First baseman Jordan Matthews measured up a 2-2 offering from Central Michigan pitcher Cloe Mallory and made explosive contact. The softball soared through the desert air and landed over the red fence.
The home run tacked two runs onto the board, giving the Florida softball team a critical eight-run lead heading into the fifth inning.
The margin was just enough to run-rule the Chippewas (4-6), as Matthews’ home run punctuated a 76-minute, four-and-a-half inning UF victory, 8-0.
The win completed an undefeated effort for Florida at the Littlewood Classic in Tempe, Arizona, which improved to 11-0 to start the 2019 campaign. It was the third run-rule victory by the Gators in two days.
The UF offense started with a lead-off blast by designated player Jordan Roberts in the bottom of the second inning and ended on the two-run homer. Matthews and Roberts led the team offensively with two hits, two RBIs and two runs apiece.
Florida also reaped plenty of benefits from the Chippewas’ blunders. Each of Central Michigan’s three errors directly led to a run.
Second baseman Hannah Adams knocked a ground ball to Central Michigan second baseman Rachel Vieira, who let the ball squirt into the outfield and allowed Roberts to score from second.
Aggressive baserunning by pinch runner Amanda Beane caused two more errors in the fourth. The freshman stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher and took home after a throw from center field flew into the Florida dugout.
The Chippewas were no match on offense for the pitching of senior Kelly Barnhill and sophomore Natalie Lugo. Barnhill started and improved to 6-0 on the season, while Lugo came in to close out the game.
Barnhill allowed one walk and one hit in four innings of action. The two-time All American struck out eight batters, two in each inning. She improved her earned-run average to 0.88 and her WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) to 0.56. Barnhill already has 54 strikeouts in 32 innings pitched.
Lugo allowed a single to start the fifth inning to Central Michigan’s Tala Dean, who made it to third on a wild pitch and stolen base. But the UF reliever fanned the next three batters. She has 24 strikeouts in 21.2 innings of work.
The scoreless inning dropped Lugo’s earned-run average under one (0.97), and her WHIP moved to 0.42, the lowest on the Gators’ pitching staff.
Follow Mark Stine on Twitter @mstinejr and contact him at mstine@alligator.org.
Florida first baseman Jordan Matthews compiled two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored in UF’s 8-0 win over Central Michigan on Sunday.
