After starting the day with a run-rule victory, the No. 4 Gators (17-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) saw just how big of a difference a new pitcher can make, falling 6-4 in the nightcap to Brittany Barnhill and the Ole Miss Rebels (16-9, 3-1 SEC).
Barnhill gave up only four runs over eight innings pitched, and also went 3 for 4 with 3 RBIs, including a game-tying home run in the seventh and a game-winning 2 RBI double in the eighth.
The Gators went just 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position, turning 22 base runners into only four scores.
“I think our clutch hitting needed to be a little better, myself included,” catcher Tiffany DeFelice said.
It looked like UF would be able to pull out a win despite these struggles when senior Francesca Enea tied the game with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth and then DeFelice hit an RBI single three batters later to give the Gators a 3-2 lead.
However, after a scoreless sixth Barnhill led off the seventh with a home run, and the only lead the Gators had held all night disappeared.
Florida had a shot to win it at the end, but Megan Bush’s deep fly to left with the bases loaded resulted in only a sacrifice fly instead of a walk-off grand slam.
“It’s frustrating cause you get so close and then it gets taken away from you,” Enea said. “They’re a really great team and they came out here ready to fight and that’s what we’re going to do tomorrow, we’re going to fight to win the series.”
The Gators got a 12-2 win to start the day.
Ace Stephanie Brombacher let up a pair of runs in the top of the first, but UF answered right back with four of its own in the bottom of the inning, including a towering two-run homer to left by DeFelice.
Brombacher shut out the Rebels the rest of the way, and UF added four more in each of the third and fourth innings thanks largely to freshman Brittany Walker, who went 2 for 3 with a double, triple and 4 RBIs in the game.
