The Florida Gators are among the nation’s final four in softball. The Gators defeated SEC rival Alabama 6-4 in an elimination game and sit just two wins away from a berth into the championship series.
Alabama got on the scoreboard first as an RBI groundout by Riley Valentine plated a run in the bottom of the second inning. Florida countered in the top of the third, however, with Jocelyn Erickson singling to right to score Skylar Wallace. Reagan Walsh followed with an RBI fielder’s choice to put the Gators ahead.
The lead didn’t last long, though, Alabama evened things up with an RBI single by Marlie Giles.
In the fifth, Walsh recorded another RBI with a single up the middle that scored Korbe Otis.
Erickson opened the scoring further with a no-doubt three run homer to make it a 6-2 lead.
Alabama would add on a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth, but Keagan Rothrock threw a 1-2-3 seventh inning to complete the win and end the season for the Crimson Tide.
Otis( 2-3), Erickson (2-3), and Ariel Kowalewski (2-4) finished with multiple hits for the Gators.
In the circle, Rothrock hurled a complete game, allowing seven hits and three earned runs while earning her thirty second win of her freshman campaign.
Florida will face Oklahoma Monday. If the Gators win, the two teams will play a double header. The Sooners have won twenty straight NCAA tournament games. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
ChompTalk.com 
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