Florida sophomore second baseman Reagan Walsh doubled down the right field line, and then was pinch ran by redshirt sophomore Christina Wellen. Graduate student utility player Pal Egan had a chance to give the Gators their first lead in the seventh inning.
She homered to right center and brought home Wellen to take the decisive lead against Kentucky.
The No. 16 Florida Gators (38-14, 11-11 SEC) defeated the No. 23 Kentucky Wildcats (28-19-1, 8-14 SEC) Friday evening in John Cropp Stadium.
Kentucky junior pitcher Stephanie Schoonover started the top of the first. She hit Florida junior shortstop Skylar Wallace with a pitch to start the frame. Egan singled to third base and moved Wallace to third.
Junior catcher Emily Wilkie was hit by a pitch and advanced Egan to second and load the bases, but a fly out by freshman infielder Kaila Pollard failed to bring in a run to end the top of the first.
Wildcats graduate student catcher Kayla Kowalik singled up the middle and then advanced to second after sophomore outfielder Taylor Ebbs grounded out to UF graduate student right-handed pitcher Elizabeth Hightower.
Kentucky graduate student outfielder Kennedy Sullivan homered to left field to bring Kowalik home to end the first inning with a two-run lead.
Schoonover walked senior utility player Sarah Longley to begin the second inning. Then, junior first baseman Avery Goelz doubled down the right field line to advance Longley to third.
Schoonover walked sophomore center fielder Kendra Falby to load the bases, but graduate student third baseman Charla Echols hit into a double play, and Longley was caught out when heading to home plate.
Hightower walked junior infielder Grace Lorsung, and senior outfielder Rylea Smith pinch ran for Lorsung. However, sophomore infielder Margaret Tobias reached on a fielder's choice and Smith was caught out to end the second inning.
Schoonover struck out Florida sophomore second baseman Regan Walsh to start the top of the third. She then walked Wilkie who advanced to second on a wild pitch, but a fly out from Pollard ended the frame with Wilkie stranded at second and no runs scored.
Hightower let up a walk to Kentucky junior infielder Erin Coffel. Kowalik reached on a fielder's choice and Coffel was caught out at second.
Another walk from Hightower to Sullivan advanced Kowalik to second; however, junior first baseman Meeko Harrison struck out swinging to end the third inning.
Groundouts from Goelz and Longley and a sacrifice bunt from Falby who was caught out at first ended the top of the fourth. The Gators kept the Wildcats from scoring any runs in the bottom of the fourth to end the inning.
Schoonover walked Wallace and Echols to start the fifth inning. Walsh then was walked to load the bases, and Schoonover was replaced by senior pitcher Sloan Gayan. Egan flied out to center field and brought Wallace home to score Florida’s first run of the game.
Hightower and the Gators defense left Kentucky scoreless and ended the fifth with a 1-2-3 inning.
Longley hit a leadoff single down the left field line and then stole second base. Gayan then walked Wallace, but Echols lined out to third base to end the top of the sixth.
Hightower walked Sullivan, but the Wildcats failed to score a run to end the sixth. Walsh doubled down the right field line and advanced to second, then Wellen pinch ran for her.
Egan homered to right center and brought home Wellen to take a one-run lead against Kentucky to end the top of the seventh. Florida ended the game with a one-run lead to win game one of a three-game series.
UF will continue its weekend series against the Wildcats at 3 p.m. Saturday. 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.
