Kirsti Merritt just wanted to finish it.
After No. 5 seed Florida took a 9-0 win on Saturday against 12th-seeded Washington in the Gainesville Super Regional, the Gators needed just one win on Sunday to advance to its sixth Women’s College World Series in seven years.
More than 11 hours after the first pitch of the day, UF punched its ticket to Oklahoma City.
Washington won the first game of the day 4-3 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium to even the series and force a third-game tiebreaker.
Three innings into the deciding matchup, Mother Nature decided to play along, as well.
Two rain delays that totaled five hours and 52 minutes caused a game that started at 3:12 p.m. to not end until 11:03 p.m.
But when the game finally ended, Florida was on top with Merritt sending the final blow.
The sophomore center fielder — all 5-foot-4 of her — belted her 11th home run of the season in the bottom of the fifth to cap the 8-0, run-rule victory for the Gators.
“The way I swing, yeah I guess I was trying to end it, but not in my head,” Merritt said. “I always swing pretty big for being such a small person.”
Hannah Rogers pitched the complete-game shutout for Florida, allowing just one hit while striking out six batters in the process. The Lake Wales, Fla., senior is now tied with Stephanie Brombacher for second in program history with 38 career solo shutouts.
The Gators (50-12) wasted no time taking a lead on the Huskies (37-15). After leadoff hitter Kelsey Stewart singled to Washington shortstop Ali Aguilar to open up the bottom of the first, junior Briana Little drove her home three at-bats later to give Florida an early 1-0 lead.
The next two innings were scoreless, with each team getting just one runner on base in the third by way of a two-out walk.
Enter rain delay No. 1.
Play halted for three hours and 17 minutes before the fourth inning commenced.
Rogers returned to form when play resumed, striking out two batters in the top of the fourth.
Washington pitcher Bryana Walker — who had not given up a hit since Little’s RBI single in the first — did not.
The Huskies No. 2 pitcher walked Taylor Schwarz and allowed a Kathlyn Medina two-out single before Stewart blasted a three-run home run to right field to extend Florida’s lead to 4-0.
Enter rain delay No. 2.
Following Stewart’s home run — her seventh of the season — lightening lit up the sky and forced another two hour and 35 minute wait.
But when play restarted for the third time, it proved to be the charm for Florida.
Stephanie Tofft grounded out to end the fourth inning. It was the last out by a UF batter.
In the bottom of the fifth, Walker walked Haeger and Little to open the frame. Freshman right fielder Justine McLean — stepping into the batter’s box for the first time in the weekend — hit an infield RBI single to score pinch runner Jessica Damico, extending UF’s lead to 5-0.
Merritt sealed the game two pitches later, sending the ball over the left-field fence to end Game 3 more than seven and a half hours after it started.
Heading into the series against Washington, Florida was 10-0 in the five Super Regionals it’s hosted since Walton took helm of the program.
“Unfortunately, the win streak is over for Super Regionals, but it didn’t have any bearing on this team,” Walton said. “It’s about the two W’s to move on.”
Follow Jordan McPherson on Twitter @J_McPherson1126
Kirsti Merritt bats during UF's 17-1 win against USF on April 23 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
