Lauren Haeger’s perfect season is still intact.
The senior’s record in the circle now sits at a polished 18-0 after it took her just 90 minutes to mow down the Kentucky Saturday in front of a record 2,488 fans at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Behind their ace, the No. 3 Gators (38-4, 9-4 Southeastern Conference) downed the No. 13 Wildcats (27-13, 4-10 SEC) 1-0 in the opening game of the series.
Haeger hit her spots all game long and consistently jammed Kentucky hitters. The Peoria, Arizona, native allowed just two hits and walked one through seven shutout innings, while striking out four. Her ERA now lies at 1.10.
And she couldn’t feel any better.
“This is the best I’ve felt in four years,” Haeger said.
The Gators provided a run for Haeger in the bottom of the first inning when junior Taylore Fuller slapped a bases-loaded infield single to the shortstop.
Fuller, who finished the game 1-for-3 with the game’s lone RBI, knew this game would be a close one.
“We knew right from the start that it was gonna be 1-0, 1-1, 2-1 game,” she said. “So we knew what we’re coming into.”
Following the two hits in the first inning, Florida managed just one more hit the rest of the game.
Kentucky pitcher Kelsey Nunley matched Haeger inning for inning after the initial frame, but the Wildcats’ offense recorded just two hits and couldn’t get a runner in scoring position the whole game.
“Nunley’s a great pitcher,” Haeger said. “We played them two years ago and she was their pitcher, and she did a great job just jamming us up [and] backdooring the screw ball.”
Nunley tossed six innings of one-run ball and allowed three hits and two walks while striking out five.
But while Nunley pitched well, Haeger pitched better.
After winning the first game of every series the Gators have played this year so far, Haeger is truly looked upon as the ace of the staff – which makes coach Tim Walton a happy man.
“I’m happy with the way she’s pitching,” he said. “I’m happy with the way she came into the year wanting to be the number one, the ace of the staff. She’s showing us that she wants to be that.”
Follow Patrick Pinak on Twitter @Pinakk12
Lauren Haeger pitches during UF's win against UNF on April 1 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
