Kelsey Stewart had no time to think.
In a game full of drama and emotion, the bottom of the seventh saw Stewart on third base representing the winning run.
Taylore Fuller was up to bat with a 3-1 count. LSU pitcher Carley Hoover uncorked a rise ball that catcher Kellsi Kloss couldn’t handle, allowing Stewart to score the game winning run.
“It was definitely read and react,” Stewart said. “Coach just told me, like (be) ready for that pitch again because she’s been throwing rise balls a little wild today, so I was just ready for it and I read it and reacted.”
In a matchup of undefeated teams, No. 1 Florida won its opening Southeastern Conference game 4-3, on all things: a walk off passed ball to improve to 28-0 on the season, extending the best start in program history.
No. 3 LSU fell to 25-1 (3-1 SEC) after tying the game at three in the top of the seventh. Briana Little provided the highlight of the night when UF was up 3-2 in the seventh. LSU’s Bianka Bell, who went 4-for-4 in the game, hit a single to left field. Little grabbed the ball and fired a laser to Aubree Munro to get A.J. Andrews at home plate.
“On that play I knew that if it was going to be a base hit that I was coming up hard and I was gunning her out,” Little said. “I just focused on making a good throw and just making sure it was quick.”
With emotions running high after Little’s throw, LSU was able to load the bases off of Lauren Haeger, who came on in relief in the seventh for Aleshia Ocasio. Sandra Simmons would walk to tie the game at three, before Florida ended it.
“We knew that we were going to get the job done, but weren’t sure how,” Little said. “In the end we got it done.”
Stewart led off the bottom of the inning with a single down the left field line. She would advance to second after a sacrifice bunt from Kirsti Merritt and then take third base after a wild pitch.
With only one SEC game in the books, Stewart doesn’t know if her body can withstand the emotional toll that this one brought.
“It gave me a heart attack,” Stewart said. “I’m only 20 and I feel like I’m 40 right now, so we got to keep it a little less than that.”
With two more games against the Tigers this weekend, coach Tim Walton doesn’t feel the opening game of the series sets up the final two games.
“I don’t think it really says anything,” Walton said. “I think one ball bounce here or there and they win, and one ball bounce here or there like it did and we win…we got it done.
“Can’t be too picky when you got a pitching staff like they do and vice-versa.”
Follow Luis Torres on Twitter @LFTorresIII
Kelsey Stewart bats during Florida's 7-6 win against Auburn on April 5 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Stewart finished her sophomore season with a team-best .438 batting average while setting UF's single-season record for hits (102) and tying her record for stolen bases (36).
