With the game on the line, Kirsti Merritt ran back toward the warning track.
N.C. State left fielder Tyler Ross put a ride into one to center field looking to put up the Wolfpack up 2-1 in the seventh inning.
But Merritt rose up and robbed the potential go ahead home run and then she threw to first base to double up Morgan Tharrington to preserve a 1-0 win for Florida on Friday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
“I knew I had it the whole way,” Merritt said. “After I caught it I kind of looked down just to make sure I wasn’t imagining like ‘I just caught that ball,’ but I usually know whenever I’m going to be able to catch that ball.”
Coach Tim Walton couldn’t have put Merritt’s catch in an upper echelon.
“We knew it was over the fence,” Walton said. “As good of a catch as you’ll ever see in a softball game that’s for sure. It’s the best I've ever seen.”
Aleshia Ocasio ended the game with her 12th strikeout as No. 1 Florida improved to 7-0 on the season. Merritt’s catch overshadowed a dominant performance from the freshman. Ocasio allowed just two hits during the game and now sports a 0.34 ERA on the season.
Ocasio was able to work out of a jam in the second inning when the Wolfpack were able to get runners on second and third with one out. But the St. Cloud native was able to buckle down, as she was able to strike out the final two batters in the frame.
“You can see the movement on the pitches she has,” Walton said. “Lot of swing and misses, just different swings. You can tell that when the pitcher’s got really good movement, that’s what you’re going to see, just kind of frustration type swings.”
Ocasio is now 3-0 on the season with 33 strikeouts in 20.2 innings pitched.
Ocasio was matched pitch for pitch by Wolfpack senior pitcher Emily Weiman. Weiman allowed two hits, both to Stewart, as she struck out six batters over six innings.
“Their kid is a good pitcher,” Walton said. “Especially when she’s throwing to all sides of the plate, changing speeds the way she was, she’s tough to hit.”
Florida was able to get its only run in the fifth inning when Kelsey Stewart scored from second base on an error. Stewart had a two out single and then reached second on a throwing error by N.C. State shortstop Renada Davis.
Nicole DeWitt then came up to the plate and she hit a dribbler to Wolfpack second baseman Alyssa Compton, who proceeded to throw the ball away, which allowed Stewart to score what would end up being the only run of the game.
N.C. State won’t have to wait too much time to get another crack at Florida, as they will face the Gators Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The game against the Wolfpack will be the first of a doubleheader for UF, as they will play against Iowa afterwards.
Follow Luis Torres on Twitter @LFTorresIII
Kirsti Merritt bats during UF's 17-1 win against USF on April 23 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
