No. 10 Gators Set to Host No. 23 Kentucky for Top 25 Series
The Wildcats will be the Gators fourth top-25 opponent of the year and after the series will have played eight top-25 games.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 10th-ranked Florida softball program returns to Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium this Friday through Sunday with a top-25 series against Southeastern Conference foe No. 23 Kentucky.
The Gators (26-4, 2-1 SEC) enter the weekend against the Wildcats (20-8, 0-3 SEC) after having earned their 21st shutout of the season, which ranks third all-time in program history, and their 17th shutout in the win over FGCU this past Wednesday on the road.
Skylar Wallace led the charge at the plate as she belted the first grand slam of her career, seventh home run of the season, in the top of second inning and finished the game going 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of walks for her 14th multi-hit game of the year. Reagan Walsh tallied her 10th home run of only 27 players in the country to have hit at least 10 home runs this year and is tied for third overall in the SEC.
Kentucky enters the conference series after a, 7-0, shutout victory over Marshall on Wednesday. UK’s star shortstop Erin Coffel set the Wildcats new program record for career RBI after a three-run home run pushed her career total to 203, passing former record holder Abby Cheek’s (2016-2019) 202.
The series with the Gators will be the Wildcats eighth, ninth and tenth games against top-25 opponents. Overall, they hold a 3-4 record with a pair of wins over then ranked No. 3 Stanford (W, 2-1 & W, 3-2) during opening weekend.
Florida continues to see consistent production throughout the lineup this season as any player can take over a game either at the plate, on defense or in the circle. At the plate the Gators boast one of the nation’s best offenses as the program ranks inside the top-5 in batting average (.376 – 4th), doubles (60 – 2nd), scoring (9.03 – 3rd), slugging percentage (.647 – 5th) and walks (142 – 2nd).
Defensively, UF leads the nation in fielding percentage (.987) and in the circle the Orange & Blue ranks second nationally in team ERA (1.16) and first in shutouts (17).
Individuals highlighting the team success in the national statistical rankings are 2023 NFCA Player of the Year Skylar Wallace who ranks nationally in batting average (.487 – 7th), on base percentage (.630 – 2nd), runs per game (1.47 – 2nd), slugging percentage (.949 – 5th) and stolen bases (20 – 3rd). Kendra Falby ranks third nationally in hits (45) and seventh in runs per game (1.47), while Jocelyn Erickson’s defense behind the plate ranks her eighth nationally in caught stealing (9) and seventh in RBI (38).
In the circle, the freshman duo of Keagan Rothrock (12-3) and Ava Brown (11-1) rank second and third respectively nationally among freshmen in total wins on the season. Brown leads all freshmen nationally in win percentage (.917) as she is only one of two freshmen nationally with at least 11 wins and only one loss on the season.
Rothrock ranks ninth overall nationally in total strikeouts (103), but second nationally among freshmen in the category.
At the conclusion of this weekend’s series with the Wildcats the Gators hit the road for another top-25 SEC series when they travel to Starkville, Miss. to take on No. 20 Mississippi State March 28-30.
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