If Saturday’s doubleheader proved anything, it was that no lead is safe in the Southeastern Conference.
After No. 7 Alabama (24-8, 7-3 SEC) overcame a three-run deficit to earn a 10-4 victory in Game 1, No. 6 Florida (22-4, 5-2 SEC) answered with a come-from-behind win of its own, turning a late four-run deficit into a 7-5 extra-innings win.
In the opener, Alabama struck first on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first inning.
But, as it has done all year, Florida quickly answered back, scoring two in the second on a single by junior Aja Paculba and adding two more in the third on a double by freshman Brittany Schutte.
Although Gators ace Stephanie Brombacher was coming off of a perfect game, coach Tim Walton knew such a small lead was not safe.
“4-1 is not going to be enough today, I can tell you that,” Walton said in the middle of the fourth.
Sure enough, the Crimson Tide stormed back, scoring eight runs in the fifth off of only three hits.
Alabama brought 15 batters to the plate in the inning, and were the beneficiaries of six walks, a hit by pitch, one of the UF’s four fielding errors, and three of Brombacher’s numerous illegal pitches.
In the nightcap, Alabama once again got out to an early lead, scoring two in the bottom of the first off of a wild pitch and more sloppy fielding from the Gators.
They added a pair on a triple from Kayla Braud in the bottom of the second, and looked set to cruise to a victory, as Florida could not advance a runner past second base through five innings of play.
But the Gators rallied in the top of the sixth, scoring three on a home run by Schutte.
After Brombacher pitched a scoreless sixth, freshman Brittany Walker and Paculba got on base to lead off the seventh and sophomore Michelle Moultrie followed with a 2-RBI double that gave the Gators a 5-4 advantage.
However, the top three hitters in the Tide order- who reached base a combined 15 times Saturday- answered right back, as Charlotte Morgan singled in Braud to tie the game.
But the Gators refused to quit, as Paculba earned UF the lead once again in the top of the eighth with a two-run home run.
Brombacher shut the door in the bottom of the inning, and UF had salvaged a split.
