Florida’s defense made special plays which led to Keagan Rothrock’s third complete-game one-hitter of the season.
COLUMBIA, Mo – The No. 9 Florida softball team defeated No. 14 Missouri in the series finale Sunday, 3-1, at the Mizzou Softball Stadium. Freshman Keagan Rothrock (18-6) hurled her third complete-game one-hitter of the season and eighth overall for the program.
The Gators (35-9, 10-5 SEC) were able to take the initial lead, 2-0, in the final game of the series against the Tigers (33-11, 7-8 SEC). Reagan Walsh ambushed the first pitch offered from Lauren Krings (9-7) down the left field line inside the third base bag for a leadoff double, while freshman Ava Brown sent the 1-0 pitch in the next at-bat over the center field wall for her 10th home run of the season.
After a pair of scoreless frames in the third and the fourth innings, Florida’s offense geared back up in the top of the fifth inning to extend its lead out to 3-0. Skylar Wallace started the rally with a one-out single that deflected off a diving MU first baseman, while Korbe Otis followed up with a sharply hit single up the middle.
With the duo on first and second, Jocelyn Erickson notched her 54th RBI of the year on a single to right field that scored Wallace from second.
Missouri struck back in the bottom of the fifth inning to close down the Florida lead to 3-1. MU’s leadoff reached via hit-by-pitch and advanced to second on a passed ball. A fly ball out to deep right allowed the runner to move to third and a groundout to Wallace pushed the run across home plate for an unearned run.
The Gators defense was elite in the contest behind Rothrock as there were at least four special plays behind the freshman in the circle. Falby stole a double on a leaping over the shoulder grab in the first inning, while Wallace made the second off a deflected ball at third base and fired to first in the second inning. Mia Williams made a diving grab on a short popup just outside the pitching circle around second base in the fourth inning and Kowalewski made a diving stop to rob a base hit at third in the bottom of the seventh.
The Gators will take a break from midweek play and prepare to host No. 23 South Carolina for a three-game series at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium this Friday through Sunday.
Notables:
* Ava Brown’s 10th home run of the season in the top of the second inning puts her tied her 10th all-time among UF freshmen along with Lindsey Cameron (2003).
* Jocelyn Erickson drove in her 54th RBI of the season on a single to right field that scored Skylar Wallace. Erickson’s 54 RBI rank sixth all-time among UF sophomores and currently leads the SEC.
* Keagan Rothrock hurled her third complete-game one-hitter of the season in today’s win and it’s the seventh one-hitter for the Gators this year overall.
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