The Gators will look to even up the series on Saturday.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 3/5 Florida softball team (32-3, 8-2 SEC) suffered just its third loss of the season, dropping its series opener at No. 10/9 Arkansas (29-4, 4-3 SEC), 6-2, on a chilly Friday evening at Bogle Park.
The Gator offense struggled, tallying a season-low three hits to go with three walks.
Trailing 2-0 going into the fifth, Florida scored its first run of the game off an Arkansas fielding error, before Kenleigh Cahalan</sports/softball/roster/kenleigh-cahalan/17772> drove in the Gators’ second run with an RBI single in the sixth.
Ella Wesolowski</sports/softball/roster/ella-wesolowski/17787> had Florida’s sole extra base hit of the game with a double in the top of the fifth, her first in Southeastern Conference play and seventh of the season.
Keagan Rothrock</sports/softball/roster/keagan-rothrock/17778> (17-3) took the loss in the circle, allowing five earned runs and five walks in 4.1 innings pitched.
Both Allison Sparkman</sports/softball/roster/allison-sparkman/17789> and Giulia Desiderio</sports/softball/roster/giulia-desiderio/17784> made their first appearances in SEC play.
Desiderio, as a pinch hitter in the fifth, drew her second walk of the season, while Sparkman tossed 1.1 innings, allowing four hits with a strikeout.
The Gators will look to even up the series on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
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