A pitcher’s duel continued in Game 2 of the No. 9 Florida softball team’s series matchup against 8th-ranked Texas A&M Saturday following Friday night’s low-scoring affair. UF freshman right-handed pitcher Ava Brown and Texas A&M junior pitcher Emily Leavitt battled it out in the circle in the early going.
Despite the Gators leading 8-3 after the fourth inning, the Aggies offense responded and brought the game to an 8-8 tie. Leavitt kept the Gators scoreless and allowed just three hits until Florida bounced back in extra innings to deliver a thrilling finish.
TAMU junior pitcher Emiley Kennedy entered the circle in the bottom of the eighth. UF freshman second baseman Mia Williams led off with a walk followed by back-to-back singles that loaded the bases.
Leading the team with 67 RBI, sophomore catcher Jocelyn Erickson stepped to the plate with one out with a chance to end the game. On a 2-2 count, she drove a fastball to left field to score Williams from third.
Erickson was mobbed by her teammates as they stormed the field to celebrate the Gators (42-12, 17-7 SEC) walk-off series win against Texas A&M (39-11, 15-8 SEC) 9-8 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium Saturday.
Florida jumped out to an early 3-0 lead over the Aggies in the bottom half of the first inning. Junior center-fielder Kendra Falby led off with a single followed by back-to-back doubles that added two runs to the board for the Gators.
With two outs, UF freshman pitcher Ava Brown smashed a double to the right center field gap to score Wallace. Brown is having a standout season offensively, entering the series slugging .611 with six doubles and 12 home runs.
The Aggies punched back in the top of the second with a two-run home run to left field. Brown allowed a walk with one out in the frame, but she settled in and forced a pop out to end the inning.
The Gators delivered an explosive second inning, recording five runs off five hits. The bases were loaded via two singles and a hit by pitch, setting up a full count for Otis, who smashed a grand slam over the left field wall to extend Florida’s lead to 7-2.
The junior extended her hit streak to 14 games and forced a pitching change for Texas A&M. Wallace then delivered a single and junior infielder Reagan Walsh drove her home before the Aggies escaped the inning.
In the top of the third, TAMU senior infielder Trinity Cannons smashed a solo home run to cut the deficit to 8-3. However, Brown forced a flyout and popup to limit any further damage.
Though, the Aggies threatened the Gators’ defense once again in the bottom of the fifth.
A hit by pitch and a walk put two runners on base for A&M. The Aggies capitalized on an infield single and two throwing errors to cut their deficit to 8-6.
Texas A&M continued to apply pressure in the top of the seventh inning.
Faced with the top of the order, Brown recorded her fourth strikeout of the day with a screwball. However, she went on to pitch six straight balls to put two runners on, leading to the bases being loaded
Florida had its backs against the wall and via a single to center field, junior shortstop Koko Wooley tied the game 8-8 with a two-run single.
But UF refused to go down without a fight.
In extra innings, the Aggies led off with back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second, but Brown remained composed in the circle. She recorded a strikeout and ended the frame 1-2-3 to strand a pair.
Next, Florida will face Texas A&M in the series' final game Sunday at 1 p.m. at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Contact Hailey Hurst at hhurst@alligator.org. Follow her on X @haileyjhurst.
Hailey Hurst is a second-year journalism major with a focus in sports media and a sports reporter for The Alligator. In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach and cheering for Miami sports teams.
