Sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

Amanda Lorenz scorched another home run on Thursday against Alabama.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Lorenz proves SEC honors with game-winning homer in SEC tournament

By Mark Stine | May 10, 2018

Crack!

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Incoming football recruit Justin Watkins arrested

By Mark Stine | May 10, 2018

Justin Watkins, incoming freshman and 4-star recruit of the UF football team, was arrested in Marion County, Florida, Wednesday and is being charged with a misdemeanor count of “trespassing upon grounds of a public school facility.”

UF coach Emily Glaser will put redshirt freshman Elin Esborn and freshman Addie Baggarly into the top two spots in the lineup for the Landfall Tradition.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Esborn dazzles, UF advances to NCAA Championships

By Chris O'Brien | May 9, 2018

The young and the old showed up today for the Florida women’s golf team, as the Gators finished in a tie for third out of the 18-team field to advance to the NCAA Championship.

Shortstop Deacon Liput was perfect from the plate Tuesday night against USF, going 3-of-3 with three RBIs and scoring two runs.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators come back from early deficit, beat USF

By Morgan McMullen | May 8, 2018

Down 8-4 in the bottom of the sixth inning Tuesday night, the Gators needed a jolt of energy.

Senior Taylor Tomlinson led UF women's golf with an even par performance in the second round of the National Championship in Stillwater, Oklahoma. However, UF dropped three places to 13th and shot 15 over for the round.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Gators climb up leaderboard, finish in third on second day of NCAA Regional

By Chris O'Brien | May 8, 2018

In round one of the NCAA Austin Regional, senior Taylor Tomlinson shot the second-worst score on her team. On Tuesday, in round two, she shot Florida’s highest score.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Florida Gators sign assistant coaches, Grantham given $4.47 million

By Mark Stine | May 8, 2018

The Florida Gators football program signed 10 assistants to head coach Dan Mullen’s staff on Monday. UF will pay its assistants $4.74 million in 2018, and $5.44 in 2019.

Sophomore Sierra Brooks led the Gators, shooting two under in the first round of the NCAA Regional.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Florida finishes tied for sixth at NCAA Regional after round one

By Chris O'Brien | May 7, 2018

After a top five finish at the SEC Championship, sophomore Marta Perez was slipped into the number one spot for the Florida Gators women’s golf team. Having a lot of momentum going into the NCAA Regional, expectations were high for her.

Kayli Kvistad hit a home run against Missouri that would give Florida the lead for good.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Florida softball finishes regular season with series sweep of Missouri

By Mari Faiello | May 6, 2018

Tied at four apiece in the top of the seventh, senior first baseman Kayli Kvistad knew what it was going to take to finish Florida softball’s uphill battle against the Missouri Tigers.

Freshman starter Jack Leftwich threw 6.1 innings and allowed only two earned runs in his outing against Texeas Tech at the College World Series Thursday.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators drop series finale against Texas A&M

By Morgan McMullen | May 6, 2018

The Gators tied the game at three apiece in the top of the third inning during Sunday’s series finale against Texas A&M. Florida recorded a run in much the same way it had scored many of its previous 17 runs against the Aggies: manufacturing chances off of smart base running and timely hitting.

Junior pitcher Jackson Kowar started on Friday against the Razorbacks, throwing six innings and allowing four earned runs during his fourth loss of the season.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Kowar’s ‘dynamite’ pitching overwhelms Aggies

By Morgan McMullen | May 5, 2018

After a leadoff walk to third baseman Jonathan India started the sixth inning in College Station, Texas, UF right fielder Wil Dalton stepped into the batter’s box.

Senior Aleshia Ocasio struck out 10 Missouri batters in a complete game shutout of the Tigers at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

No. 4 Florida win final regular-season series at Missouri

By Mark Stine | May 5, 2018

As a pinch hitter with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, UF sophomore Jordan Roberts stepped into the batter’s box with one mission: get a hit and extend the inning.

Senior Shayna Pirreca and her sister, Sydney, led UF to victory over Colorado in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday with a combined seven goals.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

TOURNAMENT CHAMPS: Gators rout Denver to capture fourth Big East title

By Tyler Nettuno | May 5, 2018

A bachelor’s degree in history and a conference title?

Florida first baseman had three of the Gators' four RBIs against Missouri.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Florida softball named SEC Regular Season Champions with win over Missouri

By Mari Faiello | May 4, 2018

In the top of the sixth, senior catcher Janell Wheaton walked up to home plate with an 0-1 count.

Junior attacker Lindsey Ronbeck scored the first two goals of the game on Saturday, but it wasn't enough as the Gators fell to James Madison, 11-8.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Ronbeck’s monster performance leads Florida to Big East Final

By Tyler Nettuno | May 3, 2018

When the Gators lacrosse team played Marquette on April 14, Lindsey Ronbeck was held to only one goal in UF’s 18-6 victory. However, the junior made the most of her second matchup against the Eagles, notching a Big East Tournament record eight goals as Florida defeated MU 19-8 in the Big East Semifinals on Thursday.

Left fielder Amanda Lorenz tied up the score in the bottom of the fifth inning with a 3-RBI triple in Florida's 5-3 victory over LSU.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Florida takes series against LSU with 5-3 home victory

By Mari Faiello | Apr. 29, 2018

Things looked pretty grim at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium as the Gators entered the bottom of the fifth, down 3-0 to the LSU Tigers.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

Gators’ triple jumpers highlight Day 2 of National Relay Championships

By Alanis Thames | Apr. 29, 2018

Yanis David had been working for this moment all season.

Junior Alfredo Perez (left) and sophomore Johannes Ingildsen (right) are onto the quarterfinals of the NCAA Doubles Championships along with fellow Gators pairing of junior McClain Kessler and freshman Duarte Vale.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida loses heartbreaker, bounced from SEC Tournament in semifinals

By Dylan Rudolph | Apr. 29, 2018

The Florida men’s tennis team fought until the end but lost to the Mississippi State Bulldogs 4-2 in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Sophomore John Axelsen (-7) is in a three-way stalemate for first place at the Trinity Forest Invitational. The Gators sit in eighth overall.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Gators fall in SEC semifinal

By Sam Campisano | Apr. 29, 2018

Coach J.C. Deacon and the rest of the No. 11 Florida men’s golf team will have to wait at least another year before they can win their first SEC championship.

UF catcher Janell Wheaton was part of a controversial call in the fourth inning that allowed UCLA to card five runs in the frame.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Tigers spoil UF Senior Day with 3-0 victory

By Mark Stine | Apr. 28, 2018

The seniors on the UF softball team ‒ pitcher Aleshia Ocasio, first baseman Kayli Kvistad, third baseman Nicole DeWitt and catcher Janell Wheaton ‒ were honored during their second game of the series against No. 13 LSU on Saturday. Their numbers adorned Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium and were traced behind home plate, planted next to their positions and embroidered into the outfield.

The Florida men's sprint medley relay team of juniors Kyren Hollis, Ryan Clark, Michael Timpson Jr. and freshman Benjamin Lobo Vedel took first at the National Relay Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

UF competes in Day 1 at National Relay Championships

By Alanis Thames | Apr. 27, 2018

Kyren Hollis curled his fingers around his black baton as his arms pumped faster and faster. Kentucky’s sprinter was on his heels threatening to snatch the lead from the junior as the two approached the finish line almost simultaneously.