Nicole DeWitt Leads Gators to Series Win Over Aggies

The No. 6 Florida Gators (26-3, 6-2 SEC) won 10-0 against the No. 8 Texas A&M Aggies (29-6, 3-2 SEC) to clinch a series win on Sunday night. Florida third baseman Nicole DeWitt led the team with a home run and a double that nearly went over the left field wall to finish with five RBI. Second baseman Hannah Adams also had a good night with her first career home run and three RBI. Starting pitcher Aleshia Ocasio struck out six and gave up one hit in five innings to improve to 11-2 in the regular season.

🎥 10 runs cross the plate on 9 hits as the 🐊s run-rule the Aggies tonight 10-0! @AleshiaOcasio has 6 strikeouts and throws a complete game shutout as Florida takes the series! #GatorsWin 🎉 pic.twitter.com/r5A1XrVuwF

— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) March 26, 2018

Initial Patience and Hitting Power

The Gators started the game the same way they did on Saturday. Florida scored four runs in the first inning of the first game of the series. Likewise, DeWitt and Adams hit a home run to center field that resulted in five runs in the bottom of the first inning. Amanda Lorenz, Kayli Kvistad and Jaimie Hoover were walked in the first inning by Aggies starting pitcher Kayla Poynter. Ocasio also singled in the first inning as she managed a hit in all three of her at-bats. Poynter was quickly replaced by senior right-handed pitcher Trinity Harrington on the mound. Harrington would hit Sophia Reynoso with her first pitch of the evening.

Walks would plague the Aggies once again, with a single from Jordan Matthews allowing DeWitt to score in the bottom of the second.

Head Coach Tim Walton is happy about DeWitt’s production.

“I’m just proud of her balance and I was really looking forward to this season for her because she has really grown as a player. To single-handedly impact the game today like she did was huge,” Walton said.

Individual Heroics

Texas A&M designated player Samantha Snow would end Ocasio’s no-hitter in the top of the third inning with a triple to right field. Hoover’s effort to reach for the ball failed, resulting in the ball ending up on the warning track. Ocasio would strike out the remaining batters to keep the Aggies scoreless.

A bad throw from the third baseman Riley Sartain allowed Lorenz to reach first and load the bases in the bottom of the third. DeWitt nearly homers a second time after her hit to left field bounces off the top of the wall to remain in play. DeWitt’s three-run double extended the lead to 9-0. Payton McBride replaced Harrington on the mound. McBride stopped the Gators offense with back-to-back strikeouts and a flyout to end the inning.

Bases were loaded again for the Gators after Reynoso was walked in the fourth inning. Amanda Lorenz had a forgettable game with a strikeout and a walk but still managed to get an RBI after she grounded out. Ocasio would return to the mound and end the game in the fifth with a 1-2-3 inning.

🎥 TV catches up with @nicoleddewitt23 after she homered, doubled & had 5 RBI tonight! #Gators take the series over the Aggies! 🎉🐊 pic.twitter.com/e15Yx8QK2V

— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) March 26, 2018

Fourth Anniversary 

Sunday was not an ordinary win for Florida. Despite members of the team wearing sunflowers as a tribute to Hannah Braswell on Saturdays,  today marked the fourth anniversary of her passing. The everlasting and honorary member of the team passed away due to brain cancer at 17 years old.

What’s Next?

Florida will play the final game of the series against the Aggies at 7 p.m. Monday. The Gators remain undefeated at home at 15-0 so far this regular season. Tim Walton’s team will also be at home for the rest of the week for a midweek doubleheader against Florida International University and games against Hampton and Jacksonville on the weekend.