Three of Florida’s four hits in the victory came via the home run.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 3/2 Florida softball team opened the 2025 season with an 8-0 run-rule victory over North Florida on Thursday evening in front of a home crowd of 1,538.
With the win, the Gators improved to 17-0 in the all-time series over the Ospreys.
Three of Florida’s four hits in the game came via the long ball, with Reagan Walsh, Taylor Shumaker and Korbe Otis each sending balls out of Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Sophomore Keagan Rothrock wasted no time in her first start of the season in the circle, setting down the Ospreys in order, inducing two ground outs and a strikeout, in the top of the first.
The Gators carried their early momentum into the bottom of the inning as Otis put the first two runs on the board with a two-run blast to left center, her 10th as a Gator.
After Florida held the Ospreys scoreless in the top of the second, Shumaker tallied her first career hit, a line drive three-run homer to left center, to give the Gators a 5-0 advantage.
With the hit, Shumaker became the first Florida freshman to hit a home run in their season opener since Savana Kelly in 2005 against Florida Atlantic and first under Coach Walton.
Rothrock’s success in the circle continued in the third and fourth innings with back-to-back three up, three down performances. The sophomore allowed just a pair of hits with three strikeouts in four innings of work on opening night.
Florida’s bats went to work in the fourth, providing their pitcher with run support. Center fielder Kendra Falby led off the inning, reaching first on an error, before making her way around the bases via a sacrifice ground out and a pair of wild pitches to put the Gators up 6-0.
Walsh then knocked a two-run shot over the batter’s eye, putting the Gators just three outs away from a run-rule victory, 8-0.
Those three outs came in the top of the fifth as sophomore two-way player Ava Brown moved from designated player to pitcher. She set down the next three Osprey batters in order, including striking out the final two hitters, to secure the 8-0 opening night win.
Notables:
* Tonight marks just the second time under head coach Tim Walton that the Gators have opened the season at home. Florida also opened the 2009 season in Gainesville with a 3-0 win over Baylor
* Left fielder Korbe Ortis notched the Gators’ first home run of the season in the bottom of the first, the 10th of her Florida career
* The Gators had 25 plate appearances with no strikeouts against the Ospreys
* Florida’s three home runs are the most in a season opener for the Gators since 2013, when Florida also hit three home runs
* With her two-run shot, senior Reagan Walsh has now hit 34 home runs in her career. She needs just two more to move into a five-way tie for ninth-most in program history
Hear from Coach Walton:
On the home atmosphere and crowd support…
“It’s been so long since we opened the season at home. I think that was good, it was good for us to be playing at home. The first game of the season is a different type of pressure. It’s great for the fans. What a beautiful night and I thought our team played well, but I also thought our fans were great. It was really fun to see our team just finally be one team as opposed to two teams for the last month.”
On Taylor Shumaker’s outstanding performance in her first career game…
“It was just awesome. Any time you can get a hit in your first Gator game, let alone your first hit is a home run, that’s a special feat, especially going opposite field.”
Up Next:
The Gators head down Tampa for the USF-Rawlings Invitational from Feb. 7-9. Florida will kick off the three-day tournament on Friday with a game against Illinois State at 7 p.m.
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