UF SB: No. 13 Gators Prepped for Judi Garman Classic

Florida is set for a rematch with Michigan in addition to contests against No. 18 UCLA, Long Beach State, DePaul and host Cal State Fullerton.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 13th-ranked Florida softball team heads out west to Fullerton, California to take part in the 2024 Judi Garman Classic hosted by Cal State Fullerton at Anderson Family Field this Thursday, Feb. 19, through Saturday March 2.

The Gators (15-2) are set for a rematch with Michigan (10-4), who defeated the Orange & Blue, 2-1 (10 innings), opening weekend at the USF-Rawlings Invitational in Tampa, Fla. Freshman Keagan Rothrock hurled a complete-game one-hitter in the effort.

UF will also face its second ranked opponent of the season in No. 18 UCLA (7-5). The Bruins have played seven games against ranked opponents this season and hold a 3-4 record in those contests and have been outscored 47-26.

Florida has only faced one ranked opponent so far this year as the program hosted an impromptu game against then-ranked No. 6 Oklahoma State at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium after rain caused cancellations to games on both program’s schedules. OSU came away with a 3-0 victory despite being limited to just a pair of hits in the combined effort from the circle by Rothrock and fellow freshman Ava Brown.

Rounding out the Gators schedule at the Judi Garman are games against DePaul (3-11) and Long Beach State (1-13). DePaul snapped a nine-game losing streak this past weekend as the Blue Demons went 3-2 at the Blue City Tournament and came away with wins over SIUE, 5-4, Tennessee Tech, 10-5) and Memphis, 5-0. The Beach picked up their first win also this past weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic against BYU, 6-4.

The Gators will bring the nation’s best scoring offense out to face the quality opponents at the Judi Garman. The Orange & Blue is averaging 9.94 runs per game and holds a .388 team batting average, which ranks third nationally. The offense has also drawn 84 walks on the year to lead all programs across the country.

Individually, Skylar Wallace paces the offense in batting average (.532) and boasts a 1.021 slugging percentage with five doubles, three triples and four home runs. Kendra Falby (.492 BA) follows closely behind, but leads the team with 29 hits on the year and is tied for the team lead with Wallace in runs scored at 28 on the year.
Jocelyn Erickson (.480 BA) and Katie Kistler (.483 BA) round out the lineup with batting averages well over .400.

Florida also leads the nation in a couple of pitching categories including ERA (0.48) and shutouts (10). Freshman Ava Brown (6-0) leads the way with a 0.22 ERA, which ranks first nationally among pitchers with a minimum of 20 innings pitched, while fellow freshman Keagan Rothrock (6-2, 1 SV) ranks third nationally entering the weekend in total strikeouts with 65 on the season.
Judi Garman Classic – Florida Schedule
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Feb. 29

Cal State Fullerton

Florida

8 PM

Link<https://fullertontitans.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary>

Link<https://floridagators.com/watch/?Live=5343&type=Archive>