Florida's Lauren Haeger allowed just one hit, and struck out seven, to earn the win against the Aggies.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Top-ranked Florida completed a three-game sweep of No. 25 Texas A&M with a 9-1 (5 innings) win on Sunday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Seven Gators scored and eight players had at least one hit. Senior Lauren Haeger (23-0) allowed just one hit and no walks while striking out seven to set a school record for the best start to a season in program history.
The Aggies (34-17, 9-12 SEC) took a 1-0 lead on a solo home run to left-center in the top of the first, and Florida answered with three runs in the home half. Kelsey Stewart tripled to center to lead off, coming home with the tying run on a single up the middle by Nicole DeWitt. Back-to-back infield singles by Kirsti Merritt and Haeger brought DeWitt home to give the Gators a 2-1 lead before a pair of two-out hits by Taylore Fuller and Janell Wheaton allowed Merritt to score UF’s third run.
Florida raised its advantage to 5-1 with two runs in the second inning. Justine McLean led off with an infield single and then stole second, moving to third on Stewart’s single and coming home on a productive groundout by DeWitt. McLean scored from third on another RBI groundout from Merritt.
The Orange and Blue (47-4, 16-4 SEC) padded their lead with a run in the fourth, starting with another infield hit from McLean. She then stole second and came home on DeWitt’s RBI single up the middle. UF then plated three runs to win the game in the fifth. Fuller drew a walk and advanced when Wheaton reached on a fielder’s choice to set up a two-run single by pinch-hitter Jessica Damico that scored Fuller and brought in Wheaton on a throwing error. Stewart sealed the mercy-rule victory on the next play with an RBI single to left-center, producing the final margin in the Gators’ 9-1 win.
