Florida coach Tim Walton’s 700th career win came down to the seventh inning.
Sophomore Kayli Kvistad stepped up in the top of the seventh with the game tied at 3. With two on and two out, Kvistad hit a go-ahead three-run home run to center field, giving UF a 6-3 edge, one they would hold on as No. 1 Florida (25-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) beat No. 3 Auburn for Walton’s 700th win.
“When I got up to bat, I was just looking for a pitch to hit,” Kvistad said. “I think it was really special for coach Walton to get his 700th win. It was awesome!”
The Gators struck first off of Auburn pitcher Makayla Martin. After Martin retired eight-straight batters, UF outfielder Kirsti Merritt slugged a three-run home run over the opposite-field fence, her third in three games.
“She got a good pitch to hit,” Walton said in a release. “I thought she didn’t try to do too much. With two outs and two strikes, it was a really big hit.”
Auburn got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when catcher Carlee Wallace scored on a sac fly to make the game 3-1.
The Tigers (22-2, 0-1 SEC) kept climbed all the way back to 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth.
Junior lefty Delanie Gourley gave up her fourth and fifth hits of the game and was taken out by Walton for Aleshia Ocasio. Both runners scored after a wild pitch, walk and an error.
Ocasio shut the door on the Tigers in the bottom of the seventh, striking out two of three batters and earning her eighth win of the year.
“I thought both of our pitchers did a good job,” Walton said. “To limit an offense like Auburn to five hits is really impressive. They did hit some balls hard, but we made some good pitches and some nice defensive plays too.”
Walton now ranks No. 39 in wins in NCAA history after the milestone victory.
“Seven hundred is a lot of wins and each of them is something special,” Walton said. “This has been better than a job.
“I have made great friendships and have some wonderful players that have bought in to what we are doing here, which is really special.”
Florida will face Auburn in Game 2 of the three-game series Sunday at 5 p.m. in Auburn, Alabama.
Contact Matt Brannon at mbrannon@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @MattB_727.
Kayli Kvistad follows through on a swing during Florida's doubleheader sweep against Jacksonville on Feb. 17, 2016, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
