ATHENS, Ga. – The 12^th-ranked Florida softball team fell, 11-6, as No. 11 Georgia evened the series Saturday afternoon at Jack Turner Stadium.

The Gators (38-12, 13-7 SEC) tallied six runs on seven hits, including three home runs, and the Bulldogs (37-12, 11-9 SEC) recorded 11 runs on 12 hits, including five home runs, in today's game.

Georgia struck for the first run of the game in the bottom of the second to take a 1-0 lead. After a leadoff single by Sara Mosely to left field, Sydney Kuma struck a groundball down the third base line that grazed the glove of freshman third baseman Ariel Kowalewski for an RBI triple that scored Mosley from first. Freshman right-handed starting pitcher Ava Brown (14-5) buckled down in the circle and was able to retire the next three batters and strand Kuma at third base to limit the damage.

Florida took it's first lead of the game, 4-1, in resounding fashion during the top of the fourth inning. Skylar Wallace led the frame off with a walk, which was then followed by a UF program tying 113^th career stolen base. Jocelyn Erickson walked and Baylee Goddard loaded the base with a one out hit-by-pitch.

With the bases loaded and two outs on the board, Kowalewski launched her first career grand slam over the center field to clear the bases. The grand slam was also only the third of the year for the Orange & Blue.

The Bulldogs struck back in the home half of the fourth to cut into the Gators lead 4-3. After a misplayed ball on a line drive, Kuma lifted a two-run home run over the left field wall. Brown once again steadied herself in the circle and was able to sit down the next three batters faced via a groundout and a pair of flyouts.

Georgia retook the lead, 10-4, in the bottom of the fifth inning after it strung together seven runs on seven hits including back-to-back home runs from Jayda Kearney and Mosley. UGA added two more later in the frame on a Jaiden Fields two-run home run after a Mackenzie Wooten was brought in relief of Brown and capped the scoring in the inning on an Ellie Armistead RBI single down the right field line off reliever Olivia Miller.

Florida closed down the lead to 10-5 in the top of the sixth as Brown launched her 11^th home run of the season over the center field wall for a solo home run. UGA responded in the bottom of the frame with a solo home run from Mosley, but Otis picked the run back up in the top of the seventh with her sixth home run of the season as she sent a solo shot to left center in the seventh that capped the scoring at 11-6.

The series between the Gators and the Bulldogs will be decided Sunday, April 28, at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

Notables:

• Falby turned in a 2-for-4 performance at the plate in today's game to record her team-leading 23^rd multi-hit game of the year and extended her reached base streak out to six games.
• Wallace stole her 113^th career base in the top of the fourth inning after a leadoff walk. The mark ties the Florida program record held by Kelsey Stewart (2013-16) who stole 113 bases in 124 attempts.
• Kowalewski blasted the first grand slam of her career in the top of the fourth inning against the Bulldogs. It's also only the third grand slam of the season for the Gators.
  • March 20 – Skylar Wallace – at FGCU – Top 2^nd Inning
  • March 22 – Reagan Walsh – vs. Kentucky – Bottom 3^rd Inning
  • April 27 – Ariel Kowalewski – at Georgia – Top 4^th Inning
• Korbe Otis extended her hit-streak out to 10 games when she belted her sixth home run of the season in the top of the seventh.
• Reagan Walsh pushed her reached base safely streak out to 17 games and her hit-streak out to seven games with a two-out single in the seventh.
• Ava Brown extended her hit-streak out to five games with a solo home run in the top of the sixth.

 
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