JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville University softball team welcomed No. 1 Florida, the defending national champions, to the First Coast for its home opener where it fell by a score of 16-1. Senior third baseman Lexie Ballard finished the ballgame going a perfect 2-for-2 which included a homer to right field for the Dolphins' lone run.

Victoria Brown received the start on the mound for JU and besides a walk to Florida's third batter, the Gators grounded out nearly in order to end the inning. Two at-bats later, Brown became the first player to record a hit, a single down the middle, but the ballgame headed into the next frame knotted at zero, and the second inning would be the most troubling for the Fins.

Bailey Castro led off the stanza with a home run to deep left field and 13 batters later, Florida held a 9-0 advantage.

In the bottom of the second, Ballard notched a single and later, a fielder's choice stopped the third baseman from taking any additional bases. While she was blanked in Sunday's game against the Gators, freshman Kristen Griffith found herself in Wednesday's box score with a single to right field that advanced Charli Bradshaw to second. With two outs and two on base, a strikeout ended the Dolphins' run to get one on the scoreboard.

Trailing 16-0 in the fourth, Ballard, again leading off the inning, took advantage of a pitching change and sent the ball just over the leftfield wall for a home run.  

The Dolphins continue action on Friday, Feb. 13 when they host the Jacksonville University Invitational. The three-day tournament will see JU, Akron, Syracuse and Bethune-Cookman take the field at the Debbie and Fred Pruitt Softball Complex. Jacksonville's first game will be against the Orange at 5 p.m.

Fin Facts

• Wednesday marked Ballard's first multi-hit game this season
• Junior Cecile Gomez pitched 1.2 innings and gave up one hit with no earned runs