April 1, 2009
Auburn, Ala. - Top-ranked Florida got a pair of wins behind the strength of pitcher Stacey Nelson who earned the win in both games as the Auburn softball dropped a double-header to the Gators Wednesday night at Jane B. Moore Field.
Auburn fell to 25-12 overall and 5-6 in the Southeastern Conference. Florida improved to 36-3 overall and 15-1 in the SEC. Auburn returns to action this weekend in Fayetteville against the Arkansas Razorbacks. First pitch Saturday is slated for 1 p.m. CT.
Nelson moved to 20-3 with the win after throwing the final 4.0 innings in relief of Stephanie Brombacher. Nelson allowed just one hit with one walk and three strikeouts. Brombacher gave up one run, earned, on two hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
Jenee Loree dropped to 10-4 in taking the loss. Loree allowed seven runs, all earned, on eight hits with three walks and three strikeouts in seven innings of work.
Florida took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth. With two outs, Corrie Brooks doubled to the wall in right and came around to score when Megan Bush followed with a double to center.
The Tigers quickly tied the game as Lindsey Harrelson led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run to left. It was Harrelson's third home run of the season and evened the score at 1-1. Myesha Finney followed with a single and Tatiana Fernandez walked to put runners on first and second with no outs. Brombacher was then pulled for Nelson.
Elizabeth Eisterhold then advanced the runners to second and third with a sac bunt back to the pitcher. Nelson ended the rally by striking out Amber Harrison and Taryn Gray to end the inning with only one run scoring.
Florida quickly responded, regaining the lead in the top of the fifth. With one out, Aja Paculba singled and was followed by walks to Tiffany DeFelice and Ali Gardiner to load the bases. Francesca Ena then launched a grand slam home run over the wall in left to give Florida a 5-1 lead.
The Gators tacked on two more runs in the sixth for a 7-1 advantage. DeFelice drove in both with a two-out single that scored Paculba and Michelle Moultrie.
Nelson held the Tigers off the scoreboard to preserve the 7-1 victory and the series sweep.
Stacey Nelson threw a two-hit shutout as the top-ranked Gators defeated Auburn 3-0 in game one of the day. Nelson fanned nine and improved to 19-3 on the season. Nelson did not issue a walk.
Anna Thompson took the loss to fall to 12-7. Thompson allowed three runs, all earned, on five hits in seven innings of work. Thompson walked and struck out four.
The Gators jumped on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning. With two outs, Ali Gardiner blasted a two-run home run over the wall in left to give Florida a 2-0 lead. Kelsey Bruder singled to reach base and scored on the dinger, which was Gardiner's fourth of the season.
The Tigers put a runner in scoring position in the fourth inning when Lindsey Harrelson reached on a fielding error by Nelson, who booted a slow roller. Myesha Finney followed with an infield single to the left side to put runners at first and second with one out.
Nelson, however, worked out of the jam as she fanned Tatiana Fernandez and forced Elizabeth Eisterhold to ground out to end the inning with the runners stranded.
Florida extended their lead in the seventh when Michelle Moultrie hit a solo home run to right field to make it a 3-0 game. Moultrie's blast came with one out and was her second of the season.
Nelson set the Tigers down in order in the bottom of the seventh to seal the victory for Florida.