JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University's softball team held No. 1 Florida scoreless through 3.1 innings in front of a capacity home crowd at Debbie and Fred Pruitt Softball Complex before falling to the Gators 6-0, Wednesday evening.

"I thought Alyssa Bilodeau did a great job in the first four innings," said Head Coach Jennifer Steele. "She got ahead in the count quite a bit, challenged their hitters, and went right at them. In the later innings, she issued a few free passes so it was a little more difficult."

Bilodeau got the leadoff hitter to fly out to center field in the top of the third inning before the Gators took advantage of a double to left center to plate two runners and take a slim 2-0 lead.

The Dolphins (4-2) then got a runner on in the bottom of the fourth when Allie McCourt laid down a bunt in front of the pitcher and used her quickness to beat out the throw to first. McCourt stole second, but was called out when the first base umpire ruled McCourt had left the bag early.

With one out in the top of the fifth, Florida's Jaimie Hoover hit a bomb down the right field line and, despite a close throw from the cutoff man Makenzie Buss, Hoover was able to scoot around to third. A stellar play from shortstop Danielle Baker on the next play kept Hoover on third and Bilodeau was able to get the next batter out swinging to hold off the Gator charge without any damage.

"I think our defense showed incredible maturity," said Steele. "We were able to finish plays. When Hoover hit a triple, we came up firing to third base and it was a close play at the bag."

The Dolphins best offensive threat came when Heather Roberts led off the bottom of the fifth with a hard hit ball deep but was robbed of an extra-base hit when Justine McLean made an incredible diving catch onto the warning track in left center for the Gators' first out of the half inning.

Florida (6-0) then used a big sixth inning to add to its lead after a wild pitch allowed Nicole DeWitt to advance home and Jordan Roberts drove in a run on a sacrifice fly out to center field. A throwing error to first on a single to the left side of the infield allowed two more Gator runs to score, but a quick recovery from first baseman Bethany Kursch to Makenzie Buss got the runner out at second to end the inning without further damage as the Gators took a 6-0 lead.

The final two innings went quick as both teams had 1-2-3 half innings as the Gators escaped Jacksonville with the win.

Bilodeau had two strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work and Taylor Thorpe added a K in 2.0 innings. McCourt and Roberts added a hit each for the Dolphins.

McLean was 2-for-4 at the plate for the Gators, while DeWitt added two RBI. Delanie Gourley earned the win in the circle with a complete game with eight strikeouts.

Concluded Steele, "We had an offensive plan and we put more balls into play. Our at-bats were very good against Delanie Gourley, who is probably the best in the country."

Jacksonville hits the road for a five-game road swing at Troy University's Trojan Classic, beginning Friday. The Dolphins square off with Samford at 11 a.m. Friday morning, followed by a tilt with the hosts at 4 p.m.