Florida has now won its first nine games to open the season.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida softball team won their ninth straight on Thursday, downing Boston College, 12-7, to kick off the Bubly Invitational.
For the third game in a row, the Gators plated double-digit runs, despite being outhit by the Eagles 12-11.
Both teams combined for a total of 14 walks in the game.
Freshman Taylor Shumaker, who currently leads the nation in home runs, slugged another in the win, bringing her season total to seven.
Previously, the most home runs hit in the first nine games by a freshman was three by Cheyenne Coyle in 2011.
Shumaker is already tied for 10th most home runs hit by a freshman in program history with Tiffany DeFelice (2008).
Senior pitcher Kara Hammock (3-0) picked up her second victory in two days in the circle, tossing 4.1 innings with five strikeouts.
Mia Williams continued her hot streak at the plate to open her sophomore season, going 2-for-4 with a stolen base.
Williams who had 18 hits in 110 at-bats in 2024, already has 13 hits in 25 at bats in 2025.
She’s hitting .520, tied with Shumaker for a team-best.
Notables:
* Shumaker has had at least one RBI in all but one game this season and multi-RBI games in seven of nine games
* The Gators are outscoring their opponents 29-2 in the first inning
* Florida currently has 19 home runs, the most through nine games for the Gators since the 2011 team hit 20 in that same frame
* The Gators have hit at least one home run in each of the last seven games and in eight of nine on the season
* Senior center fielder Kendra Falby is 12-for-12 in stolen base attempts this season. She also extended her hitting streak to eight against the Eagles, a team-best
* Sophomore Cassidy McLellan made her first start of the season against Boston College as the designated player. She went 2-for-3 with a double
Hear from the Gators:
Junior catcher Jocelyn Erickson on Florida’s strong offensive start to games…
“I think our offense is doing a phenomenal job and I’m sure our pitchers appreciate it as well. We go into every game knowing that we need to start off strong and also finish strong.”
Up Next:
The Gators will face both Providence and No. 14 Duke in a doubleheader starting at 4:30 p.m. on Friday on the second day of the Bubly Invitational.
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