May 19th, 2012
ray@gatorcountry.com
Florida picked the right time to play its best baseball.
With postseason play around the corner, a quality pitching start and an early offensive explosion fueled the No. 2 Florida Gators (40-15, 18-11) to victory for the second-straight night.
The Gators clinched its final regular season series by defeating the Auburn Tigers (29-26, 12-17) 10-1 Friday night at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala.
May 19th, 2012
ray@gatorcountry.com
Shelby Morgan needed just seven pitches to record her final six outs of Friday’s 2-1 Florida loss against Florida Gulf Coast in the opening round of the NCAA Softball Regional in Gainesville.
The FGCU freshman pitcher, who hails from nearby High Springs and attended Santa Fe High, scattered five hits over seven innings. The Eagles continue to be the hottest team in the Gainesville Regional, winning 15 of their past 16 games.
FGCU coach David Dieros said the key to Friday’s victory was taking an early lead behind Kirsten Bembroski’s solo homer in the second inning.
May 18th, 2012
ray@gatorcountry.com
A two-hour rain delay was the only the thing that could slow down the Florida women's tennis team as the Gators defeated Michigan 4-0 to advance to the the quarterfinals of the NCAA Women's Tennis Championship at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens. Ga., on Thursday.
Gator Country photographer Jack Lewis filed 16 pictures from the event in this photo gallery. Be sure to click on the link below the story to view the gallery.
May 18th, 2012
ray@gatorcountry.com
If Thursday’s practice is any indication, the Gators plan to hit their way into winning the Gainesville Regional.
Sure, it was batting practice pitching, but nearly every Florida regular belted homers, highlighted by Jessica Damico slamming back-to-back jacks off the scoreboard in left field.
The Nationally fifth-seeded Gators (46-11) open their 10th straight home regional against Florida Gulf Coast at 6 p.m. in Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Win and they face the winner of the Central Florida (39-7) and South Florida (45-11) game, which double-elimination tournament at 3:30 p.m.
May 18th, 2012
ray@gatorcountry.com
Preston Tucker made history in a familiar way for Florida in its road series opener vs. the Auburn Tigers.
Tucker, one hit away from becoming the all-time school leader in hits, smacked a two-run home run in the second inning to break the previous mark of 319 hits held by former second baseman Mark Ellis. The Florida offense, led by its slugging trio of Tucker, Nolan Fontana and Brian Johnson, erupted early in Auburn, Ala., en route to a commanding 6-0 win.
No. 2 Florida improves to 39-15 and 17-11 on the year. Auburn falls to 29-25 and 12-16.
May 18th, 2012
ray@gatorcountry.com
With two running backs verbally committed for the 2013 class, the Florida football coaching staff can turn its attention to finding top 2014 running backs.
On Wednesday, the Gators offered a scholarship to Tuscaloosa (Ala.) Northridge running back Bo Scarbrough, a Class of 2014 prospect.
May 18th, 2012
ray@gatorcountry.com
A few years ago, Sam Farrell was in high school and had some of the top lacrosse programs in the country recruiting her like crazy.
The Severna Park High School star from Millersville, Md., boasted offers from national powers Maryland, North Carolina and Johns Hopkins, three of her top choices.
Then Amana O’Leary and Florida came calling.
“They all told us to trust them and that we will be one of the top teams quickly,” Farrell recalled. “We didn’t really know anything. [O’Leary] was the only coach when we got recruited, and we didn’t have any field, we didn’t really know much about the program.”
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