The Florida Gators (2-1) split games with Michigan (3-1) and Illinois State (0-5) Saturday. The Gators fell to the Wolverines in extra innings but bounced back in an offensive show-out against the Redbirds.
In the first game of the day, the Gators and Wolverines squared off in a defensive battle. Freshman pitcher Keagan Rothrock started her first collegiate game. She threw a complete game and only gave up one hit.
Both teams were scoreless through nine when Michigan baserunner Ellie Sieler reached home on an error to put the Wolverines up 1-0. Florida swiftly responded with a clutch RBI single from freshman Ava Brown to score Korbe Otis.
Michigan squeezed in the final run of the game on Jenissa Conway‘s RBI groundout. The Gators couldn’t crack Michigan’s starting pitcher Lauren Derkowski, who threw the complete game and earned her second win this season.
The final score was 2-1.
After a slow start offensively, the Gators found their groove in the second game against Illinois State Saturday.
Freshman Brown started her second game but received help from her offense this time. Florida scored quickly in the first inning on a RBI single from Skylar Wallace to score Kendra Falby. Ariel Kowalewski‘s first collegiate home run added another before Falby hit a RBI double to put the Gators up 3-0 in the second.
Florida scored with six runs in the third inning. Reagan Walsh homered to start the inning. Brown doubled, Kowalewski singled, and Mia Williams reach first on a fielding error to load the bases for Falby. Falby sliced the ball down the left field line to tack on three more runs, which put Florida up 7-0.
Wallace scored Falby on her second RBI of the day. The Gators added another run on Jocelyn Erickson‘s RBI single.
Up 9-0, Avery Goelz scored in the top of the fourth inning on error to make it 10-0. The Gators’ final runs of the day came in the top of the fifth inning when Otis hit a home run, and Cassidy McLellan hit an RBI single.
The Redbirds spoiled the shutout when Mackenzie Wooten came in as relief pitcher. Adisyn Hopkins scored on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the fifth inning to add one run for Illinois State.
The Gators have another pair of games for the final day of the USF-Rawlings Invitational in Tampa. They take on Bethune-Cookman at noon and USF at 2:30 p.m.
ChompTalk.com 
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