sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

Jaterra Bonds (10) drives the lane during Florida’s 68-57 loss to Vanderbilt on Feb. 21 in the O’Connell Center.

Sports

Junior point guard driven by past failure in clutch moment

Feb. 27, 2013

Jaterra Bonds remembers the sequence like it was yesterday.

Lauren Haeger (17) runs home after hitting a game-tying homer during Florida’s 4-3 victory against Charleston Southern on Feb. 17 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

Sports

Home run helps Florida top South Florida

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN | Feb. 27, 2013

The No. 4 Gators (17-1) faced a familiar foe in South Florida left-handed pitcher Sara Nevins Wednesday night, but Florida saw its fortunes change against the southpaw at the USF Softball Field in Tampa.

Sophomore catcher Taylor Gushue calls out to the mound during Florida’s 4-3 loss to Duke on Feb. 15 at McKethan Stadium.

Sports

Slumping Florida baseball team needs to relax, have fun

By ADAM PINCUS | Feb. 27, 2013

Florida’s dugout erupted when Taylor Gushue executed a sacrifice fly to tie the game during the ninth inning of Tuesday night’s 7-6 loss to North Florida.

Sports

Final round washouts shorten Florida's tournaments

By RJ Schaffer | Feb. 26, 2013

The Florida men’s and women’s golf teams both failed to live up to expectations in rain-shortened tournaments.

Junior ace Hannah Rogers winds up to pitch during Florida’s 9-1 victory against UNC Wilmington on Feb. 17 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Rogers tossed 18.2 frames for the Gators at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, Calif.

Sports

Junior pitcher taking on more responsibility for Florida

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN | Feb. 26, 2013

Hannah Rogers had a busy weekend.

Christin Mercer (25) drives the lane in UF’s 87-54 win against Alabama on Feb. 3. Coach Amanda Butler has identified Mercer as an important post player for the Gators.

Sports

Florida struggling to establish consistent inside presence

Feb. 26, 2013

Earning trips to the foul line has been anything but charity recently for the Gators.

Center Patric Young wipes his brow with a towel during a timeout in Florida’s 83-52 win against Missouri on Jan. 19 in the O’Connell Center.

Sports

Junior center limited by inconsistency, lack of instincts

By GREG LUCA | Feb. 25, 2013

Three years into his Florida career, Patric Young remains an enigma.

Coach Rhonda Faehn talks to freshman Bridget Sloan before her performance on beam during Florida’s 197.3-194.625 victory against Missouri on Jan. 18 in the O’Connell Center.

Sports

Gators preparing for postseason as regular season nears end

By CHUCK KINGSBURY< | Feb. 25, 2013

The Gators’ quest for their first national championship is nearing the postseason.

Senior T.J. Vogel eyes his shot during the SunTrust Gator Invitational at Mark Bostick Golf Course on Sunday. Vogel is back with the Gators after competing in The Masters.

Sports

Gators men in deep hole after first round

By RJ Schaffer | Feb. 24, 2013

Both the Florida women’s and men’s golf teams returned to action on Sunday with the women taking place in the Allstate Sugar Bowl Invitational in New Orleans, La., and the men competing in the John Hayt Collegiate Invitational in Ponte Vedra, Fla.

Senior Vickash Ramjit runs to third base during Florida’s 8-3 loss to Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday at McKethan Stadium. Ramjit had two hits in Florida's 4-1 loss to Indiana on Friday.

Sports

Florida Gulf Coast completes sweep against Florida

By JOSH JURNOVOY | Feb. 24, 2013

Florida had a chance to salvage a bad weekend against Florida Gulf Coast.

Sports

Florida rallies to defeat Alabama

Feb. 24, 2013

Alabama has become a sight for sore eyes for Jaterra Bonds and Florida this season. But Sunday’s matchup hung in the balance longer than expected.

UF junior Elizabeth Beisel speaks to her teammates at the All Florida Invitational at the O'Connell Center in 2012.

Sports

Florida men win SEC Championships, women finish third

By ROBERT JUDIN< | Feb. 23, 2013

On the fifth and final day of the 2013 Southeastern Conference Swimming and Diving Championships, the men started the day in the lead while the women sat in third.

Junior Florent Diep strikes the ball during Florida’s 5-2 victory against Miami on Jan. 19 at Linder Stadium.

Sports

Diep, Gators fall to No. 20 Baylor

By CHRIS KIRSCHNER< | Feb. 23, 2013

Florent Diep’s blue Gators polo was drenched with sweat when the match finally ended.

Coach Kevin O’Sullivan talks to his team following a loss to LSU in 2012. Texas A&M knocked off O'Sullivan's Gators 6-3 in the first round of the SEC Tournament on Tuesday in Hoover, Ala.

Sports

Gators drop second straight to FGCU

By ADAM PINCUS | Feb. 23, 2013

Another game means another problem for the young Gators.

Junior Hannah Rogers pitches during Florida’s 3-2 victory against Auburn on April 13 at Pressly Stadium. Rogers had her no-hitter reversed in a 4-1 win against Drake on Saturday. The right-hander finished the game with a one-hitter.

Sports

UF rebounds from loss, beats Georgia Tech

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN | Feb. 23, 2013

A day after losing in heartbreaking fashion, No. 5 Florida (16-1) came back from a two-run deficit late in the game to defeat Georgia Tech (8-6) 5-3 in its final game at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, Calif.

Junior Jonathon Crawford throws a pitch during Florida’s 9-8 victory against NC State in Game 2 of the NCAA Gainesville Super Regional on June 10, 2012, at McKethan Stadium.

Sports

Gators drop second straight behind faltering bullpen

By ADAM PINCUS | Feb. 22, 2013

Ricky Knapp has Florida’s number. The Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year dominated the Gators yet again with a complete game six-hitter.

Sports

Men lead, women in third at SEC Championships

By ROBERT JUDIN< | Feb. 22, 2013

Florida’s men began day for of the Southeastern Conference championships ahead of Auburn for the fist time in the five-day event. The women, after surpassing Texas A&M on day three, set out to overtake Georgia for first place.

Coach Tim Walton signals to a base runner during Florida’s 3-1 victory against Auburn on April 14, 2012 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Walton has started freshman Taylor Schwarz at first base in every Southeastern Conference game.

Sports

Florida drops first game of season

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN | Feb. 22, 2013

The Gators’ second game on Friday went longer than most baseball games.

Sports

Florida thrashes UC Davis in early blowout

Feb. 22, 2013

Florida had Friday night’s game all but clinched prior to halftime.

Throwers coach Steve Lemke (left) and coach Mike Holloway walk across the field at Percy Beard Track at Pressly Stadium during the 2012 Florida Relays. Seventeen Gators qualified Sunday for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, which are set to begin June 5.

Sports

Gators eying another SEC crown

By GORDON STREISAND< | Feb. 21, 2013

Sophomore Taylor Burke hopes to continue her torrid pace heading into the 2013 Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships this weekend in Fayetteville, Ark.