Gators Softball Drops Game 2 To Gamecocks, 6-3

South Carolina turned up the heat on Florida on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

Fans brought hats and fans to Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium, but the Gators couldn’t match the Gamecocks’ energy, dropping the second game of the series 6-3.

In A Nutshell:

•  The Gators (36-10, 11-6 SEC) and Gamecocks (30-16, 6-11) play the rubber game Sunday, UF’s third in the last four league series.
• Ava Brown gave up a career-high four home runs.
• Reagan Walsh added to her career-high home run record, 14, with a homer in the fourth inning

Brown Battles Against South Carolina

Brown (14-4) fought the Gamecocks each time she stepped into the circle. In her 121 pitches, most of the South Carolina batters hit balls to Florida’s defense.

In the third, she loaded the bases with two singles and a walk. With two outs, she pitched out of a bases-loaded jam. She ripped off her mask, screaming. She pumped her fist before jogging out of the circle.

However, Brown gave up seven hits. Four balls landed over the fence. First baseman Jen Cummings and second baseman Denver Bryant sent balls flying out of the park. DP Aniyah Black and third baseman Zoe Laneaux also hammered homers.

https://twitter.com/GamecockSoftbll/status/1781737176180682984

Gators couldn’t push runs across

The Gators never seemed to be out of the game. However, they didn’t capitalize on their hits.

Pitcher Alana Vawter had pitched over 130 innings before her most recent outing. She’d given up 104 hits. When she was in the circle, the Gators hit eight balls. But, they also left six runners on base. In some cases, runners, who were on base with no outs, were stranded.

One flicker of hope was Walsh. She went 2-for-3 with a homer and a single. If Jocelyn Erickson and Skylar Wallace can get on base for the rubber game, Walsh (47) has the potential to overtake Erickson (54) in RBIs.

Walsh talked about her approach at bat:

https://twitter.com/GatorsSB/status/1781732518800322726

Up Next

Florida and South Carolina go for the series win starting at 11:30 a.m. Sunday. The SEC Network, ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF will provide coverage.

https://twitter.com/GatorsSB/status/1781105445748273376