No. 16 Gators to Host No. 6 Oklahoma State for Monday Night Showdown
The two teams will compete in a solo contest after weather conditions put a damper on the final days of the Bubly Invitational and the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational presented by EvoShield.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 16-ranked Florida softball team is set to host No. 6 Oklahoma State at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium for a solo contest Monday, Feb. 19, at 6 p.m. ET. The two programs adjusted their schedules after the weather forced multiple game cancellations at the Bubly Invitational and the Shriner’s Children’s Clearwater Invitational presented by EvoShield.
The Gators (8-1) will face their first ranked opponent of the 2024 season with welcoming the Cowgirls (6-2) to KSP Stadium. The last time the two programs faced off against each other was during the 2022 Women’s College World Series where OSU took the game 2-0, but this is the first time since 2017 that UF will host the program from Stillwater, Okla.
Florida and Oklahoma State met in the 2017 NCAA Gainesville Regional where UF advanced to the NCAA Super Regional round after taking two of the three games played in Gainesville that year.
The Orange & Blue enters the weekend after a shortened stint of only two games played at the Bubly Invitational due to persistent rain Saturday and Sunday, but came away with a pair of wins against Georgia Southern, 8-0 (6 innings), and Loyola, 9-1 (5 innings).
Oklahoma State experienced the same weather-related conditions in Clearwater, Fla. as their program was able to play three of its five scheduled games. OSU defeated Wisconsin, 9-5, but fell to No. 4 Georgia, 7-4, and No. 12 LSU, 7-6.
Leading the way offensively for the Gators entering the week is junior Kendra Falby (.543), Skylar Wallace (.538) and Jocelyn Erickson (.433) as the trio have accounted for 46 of the team’s 91 hits so far this year.
The Gators talented and young pitching staff will look to hold a potent Cowgirls offense at bay. Freshman Keagan Rothrock (0.68 ERA) has accounted for a team-leading 31 innings pitched, which also leads all freshmen nationally, and as has held opposing batters to a .130 average at the plate. Fellow freshman Ava Brown (0.39 ERA) enters the week with the second most inning pitched on the roster with 18.0 and has allowed only one earned run over that span, while also holding opposing batters to a .105 average the plate.
As a staff, UF pitchers hold a 0.37 ERA over 57 innings on the year and have held all batters to just a .130 average with four shutouts. They look to corral OSU’s batters who hold a .370 team batting average with four batters hitting above the .450 mark. Tallen Edwards (.500) and Rosie Davis (.500) lead the way for OSU, while Caroline Wang (.480) and Claire Timm (.458) follow closely behind.
OSU’s pitching staff sports a 2.90 ERA with Ivy Rosenberry (0.54 ERA) and Lexie Kilfoyl (2.84 ERA) pacing their staff.
Ticket Information
Tickets for tomorrow’s game will be $15 for reserved season and $10 for general admission berm seating. Softball season ticket holders have until 12 p.m. ET Monday, Feb. 19, to purchase their season ticket seat locations and can do so by visiting https://am.ticketmaster.com/gators/invoice and signing in with the E-Mail address associate with their season ticket account.
Single Game Tickets On Sale Now – https://am.ticketmaster.com/gators/en/ism/U0IyNE9L
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