OKLAHOMA CITY – Three unearned runs in the fourth inning paired with two Gator home runs as Florida forced the “if necessary” semifinal game against Texas A&M with a 6-1 Gator victory on Sunday afternoon at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium. The teams will play again tonight at 6 pm CDT for a spot in Monday’s Championship Series. 

The Gators (70-4) opened the scoring with a second-inning solo line-drive home run to left field by Francesca Enea. 

Texas A&M (56-8) answered in the bottom half of the frame. The rally started with one-out walks to Erin Glasco and Jami Lobpries. A Macie Morrow single loaded the bases and the Aggies pushed a run in with an RBI walk to Rhiannon Kliesing, tying the score at 1-1. 

That score held until the top of the fourth inning. A one-out double by Ali Gardiner started the rally. Gardiner was replaced by pinch runner Danyell Hines, who advanced to thrd on a passed ball. A dropped pop fly in the at-bat of Enea scored Hines and advanced Enea to second base. She would come around to score on a Mary Ratliff double before Ratliff scored on a double by Corrie Brooks, making the score 4-1 in the Gators favor. 

Florida added another pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning as Gardiner singled and Enea clubbed her second home run of the game to make the score 6-1. 

Megan Gibson took the loss for the Aggies, falling to 40-2 on the season. She pitched three and two thirds innings, striking out two and walking one, allowing one earned and three unearned runs on five hits. She was relieved by Rhiannon Kliesing, who struck out one and walked three, allowing tow runs on four hits in three and a third innings. 

For the Gators, Stacey Nelson started and pitched three innings, striking out six and walking four, allowing one run on three hits. Nelson got a no-decision in the contest as she did not pitch the required number of innings for the win. Stephanie Brombache notched the win for Florida, improving to 20-0 on the season as she pitched four hitless innings.