SEC Preview: No. 6 Gator Softball Hosts No. 8 Texas A&M

The Florida softball team squares off against Texas A&M for only the 17th time when the two teams meet Saturday through Monday in Gainesville.  The Gators still hold the all-time series lead 13-4.

Texas A&M

The Aggies have never won in Gainesville.

Texas A&M (29-4) is undefeated in conference play (5-0). The team is back to SEC play after being only one game away from sweeping the Reveille Classic. The Classic consisted of games between the University of Connecticut, Marist College and Michigan State.

In the six games, the Aggies finished the tournament with a 30-9 run differential over their opponents.

During the last game of the classic, the Aggies defeated Marist, 4-1, giving Kayla Poynter her first career start and win. In 5.1 innings, Poynter struck out four Red Foxes, walked two, and allowed six hits and one run, before Lexi Smith relieved her. Smith allowed only one hit, with one walk and two strikeouts.

FINAL | @06kayla99 earns her first career win and @rileysartain belts her eight homer as No. 7 Texas A&M defeats Marist, 4-1, to move to 29-4 on the year!#12thMan pic.twitter.com/GWbiF310yj

— Texas A&M Softball (@AggieSoftball) March 18, 2018

Riley Sartain hit her eighth home run of the season, and now has a 10 game hitting streak for the Aggies.

https://twitter.com/AggieSoftball/status/975423473278320640

However,Keeli Milligan tops the team with a .383 average, 27 runs, 22 stolen bases and 18 walks.

Florida

The Gators (24-3, 4-2 SEC) are coming off a midweek 9-0 victory over USF at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Florida improved to 20-1 in non-conference play.

It was Florida’s 18th shutout of the season, and Kelly Barnhill tossed a no-hitter in the win.  Barnhill (12-1) continued to dominate in the circle. With her 16th start of the season, she struck out 12 and allowed just a pair of walks. The junior improved her earned run average to 0.53, while also limiting opposing batters to just a .091 batting average.

https://twitter.com/GatorsSB/status/976610547310452741

Nicole DeWitt’s walk-off home run ended the game in the bottom of the fifth. DeWitt ripped one over centerfield, bringing in three runs.

 

https://twitter.com/GatorsSB/status/976613566680887296

The Series

The SEC series starts Saturday at 5 p.m. and continues through Monday night.

https://twitter.com/GatorsSB/status/976861748023169025