Georgia right-hander Chelsea Wilkinson had Florida swinging at air all Friday afternoon.
Wilkinson fanned a career-best 14 batters as the No. 2 Gators’ (45-6, 14-5 Southeastern Conference) rally in the bottom of the seventh inning fell short in their 3-2 loss to the Bulldogs (35-16, 12-7 SEC) in Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
UF’s five hits Friday were its fewest in a game since April 13.
“She was obviously doing a good job, changing her speed very well,” coach Tim Walton said. “For that, we were pretty much off balance the whole game.”
Said Wilkinson: “Coach (Lu Harris-Champer) always says take one pitch at a time. It doesn’t matter the count. Just make that pitch the best one you can, and things will fall in place.”
Florida had an opportunity to get on the board in the first inning but couldn’t convert with runners in scoring position. With runners on second and third and no outs, Wilkinson struck out sophomore Lauren Haeger and senior Kelsey Horton. After Wilkinson walked junior Stephanie Tofft to load the bases, freshman Taylor Schwarz struck out to end the inning.
Fresh off a no-hitter against Longwood on Sunday, junior pitcher Hannah Rogers did not allow a hit until the top of the fifth inning. But UGA’s first hit led to the first run of the contest for either team.
The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead when Katie Browne doubled to right-center field, driving in Anna Swafford.
Florida failed to respond in the bottom of the fifth as Wilkinson struck out two of three batters.
“She was just throwing slower speeds,” Walton said. “Typically, slower speeds go down. But her pitches slower speed were going up. Slower speed was going sideways. She had an inside curve.”
Added Horton: “Her pitches looked really deceiving to us.”
In the top of the seventh, Browne doubled to left center and advanced to third on a throwing error by freshman Kirsti Merritt. Swafford, who singled in the previous at-bat, scored to put the Bulldogs ahead 2-0.
Then, Georgia’s Samantha LaZear bunted to first base, scoring Browne to give UGA a 3-0 advantage.
But in the bottom of the seventh inning, Florida’s offense finally found some success.
After Wilkinson walked sophomore Briana Little, sophomore Bailey Castro – pinch hitting for freshman catcher Aubree Munro, walked to move Little to second with one out. Stewart bunted to reach first base as Little and Castro each advanced.
After a 15-pitch at-bat, Merritt walked to score Little and cut the Gators’ deficit to 3-1. Haeger came up next and flied out to left field to drive in Castro and bring Florida within one run.
With runners on second and third, Horton had a chance to tie the game or take the lead, but the senior grounded out to third base as the Bulldogs ran out of their bullpen and celebrated.
“I wish that ball would have went through,” Horton said.
UF will finish the final two games of its three-game series against Georgia on Saturday and Sunday at noon.
“Tough loss. Happens,” Stewart said. “We just have to keep moving. It’s a series, not one game.”
Kelsey Stewart gets tagged out at home during Florida’s 9-1 win against UNC Wilmington on Feb. 17 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Stewart picked up two hits in the Gators' 3-2 loss to Georgia on Friday.
