No. 15 Gators shut out No. 19 Bruins, run rule DePaul

FULLERTON, Calif. – The 15th-ranked Florida softball extended its win streak to 10 games Friday afternoon with its first ranked victory of the year with a, 1-0, decision over No. 19 UCLA and capped off day two at the Judi Garman Classic with another run-rule, 12-0 (5 innings), victory over DePaul at Anderson Family Field.

The Gators (19-2) started the day with a Top 25 matchup against the Bruins (5-9) and fans were treated to a pitcher’s duel between UF’s freshman Keagan Rothrock (8-2) and UCLA’s Taylor Tinsley (3-5). Rothrock hurled a complete-game shutout and held the Bruins to just a pair of hits in the effort.

Tinsley went the distance for her squad, but Skylar Wallace’s solo home run in the bottom of the first inning proved to be the difference in the end. Wallace worked a full-count with one out and blasted her sixth home run of the season over the wall in right center.

Florida’s defense played a huge role as well in the victory as a double play initiated by Wallace then flipped to Williams at second and fired to Brown at first erased a leadoff walk in the top of the fourth inning.

The Orange & Blue turned a second double play to end the game in the top of the seventh inning to seal the victory. With the tying run at third and one out, Rothrock forced a flyout to Kendra Falby in center field. Falby settled under the ball and used her momentum to fire a strike to Erickson behind the plate for the tag on the runner attempting to tie the game.

The Gators offense fired back up in the second game of the day against DePaul (3-12). UF tied its single-game season high with four home runs against the Blue Demons.

Jocelyn Erickson blasted the first home run of the game with a three-RBI shot that just cleared the left field foul pole in the bottom of the first inning that gave the Gators a 3-0 lead. Ariel Kowalewski drove in the fourth run of the frame with an RBI single through the right side.

Erickson also notched her fourth RBI of the evening in the bottom of the second inning to extend the lead out to 5-0 via a single down the left field line. Later in the inning UF recorded its second home with a three-run shot off the bat of Baylee Goddard, which extend the lead out to 8-0.

Freshman right-handed pitcher Ava Brown (8-0) helped herself out in the very next at-bat with a solo home run that gave UF a 9-0 advantage.

Florida’s final home run of the day came off the bat of Korbe Otis in the bottom of the third inning that gave UF a 10-0 lead. Otis, who is batting .889 (8-for-9) at the Judi Garman, launched the 2-1 offering over the left center field fence.

Avery Goelz drove in a run in the bottom of the fourth inning and freshman Alyssa Hovermale notched a SAC fly to center field to conclude the scoring for the Gators.

Brown was effective in the circle as she threw just 38 pitches and allowed just three hits over four innings of work to secure the win and Olivia Miller closed out the game in relief in the top of the fifth.

Florida’s last game at the Judi Garman Classic is set for Saturday, March 2, in a rematch against Michigan that will take place at 9:30 a.m. PT/12:30 p.m. ET.

Notables:

• Overall, Florida has produced 16 run-rule victories on the year and have run-ruled 10 of its last 11 opponents. The run-rule streak of nine-straight games entering today was the longest streak of run-rule victories in program history. The Gators 16 run-rule victories also are the most in the SEC this season.
• UF also leads the nation with 14 shutouts on the year, which is five more than No. 1 Oklahoma. UF currently is riding an eight-game streak where the program has shutout the opposing team. It’s the third longest streak in program history as the 2018 squad produced eight shutouts in a row and the 2009 Gators had 11 shutouts in a row.
• Gators enter today leading the nation in doubles and added two more today to bring their total to 43.
• The Florida pitching staff boasts a 0.51 ERA, which ranks first nationally.
• Florida drew three walks in throughout today’s two games and leads the nation with 98 total on the season.
• Kendra Falby entered today’s game tied for the nation’s lead in hits (32) with Emma Jackson from East Carolina. Falby added to her hit total going 4-for-6 through the two game and now has 36 hits on the year.
• Freshman Keagan Rothrock entered today leading the nation in innings pitched with 55.1 IP on the season and added seven more to bring her season total to 62.1 IP.
• Sophomore Jocelyn Erickson came into today with 30 RBI on the year, which ranks second nationally behind Texas’ Reese Atwood. The Phoenix, Ariz. Added four more today against DePaul to bring her season total to 34 RBI.