Gators junior shortstop Skylar Wallace hit a leadoff single up the middle and then advanced after sophomore center fielder Kendra Falby singled to third base. Sophomore second baseman Reagan Walsh brought Wallace home after she hit a sacrifice fly down the left-field line.
Wallace scored the first run of the game — one of the two runs scored in the third inning.
The No. 15 Florida Gators (29-10, 6-6 SEC) beat the North Florida Ospreys (19-19, 2-10 ASUN) 6-1 Wednesday evening in Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Florida graduate student right-handed pitcher Elizabeth Hightower started in the circle for the Gators. Hightower and the Gators' defense held the Ospreys scoreless through the top of the first; she struck out senior center fielder Kayla Harper and freshman designated player Kristen Caravaca in the half inning.
UF sophomore center fielder Kendra Falby singled to third base but failed to score a run to end the first inning. Sophomore second baseman Reagan Walsh flied out to right field, which ended the inning.
Florida didn't allow North Florida to score any runs in the second. Ospreys senior first baseman Logan Jackson grounded out to second base but was caught out by junior first baseman Avery Goelz to end the inning.
Gators graduate student right fielder Pal Egan doubled to left field and was close to home after junior left fielder Katie Kistler reached on a fielder's choice. However, Egan failed to score when she was caught out at home plate to end the second inning.
Hightower and the Gators kept the Ospreys scoreless through the top of the third as they picked up their first hit. Wallace singled up the middle and advanced to second after Falby singled to third base. Wallace and Falby advanced on a wild pitch.
Walsh hit a sacrifice fly down the left-field line to bring Wallace home for the first run of the game.
Falby scored shortly after on a wild pitch by senior right-handed pitcher Skyler Stockie to extend Florida's lead to 2-0. Stockie walked Egan, and sophomore designated player Sam Roe doubled to right-center to bring Egan home. UF led 3-0 to end the third inning.
Hightower walked Caravaca to start the fourth. Junior right fielder Chloe Culp singled to center field. However, junior Abi Annett grounded into a double play from Echols to Goelz to end the top half of the fourth.
Florida senior catcher Sarah Longley doubled down the left-field line; her ball hit the fence, but it fell short of what could have been a home run. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Ashley Connor replaced Stockie in the bottom of the fourth.
Connor walked Wallace to start the bottom half; Wallace advanced to third on a throwing error by the left fielder. Longley scored to extend the Gators’ lead to 4-0 to end the bottom of the fourth.
Hightower walked junior catcher Mackenzie Woods after she hit her with a pitch. North Florida failed to score after junior shortstop Savannah Channell struck out swinging.
Walsh singled up the middle and advanced to second on a wild pitch, but she failed to score to end the bottom of the fifth.
Gators sophomore right-handed pitcher Lexi Delbrey replaced Hightower in the circle. Delbrey ended the top of the sixth and retired the side in order 1-2-3. Wallace hit her eighth triple of the season — a two-out shot to left-center — and landed a spot on third.
Senior utility player Bryn Thomas brought Wallace home after she doubled to left field. Echols doubled to left-center, and Falby scored to extend Florida’s lead to 6-0 to end the bottom of the sixth.
Senior left-handed pitcher Rylee Trlicek replaced Delbrey in the top of the seventh. Jackson doubled to center field and brought junior outfielder Madisyn Federico home to score the Ospreys’ first run of the game.
Trlicek struck out junior second baseman Ashley Kirkbride to end the game. The Gators won by five runs, 6-1.
UF will open its weekend series against the Georgia Bulldogs at 6 p.m. Friday. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+.
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.
