Florida Gators softball sweeps Super Regional, will defend title in Women’s College World Series

Senior right-handed pitcher Lauren Haeger was dominant once again for the No. 1 Florida Gators on Sunday, sending her team to a 1-0 win over the Kentucky Wildcats in Super Regional play and to the Women’s College World Series for the third straight season.

Florida swept Kentucky 7-0 and 1-0 at Pressly Softball Stadium in Gainesville, Florida, behind Haeger’s 14.0 shutout innings. The National Player of the Year finalist has now held the Wildcats scoreless in 29.2 consecutive innings.

Sunday’s win did not come easily. The Gators had multiple opportunities to score but were unable to come through until the fourth when sophomore outfielder Justine McLean – who one frame earlier made the day’s highlight defensive play – smacked an RBI single, scoring junior Taylore Fuller. That run-scoring hit was McLean’s fifth of the season, second that led UF to a victory.

Florida will return to the WCWS in Oklahoma City for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. The Gators are looking to defend their 2014 national title, the first in program history. The No. 1 overall seed in the 2015 NCAA Tournament, Florida will open the WCWS on Thursday.