Zero runs.
That is what the Florida Gator softball team held Boise State in the NCAA regional tournament following a 5-0 blanking in the regional championship Sunday. The Gators dropped the Broncos into the consolation bracket Saturday with an 8-0 win.
The stage is now set for the Gators to take on SEC rival Tennessee in the super regionals.
Unlike the first matchup, this time senior pitcher Kelly Barnhill went the distance, allowing just three hits over six innings. Barnhill also notched six strikeouts and allowed just one walk.
However, just like the first meeting, Florida was able to jump out on Boise State early. In Saturday’s game, the Gators plated six runs in the first en route to the win.
Sunday, Florida started the first inning with a pair of runs when Kendyl Lindaman scored Amanda Lorenz on a wild pitch, then Lindaman scored on an RBI from Sophia Reynoso.
The Gators added a run in the third when Lily Mann scored on a sacrifice fly to left from Jordan Roberts.
In the next inning, Jaimie Hoover continued her hot hand at the plate when she belted a solo home run to left field off Boise State starter Kelsey Broadus.
Reynoso scored for the Gators in the bottom of the fifth after Cheyenne Lindsey singled to Micaela Leal. Reynoso moved to third but advanced to third on a throw back to first in an effort to get Lindsey out.
The Gators will now host No. 12 Tennessee at Katie Seashole Pressley Stadium for the best-of-three Super Regionals beginning Thursday, May 23. The Gators lost two of three in a home series with the Volunteers in early March in the only meeting between the two programs this season.
Tennessee was forced to a second game against North Carolina in the Knoxville Regional after the Tar Heels defeated the Volunteers, 1-0 in the first game.
In other SEC action during the regional tournament, No. 8 Alabama defeated Arizona State, 9-8 to advance to the Super Regional where they will face either No. 9 Texas or Houston.
In Lexington, Kentucky, the No. 14 Wildcats defeated Virginia Tech 11-1 in the regional final. They will face either No. 3 Washington or Mississippi State in the Super Regionals.
No. 11 Mississippi defeated Louisiana, 5-1 in the first game of the regional finals in Oxford, Mississippi. That set up a second game later Sunday. If Ole Miss wins, they will face either No. 6 Arizona or Auburn in the Super Regionals.
Georgia and Drake had their elimination game delayed due to weather in the Minneapolis regional. A win would see the Bulldogs take on No. 7 Minnesota in the finals.
No. 10 LSU was locked in a 4-4 tie with Texas Tech in the finals of the Baton Rouge, Louisiana regionals. If LSU wins the first game, they will advance to take on either Minnesota, Drake or Georgia in the Super Regionals.
Finally, Missouri got past Weber State, 7-0 in an elimination game in the Los Angeles Regional late Saturday. They led No. 2 UCLA, 2-0 in the first game of the regional championship. The Tigers will need to beat the Bruins twice to make it to the Super Regionals, where they will face either No. 15 Michigan or James Madison.
South Carolina was eliminated by No. 4 Florida State, 7-6 in the Tallahassee regional earlier in the day while the last SEC team in the field, Arkansas, was eliminated on the first day of the Stillwater, Oklahoma regional.