Florida came alive in the top of the sixth inning when they scored six runs. Graduate student third baseman Charla Echols doubled to left center and brought in three runs to put the Gators’ lead to six.
Arkansas never closed the gap, and UF forced a series-deciding third game.
The No. 10 Florida Gators (24-6, 3-2 SEC) defeated the No. 17 Arkansas Razorbacks (23-9, 4-4 SEC) 11-4 Saturday evening at Bogle Park in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Florida evened the series with Arkansas after their 6-2 loss against the Razorbacks Friday.
Razorbacks freshman left-handed pitcher Robyn Herron started in the circle. Herron began the top of the frame with a strikeout against Florida junior shortstop Skylar Wallace. Herron then gave up a walk to sophomore infielder Reagan Walsh.
Graduate student third baseman Charla Echlols brought Walsh home after she homered to center field. Echols’ home run marked the 35th in her collegiate career. UF led 2-0 to end the top of the first.
Gators sophomore right-handed pitcher Lexi Delbrey started in the circle. Razorbacks freshman outfielder Reagan Johnson hit a leadoff single that slipped through the right side. Delbrey let up a walk to sophomore Raigan Kramer, which advanced Johnson to second.
Delbrey struck out the next two hitters, but Johnson and Kramer advanced after a wild pitch that got away from sophomore catcher Sam Roe. Junior infielder Cylie Halvorson singled to the left field to bring Johnson and Kramer home and tie the game at 2-2 to end the first.
Herron started the top of the second inning with back-to-back 5-3 putouts by sophomore outfielder Kendra Falby and senior utility player Sarah Longley. Herron ended the frame with a strikeout of junior outfielder Katie Kistler.
Razorbacks freshman infielder Lauren Camenzind was hit by a pitch. She advanced to second after graduate student Kristina Foreman reached on an error by Wallace.
Delbrey gave up a walk to Kramer to load the bases. Camenzind scored after redshirt-junior Rylin Hedgecock was hit by a pitch to give Arkansas a 3-2 lead at the end of the second inning.
Florida junior catcher Emily Wilkie singled to left field to begin the third inning and give the Gators their second hit. Wallace reached on a fielder's choice to advance Walsh, but she was thrown out to end the top of the third with no runs scored.
Delbrey didn’t allow any runs in the bottom half of the third.
UF freshman right-handed pitcher Olivia Gigante began the fourth inning with her first hit of the series, a leadoff single. Redshirt senior Brynn Thomas pinch-ran for Gigante and advanced to second after Roe walked. Longley brought Thomas and Roe home after she homered to center field.
Florida pushed its lead to 5-3 to end the top of the fourth frame.
Senior left-handed pitcher Rylee Trlicek replaced Delbrey in the bottom of the fourth. Johnson advanced to second on a wild pitch and was brought home by Kramer after she singled up the middle.
The Razorbacks trailed by one entering the fifth after junior utility player Hannah Gammill grounded out into a double play.
Florida and Arkansas were held scoreless to end the fifth inning.
Roe singled to left center, and junior first baseman Avery Goelz pinch-ran for Roe. Falby reached on an error by the Razorbacks’ third baseman, and Goelz advanced to second. Camenzind walked Wallace, and Goelz scored to extend the Gators’ lead to 6-4.
Walsh was hit by a pitch, which drove in Falby to up UF’s lead to 7-4. Echols doubled to left center to score Walsh, Wallace, and Wilkie and extend the lead to 10-4.
Gigante singled to shortstop, and Echols advanced to third. Echols then scored on a wild pitch to push Florida’s lead to 11-4 to end the top of the sixth.
The Gators held the Razorbacks scoreless through the final inning to win the game 11-4.
Florida will finish its weekend series of Southeastern Conference Play against Arkansas at 1 p.m. Sunday. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
Contact Alyssa Britton-Harr abritton-harr@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @abrittonharr.
Alyssa Britton-Harr is a second-year journalism major and a sports reporter for The Alligator. In her free time, she enjoys cheering on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and spending time with her friends.
