
The Florida Gators improved to 11-7 in conference play by taking two out of three against No. 17 Alabama.
Florida improved to 39-10 overall and 11-7 in SEC play. Alabama, meanwhile, dropped to 31-18 and 8-10 in league play.
The Gators take on South Florida in midweek play before traveling to Baton Rouge to do battle against LSU in a Saturday, Sunday, Monday weekend series.
Game One: Alabama 7, Florida 4
Alabama kicked off the weekend with a seven run first inning that saw Keagon Rothrock (10-4) last just .2 inning and the Tide capitalize on an error at third base.
The Gators managed to score a run in the bottom half of the inning and added to the scoreboard with a run in each of the third, fifth, and seventh, but ran out of at-bats to complete the comeback.
Rothrock surrendered all seven runs, however, only two were earned. Olivia Miller (4.1 IP) and Kara Hammock (2 IP) completed the contest allowing just two hits the rest of the way.
In the batter’s box, Kendra Falby went 2-2 with a pair of walks, an RBI and a run scored. Florida recorded just six hits for the game and Falby was the only one to get multiple hits.
Game Two: Florida 12, Alabama 4 (5)
Game two quickly became the “Taylor Shumaker Show” as the talented freshman opened the game with a massive home run in the bottom of the first to put Florida ahead. Shumaker would add a two-run double in the fourth inning that would make it a 7-4 ballgame. Then, in the bottom of the fifth, she hit a game-ending, three-run blast.
Sophomore Ava Brown got the start in the circle and tossed 3.1 innings. She gave up four runs (3 earned) and struck out two. Katelyn Oxley (6-4) finished the remaining 1.2 innings, allowing just one base runner before the shortened game was complete.
Shumaker ended the night 3-4 with two homers and 6 RBI. Senior Kendra Falby went 3-4 with 3 RBI and two runs scored. Reagan Walsh also recorded multiple hits, going 2-3 in the game.
Game Three: Florida 4, Alabama 3
In one of the most thrilling contests of the year, Florida clinched the series with a walk-off infield single by Korbe Otis that plated series hero Taylor Shumaker.
Keagan Rothrock and Alabama’s Jocelyn Briski were engaged in a pitcher’s duel waiting for the other to blink first.
While Rothrock was the first to surrender a run in the top of the sixth, the Gators weren’t going to go down silent. Following Kali Heivilin’s RBI double that put the Tide ahead 1-0, the Gators struck for two in the bottom of the frame highlighted by Mia Williams’ RBI double.
In the seventh inning, Alabama plated a pair of runs to take a 3-2 advantage and set up the late heroics.
Jocelyn Erickson’s RBI groundout tied the game at three one batter before Otis completed the comeback victory.
Rothrock pitches 6.2 innings before relinquishing the circle to freshman Katelyn Oxley (7-4) for the final out.
…
Florida will take on South Florida in Gainesville Wednesday night. First pitch is slated for 6:00 PM. The Bulls are 36-12-1 on the season and just completed a sweep of conference mate Memphis. The Gators run-ruled USF in Tampa, 8-0, in February.

Leave a comment