After hitting a solo home run against No. 4 Oregon on Friday, Lauren Haeger kept hitting balls out of the park on Saturday.
During No. 1 Florida’s doubleheader on Day 2 of the Diamond Citrus Classic in Orlando, the Peoria, Ariz., native hit three home runs — one during Florida’s 9-2 win against Fordham and two more in the team’s 9-1 six-inning rout of Ohio State. She capped off her hitting with a grand slam against the Buckeyes.
“I think (Haeger) did a good job,” coach Tim Walton said in a release. “Today, she didn’t have any bad swings. She put quality swings on pitches all day today in all of her at-bats. I don’t think she got herself out maybe but one time.”
Haeger now leads the Southeastern Conference with nine home runs and has a team-leading 26 RBIs on the season.
But Haeger wasn’t the only Gator who hit the long balls on Saturday.
After hitting only one home run in her first 40 at-bats this season, sophomore Kirsti Merritt hit two against Fordham.
Senior Stephanie Tofft also hit a home run in the seventh inning against the Rams to give her three on the year.
On the day, Florida (19-0) outhit its two opponents 16-10, with sophomore Kelsey Stewart pacing the Gators with five hits. Haeger led the team with seven combined RBIs.
In the pitching circle, Florida continued the dominance it has displayed all season.
Delanie Gourley struck out eight batters while walking only one in her complete game win against Fordham. The freshman left-hander gave up two runs — only one of which was earned — and lowered her ERA to 1.94 during her sixth start of the year. Gourley now leads the team with a 1.08 strikeout-per-inning average and has a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.9:1.
Against Ohio State, Haeger won her sixth contest of the year after giving up only three hits and one run through five innings. On the season, the junior is limiting opponents to a .111 average at the plate.
“They’re all throwing the ball well,” Walton said. “As well as they’re throwing the ball, if they can hit their spots, change speeds, change locations and use the defense, they’re going to be tough to beat, especially when you start playing single games in a day.”
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Lauren Haeger swings at a pitch during Florida’s 11-1 win against USF on May 18, 2013, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
