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It took the Florida Gators just four and one-half innings to claim their first win of the 2025 softball season. The Gators defeated the North Florida Ospreys 8-0 in a run-rule victory to open the 2025 season in front of 1,538 fans at Pressly Stadium.

Florida’s offense was limited to just four hits on the day, but the Gators made the most of those hits as three of them left the yard.

After a three up, three down first inning for Florida starter Keegan Rothrock (1-0), the offense plated a pair of runs on a Korbe Otis home run to left center on a 2-1 pitch.

The Gators added three more runs in the second inning as freshman Taylor Shumaker hit a shot to left-center that plated Mia Williams and Rylie Holtorf ahead of her. Shumaker became the first Florida freshman to homer on opening night since 2005 (Savana Kelly).  “I didn’t even really know it was over (the fence) until I rounded second base, then I kinda saw nobody was doing anything,” Shumaker said after the game.

Kendra Falby led off the fourth inning reaching base on an error and moved to third base rather effortlessly. A wild pitch allowed Falby to score easily to put Florida on top, 6-0. Reagan Walsh joined the homer party with a moonshot over the batter’s eye in center. After the game, Walsh described what she was looking for during the at-bat, “I was really looking for a pitch I could drive over the plate and not going for her nasty change up.” The two run blast put the game in run-rule territory with just three outs standing between Florida and a season opening win.

Sophomore pitcher Keagan Rothrock tossed the first four innings for the Gators, throwing an efficient 48 total pitches. She ran into a little trouble when the Ospreys collected a pair of hits to lead off the second inning. Despite both runners reaching scoring position, Rothrock ended the threat with a strikeout and no damage on the scoreboard.

The two hits in the second were all UNF could muster up for the entire game.

Fellow sophomore Ava Brown retired the side with a pair of strikeouts to end the game.

The Gators will travel to Tampa for the USF-Rawlings Invitational beginning Friday. Over the weekend, Florida will play five games. The Gators will face Illinois State, Delaware, Michigan, Georgia Southern, and USF as part of the tournament.