The Florida Gators (1-0) successfully completed their opening game in the 2024 season with a win over the Oregon State Beavers (1-1). Florida won 1-0 after seven innings of combined one-hit pitching from freshmen pitching duo Ava Brown and Keagan Rothrock for the second time in program history and the lone run of the day off the bat of Skylar Wallace.
Freshman starting pitcher Brown made her collegiate debut and earned her first win tonight. Brown faced the minimum amount of batters in her first inning. From there, she settled in.
Her sole strikeout of the day came in between walks in the second. Catcher Jocelyn Erickson picked off Grace Messmer before Eliana Gottlieb lined out to leave two stranded for the Beavers.
After another three-batter inning in the third, Brown gave up a double to Lici Campbell. The next batter reached first on an error, and Brown walked the next to load the bases. She was able to get out of a tricky situation with a fielder’s choice out at home and a smart double play to follow.
The sole run of the day came when Wallace, reigning SEC Player of the Year, started her season with a home run at her second at-bat in the third inning. Wallace also recorded a single.
In addition, Korbe Otis produced a double in her Orange and Blue debut.
Also making her collegiate debut, freshman relief pitcher Rothrock came into the game in the sixth inning. Rothrock impressively struck-out four of the six batters she faced and recorded her first save. She finished with no hits or walks, as well.
The freshmen duo put up stately numbers, allowing only one hit for the second time in program history.
The Gators hope to continue their perfect start Saturday. Their Saturday lineup includes matchups with Michigan and Illinois State on the second day of the USF-Rawlings Invitational in Tampa.
You can find their season schedule here.
ChompTalk.com 
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