The Gators hold a record of 8-3 against Top 25 opponents and the Tigers are the highest ranked opponent for the program this season.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 10th-ranked Florida softball program hosts No. 5/7 LSU for a three-game series this Saturday through Monday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. The Tigers are the Gators highest ranked opponent of the season so far.
The Gators (32-5, 6-2 SEC) and the Tigers (30-4, 8-4 SEC) are in a tight race for the SEC Regular Season Title as the two programs currently sit second and third in the standings respectively behind Tennessee (8-1 SEC). UF was projected to finish seventh in the conference and received one first place vote, while LSU was projected to finish third in the league.
Florida has three SEC series wins under its belt so far with a series sweep against Kentucky and series wins at Alabama and at Mississippi State. LSU on the other hand LSU has also swept Kentucky and Texas A&M, but lost series against Missouri and Ole Miss.
Both programs pitched up midweek victories heading into the primetime matchup as the Gators defeated Stetson, 8-0 (5 inning), on the road yesterday afternoon at Patricia Wilson Field. LSU defeated ULM at Tiger Park, 7-4, earlier in the week on Tuesday.
UF boasts one of the nation’s most complete teams as they rank nationally in 11 of the 19 team categories highlighted in the NCAA statistical database. Florida ranks in the top 10 in batting average (.368 – 3rd), doubles (71 – 2nd), doubles per game (1.92 – 6th), fielding percentage (.981 – 4th), home runs per game (1.59 – 9th), on base percentage (.479 – 2nd), scoring (8.97 – 3rd), shutouts (18 – 1st), slugging percentage (.660 – 3rd), stolen bases (76 – 10th), win percentage (.865 – 5th) and walks (170 – 2nd).
Leading the way individually is none other than Skylar Wallace as she ranks inside the top 25 nationally in 10 different categories, which includes national leading marks in on base percentage (.630) and runs per game (1.57). Joining Wallace as key contributors in the national rankings are Kendra Falby, Jocelyn Erickson, Korbe Otis and Reagan Walsh. Falby ranks eighth nationally in hits (53) and 10th in runs per game (1.24), while Erickson ranks third in RBI (51) and Walsh ranks 14th in the category with 43. Otis rounds out the group ranking fourth in walks per game (0.97) and second in on base percentage (.605).
In the circle, Keagan Rothrock (16-3) just earned her 16th win of the season, which ranks fourth among all UF freshmen pitchers. Ava Brown (13-2) currently isn’t far behind as she is right behind Rothrock in the category.
The Tigers come into the series boasting the third best overall batting average in the conference with a .329 batting average and are led primarily by Ali Newland at the plate in addition to Ciara Briggs and Taylor Pleasants.
In the circle they hold a 2.36 ERA as a staff, but Sydney Berzon (13-1) and Realin Chaffin (9-2) hold the most amount of innings for their staff.
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