No. 8 Florida softball opened the Bubly Invitational on Friday night with a win over Mercer. The Gators hit three home runs, closing out Mercer in 5 innings, resulting in a 14-3 win.

The Gators recorded 14 hits, their second most this season during their victory.

The trio of Olivia Gigante, Charla Echols, and Kendra Falby combined for 10 of the Gators’ 14 hits. Gigante went 3-4, hitting a pair of home runs, her first multi-home run game, and tied a career-high with four RBI. Echols also went 3-4, while batting in a career-high seven RBI and a three-run home run. Falby set a career-high in hits and runs, batting 4-4 with four runs.

Florida was scheduled to take on Louisiana following the Mercer game on Friday night, but the game has been moved to Sunday at 11:30 a.m. (ET), due to weather.

STATS

UF: 14 – 14 hits, 3 HR, 3 hit by pitch, 3 walk, 1 strikeouts, 6 left on base

Mercer: 3 –  5 hits, 2 hit by pitch, 1 walks, 2 strikeouts, 5 left on base, 2 errors

PITCHING:

UF:  E. Hightower (W) – 4 IP, 5 hits, 3 runs, 3 ER, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts, 2 hit batters

        S. Bender – 1IP

Mercer: R. Hickok(L) – 1.1 IP, 6 hits 7 R 7 ER,1 hit batter; M. Wicker – .2 IP 5 hits 6 R 6 ER 1 walk 1 strikeout 2 hit batters; G. Taylor – 2 IP 3 hits 1 R 1 ER 1 walk

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

UF: K. Falby 4/4 AB 4 runs; C. Echols – 3/4 AB 1 HR 7 RBI 3 runs; O. Gignate – 2/4 AB 4 RBI 2 runs; K. Kistler – 1/2 AB 2 runs, K. Pollard 2/3 AB; P. Egan 1/1AB 1 walk

Mercer: B. Ledvina – 2/3 AB 1 RBI; A. Woods 1/2 1 run; R. Laudino – 1/3 AB 1 RBI 1 run

Photo credit: Cameron Robertson/FAAZ Sports