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After a game cancellation due to weather in their last scheduled game, the No. 6 Gators softball team will head back to the diamond, Friday. The Orange and Blue returns to SEC competition as they take on top-15 Tennessee at home.
Friday’s matchup kickoffs a three-game series weekend between these two teams. Also, the Gators looks to extend their 11 straight conference regular season series victories. The last time the program dropped a conference season series was in 2019.
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Florida Gators Softball (26-3, 4-2 SEC)
Florida is coming off a shutout victory against Stetson on the road in its only midweek competition. Freshman Lexie Delbrey and fifth year senior Natalie Lugo led the Gators in a 7-0 advantage over the Hatters. Also, Reagan Walsh and Charla Echols launched rockets out of the park to secure the win for the Orange and Blue.
But, what was suppose to be a two-game midweek series between the Hatters, turned into a lone matchup after unfavorable weather postponement. The game is now scheduled to take place Wednesday, April 27, at home.
T5 | @charlaechols with the two-run blast extends the lead‼️ #GoGators
Gators 5 | Hatters 0 pic.twitter.com/ibS1SB7LzM
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) March 22, 2022
Now, head coach Tim Walton and the Gators turn their attention to Vols.
As they ramp up conference play, these ladies are coming off back-to-back SEC weekend series wins. To start, in the SEC Opening Weekend Series, UF defeated Mississippi State, 2-1 . Senior right-handed pitcher went the distance to achieve her 11th complete-game shutout after defeating the Bulldogs, 3-0, clinching the series win.
Then, Florida went into College Station to defeat Texas A&M, 2-1, the following weekend.
Offensively, the Orange and Blue have showcased incredible talent so far this season. As it stands, the Gators are the only team in the nation with four batters with at least 32 hits on the year. This year’s team may have the chance to shatter school records as well.
Currently, with 15 triples as a team, it ranks third in program history and also leads the nation.
Tennessee Volunteers Softball ( 20-8, 3-2 SEC)
For the Vols, this is their third consecutive SEC weekend series against a top-10 team. Tennessee is coming a 6-2 conference home-opening series against No. 10 Arkansas. The win marked four wins over ranked opponents this season.
Getting the lay of the land. pic.twitter.com/GK1Fkt1OyJ
— Tennessee Softball (@Vol_Softball) March 25, 2022
This will not be an easy task for the Gators as Tennessee are 4-0 on the road this season. Also, expect Erin Edmoundson to make an appearance on the mound. The graduate transfer pitcher has a 13-2 record in 19 appearance this season which ranks second in the conference.
Edmoundson has 77 strikeouts in just under 90 innings.
The Golden Era Begins
https://twitter.com/FloridaGators/status/1507178280813801480
Gators fans will have a special guest prior to Florida’s matchup against the Vols. Newly hired Gator men’s basketball coach Todd Golden will make a public appearance. Golden, who was given the job after the departure of now Georgia Bulldogs coach Mike White.
The former Auburn Tigers’ assistant coach will throw the honorary first pitch in both softball and baseball games today. You can catch Golden and the Gators at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium, at 6 p.m., as they game will schedule to broadcast online via SEC Network+.
