GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The ninth-ranked Florida softball team fell, 6-5, in nine innings to No. 1 Oklahoma in the series opener at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium on Thursday night.

The Gators (41-13, 12-10 Southeastern Conference) racked up nine hits, including a game-equalizing two-run home run from Mia Williams in the bottom of the sixth, but lacked timely hitting in extra innings.

The Sooners (43-5, 17-5 SEC), who had 15 hits in the game, plated the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth on an RBI single from Abby Dayton.

Williams, Taylor Shumaker and Reagan Walsh each had multi-hit outings, led by Walsh who had a game-high three hits.

NOTABLES:

• Three of Florida’s last six meetings with Oklahoma have gone to extra innings
• Mia Williams now has 18 home runs this season, tied for 10^th-most in a single-season in program history

  • Nine of those home runs have come in SEC play
  • Williams has hit at least one home run in six of Florida’s eight conference series

• Senior Reagan Walsh is now one RBI shy of tying assistant coach Francesca Enea for second-most in program history

  • Walsh currently has 220 in her career, including 51 this season, tied for second-most on the team

• Taylor Shumaker went 2-for-3 with a walk, her 20^th multi-hit game of the season

HEAR FROM THE GATORS:
On her game-tying two-run homer run in the sixth…
“I mean, it felt great, obviously. But, just knowing I did it from my team meant more. We want to win so bad. It gave us energy and pumped us up. It was good, it felt good.” – sophomore Mia Williams

On her throw out at home in the top of the fourth…

“I didn’t realize how big it was until everyone was hyping me up afterward. I was like okay, sure I kind of did do that. It was all about communication. All I heard the minute I got the ball from Jocelyn [Erickson] was going to tag the runner out that was going to second and I hear everybody [say] ‘four, four, four.’ So, I think again going back to communication, just like having each other’s backs and knowing that my teammates have my back and I have theirs.” – sophomore Mia Williams

 

On their fight throughout the nine-inning game and taking it into the rest of the series…

“I think it just shows how good we are one through nine and how we have our pitchers’ backs and everything. Also, how much fight we have as a team, and we all believe in each other. It wasn’t the result that we wanted but we’re going to come back tomorrow and the next day and get the series.” – senior Reagan Walsh

“I think we did what we needed to do that game. It just wasn’t enough; we came up a little short. I think having the same approach that we did today, like I said it didn’t go our way but we had a good fight and bringing that into the next games.” – sophomore Mia Williams

On her approach at the plate…

“Honestly, I was just looking for a pitch to drive and to do the best I can. I always go up there with the mindset that she’s not beating me and she’s not better than me. So, that’s the mindset I go up there with and the results just came in today.” – senior Reagan Walsh

UP NEXT:

The Gators will look to even up the series on Friday at 6 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.

FOLLOW THE GATORS

FloridaGators.com

Florida Softball on Twitter

Head Coach Tim Walton on Twitter

Florida Softball on Facebook