Florida’s Delbrey hurls one-hitter against Stetson

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The eighth-ranked Florida softball team defeated Stetson, 4-1, in midweek action Wednesday afternoon at Patricia Wilson Field. Sophomore right-hander Lexie Delbrey threw her second no-hitter of the season as she held the Hatters hitless until the bottom of the final inning.

Delbrey (5-2) and the Gators (23-5) held the Hatters (17-13) to just one base runner in the first 6 2/3 innings of play in what was a pitcher’s duel against Stetson’s Hannah Marien. (7-5) into the top of the 5th inning.The only batter SU managed during that span was a leadoff hit-by-pitch by Brianna Clary.

Florida rallied to break a scoreless tie in the top of the 5th inning of the game via a two-out rally. Katie Kistler started with an infield single that fell in the infield after the Hatters’ stop dove for it behind the pitcher’s circle. Kistler moved to third when Skylar Wallace delivered the game’s first extra-base hit with a double to right center.

With Kistler on third and Wallace on second, Reagan Walsh gave UF a 2-0 lead when she drilled the first pitch offered by right-hander Hannah Marien down the left-field line for a two-RBI double.

The Gators continued to put pressure on the Hatters defense and put it in the top of the 6th inning. Freshman Olivia Gigante roped a leadoff double to right center field, which was followed by a walk drawn by Pal Egan. Pinch-runners Bryn Thomas and Egan both advanced to second and third on a Sam Roe SAC bunt, and it was Kaila Pollard who delivered this time with a two-RBI single to right center that extended the lead out to 4-0.

The Hatters finally broke the scoreboard in the bottom of the 7th inning to close Florida’s lead to 4-1. Evette Morgan lifted a 3-1 offering from Delbrey over the left field wall for Stetson’s only hit and run of the contest.

Florida returns to action with a three-game series in Fayetteville, Ark. at Bogle Park against No. xx/xx Arkansas on Monday, March 24, through Sunday, March 26.

Notable:

• Lexie Delbrey threw her second shutout of the season in tonight’s win against Stetson and her first against UAB (March 5). Delbrey has also thrown a no-hitter this season as he no-hit Rutgers (March 12) during the Bubly Invitational. Florida’s pitching staff now has five one-hitters on the year.
• Charla Echols went (2-for-4) in this evening’s game against the Hatters to put up her ninth multi-hit game of the year. Echols extended his hitting streak to 15 consecutive games with a single to left in the top of the 1st inning.
• Pal Egan reached in the 2nd inning on an infield single and has now reached base safely in his last five games.
• Reagan Walsh broke open the scoring in the top of the 5th inning when he produced a two RBI double down the left field line. The two RBI game was Walsh’s fourth multi-RBI game of the year.
• Kaila Pollard extended Florida’s lead to 4-0 with a two-RBI single to right-center field for her fifth multi-RBI game of the year.