Game one – Florida 5, Missouri 4
Junior pitcher Marissa McCann slabbed the toe for the Tigers in game one of the three-game set. She went just under four innings, allowing five hits, three runs and one strikeout.
Florida Gators junior catcher Ella Wesolowski scored the first run of the game in the second inning with her fourth home run of the season.
The Tigers answered quickly with two runs off a two-run double from Columbia native Abby Hay, knocking in her 15th and 16th RBIs of the season. The Tigers scored again in the third, with sophomore shortstop Madison Uptegrove going yard for her first time this season.
The Gators tied the game in the bottom of the fourth after freshman outfielder Townsen Thomas hit a two-run run home run, her second home run of the season. This chased McCann from the game.
The Gators’ home run party continued in the bottom of the sixth inning, when senior catcher Jocelyn Erickson hit another two-run home run for her 12th of the season.
The Tigers scored one final time on an RBI groundout from junior catcher Stefania Abruscato in the top of the seventh.
Junior pitcher Keagan Rothrock pitched the complete game for the Gators. She struck out 10, allowed seven hits and four runs.
Game two – Florida 4, Missouri 3
Senior Cierra Harrison got the call to start and pitched well in game two. She pitched four innings, giving up two runs, both unearned. She walked two, gave up two hits and failed to record a strikeout.
In the bottom half of the second, Florida scored first on a fielder’s choice from sophomore infielder Gabi Comia and an error from Uptegrove, her fourth of the season. Sophomore outfielder Taylor Shumaker then hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Wesolowski.
The Tigers rallied back in the top of the third. Senior UT Kayley Lenger hit her second home run of the season; the first of the inning for the Tigers.
Freshman first baseman Sidney Forrester then hit her team-leading fifth home run of the season, which was followed byHay knocking her third home run and 17th RBI of the season. This was the Tigers’ best offensive inning of the series.
Florida refused to die, even after the offense went dormant for a while. In the seventh inning Erickson hit a game-tying home run, her 13th of the season.
The Gators later walked it off in the 11th inning, with former Tiger Madison Walker sending a hard hit single to left field that scored Shumaker to end the game.
Game three – Florida 5, Missouri 2
McCann started her second game of the series, allowing five runs, six hits,three batters walked and one strikeout.
Rothrock also pitched her second complete game of the series.
Florida did most of its damage in the second inning. Erickson continued her torment of the Tigers with a two-RBI single up the middle, with a third run scoring on the play due to an error from Lenger.
The Tigers had a defensive highlight in the bottom of the fourth from freshman outfielder Linny Ramsey, who ran back to the warning track to make a leaping grab, robbing Wesolowski of extra bases.
The good times wouldn’t last long for the Tigers. After a single from junior outfielder Cassidy McLellan, Shumaker would hit her 11th home run of the season and knock in her 39th and 40th RBIs.
The Tigers didn’t go down quietly, as they had a mini rally of their own at the top of the seventh inning. After a one-out walk from Forrester and a double from Hay, the Tigers were in prime position to score.
They did just that after freshman Abby Carr lined a single down the right field line that scored two. The Tigers couldn’t string together more success, thus completing the sweep for Florida.
Missouri will return home to play against the University of Tennessee-Martin Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
