduate student right-handed pitcher Elizabeth Hightower started in the circle for the Gators. Hightower struck out Tigers sophomore infielder Aubrie Lisenby to start the top half but then walked senior infielder Lindsey Garcia.
Wallace ended the half inning when she got sophomore Bri Ellis out at first with a deep throw to junior first baseman Avery Goelz.
Penta ended the bottom half of the second when she struck out the side in order.
Hightower and the Gators kept the Tigers scoreless through the second and retired the side in order 1-2-3 to end the top half.
Sophomore second baseman Reagan Walsh lined out to left field, and Garcia caught her ball. Graduate student utility player Pal Egan and sophomore catcher Sam Roe struck out to end the inning.
Tigers senior utility player Carlee McCondichie lined into a double play from Wallace to Goelz to end the top half of the third. Wallace tripled to left field and brought home senior utility player Sarah Longley to give Florida a 1-0 lead.
Falby reached on an error by Tigers sophomore shortstop Nelia Peralta. Wallace scored to extend the Gators' lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the third.
Hightower and the UF defense didn't allow any runs and left a runner stranded on first to end the top half of the fourth. Penta walked Roe, but a groundout by junior outfielder Katie Kistler to second base ended the inning.
Tigers junior utility player Makayla Packer was caught out at first base after she hit a sacrifice bunt; sophomore outfielder Abbey Smith advanced to second.
Sophomore utility player Icess Tresvik reached on an error in center field after Kistler and Egan collided in the outfield. Smith scored to put up Auburn’s first run and cut the deficit to one, 2-1, in the top of the fifth.
Penta and the Tigers’ defense ended the fifth inning with a strikeout to Wallace and didn’t allow any runs in the frame.
Auburn and Florida failed to score in the sixth inning.
Tresvik homered to left field to tie the ballgame in the top of the seventh. Penta struck out UF junior catcher Emily Wilkie and ended the inning with Kistler left stranded to end the seventh.
Senior left-handed pitcher Rylee Trlicek replaced Hightower in the top of the eighth.
Penta walked Wallace, who then stole second to start the bottom of the eighth. Walsh singled to center field, and Wallace scored to walk it off for the Gators.
UF will continue its series against Auburn at 6 p.m. Friday in Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. The game will be streamed on SEC+.
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.
