The Gators have tallied back-to-back run-rule victories to open the 2025 season.
TAMPA, Fla. – The No. 3/2 Florida softball team improved to 2-0 with a 10-2 six-inning run-rule win over Illinois State on the first day of the USF-Rawlings Invitational on Friday evening.
Five different Gators had multi-hit performances in the victory, including a career-best three hits from sophomore Mia Williams, who went 3-of-4 with her first career triple.
Sophomore Keagan Rothrock made her offensive debut against the Redbirds, tallying a two-RBI single in just her second career at-bat.
In the circle, sophomore Ava Brown picked up her first win of the season in four innings of work, striking out a career-high six.
Senior Kara Hammock closed out the game with two scoreless frames in her Gator debut, allowing just one hit with a strikeout.
After a scoreless first inning, the Gators loaded the bases with a pair of hits and a hit by pitch in the second.
Graduate Rylee Holtorf then collected her first RBI in a Florida uniform with a sacrifice fly that scored Kenleigh Cahalan, making it 1-0.
Rothrock added to the lead in the bottom of the third with her two-RBI single to left to put Florida up 3-0.
The Gators plated three more runs in the fourth with back-to-back-to-back RBIs from Jocelyn Erickson, Reagan Walsh and Cahalan.
The Redbirds broke the shutout in the fifth, plating two runs on a pair of hits, including a sacrifice fly and a ground-rule double.
Kendra Falby tallied her first hit and RBI of the season and Erickson picked up her second RBI of the game in the fifth to put the Gators ahead 8-2.
Korbe Otis ended the game early in the sixth with a two-RBI double, scoring Holtorf and Falby, securing the 10-2 win.
Notables:
* The Gators have just one strikeout in 45 plate appearances through two games
* In her first career plate appearance, Rothrock got on-base via a hit-by-pitch. It was the first pitch she faced
* Taylor Shumaker recorded her first career stolen base in the fourth. Mia Williams had Florida’s other stolen base, the tenth of her career
* Ava Brown made the 22nd start of her career and earned her 17th victory in the circle. She now holds a 17-5 career record
* Otis has recorded back-to-back two RBI games
Up Next:
The Gators will continue play in Tampa with a pair of Saturday match ups. Florida opens the day against Delaware at 12:30 p.m., followed by a 3 p.m. game against RV/T-No. 22 Michigan.
###
