The Hogs were able to escape the first two innings without giving up a single run to the No. 3 Gators. However, when the lineup came around for the second time, Florida (27-2, 8-1 Southeastern Conference) piled on the runs.
Senior Michelle Moultrie broke the scoreless tie in the third inning by driving in freshman Sami Fagan with an RBI double. Seamlessly, freshman Lauren Haeger stepped in as the next batter and crushed a two-run shot over the left-field wall to quickly put the Gators up 3-0.
The fourth inning saw more of the same power from coach Tim Walton’s squad. Junior Ensley Gammel sent one over the fence for a solo home run. Florida was able to score in three consecutive innings once junior Kelsey Horton uncharacteristically laid down a sacrifice bunt with the bases loaded in the fifth inning.
Up by five in the sixth, Moultrie stepped in one last time and ended her day the way she started it. With a runner in scoring position, Moultrie tallied her second RBI of the evening to finish the game a perfect 4-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI.
Moultrie, who previously only had one double coming into today, now leads the active players on her team with a .441 batting average. Junior Brittany Schutte has a .477 average but has not played in a game since March 2. Moultrie went into Friday’s game leading the SEC with a .442 average.
Sophomore Hannah Rogers needed just one run to down Arkansas (18-10, 2-7 SEC) in the first game of this weekend’s three-game series in Fayetteville, Ark. Rogers earned her 15th win of the season to tie Alabama’s Jackie Traina and Tennessee’s Ellen Renfroe for the most wins in the SEC.
Rogers pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing just four hits and two walks.
