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Recap by Jake Hitt | ChompTalk

Another day, another mercy rule win for Florida softball in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

This time it was a second 8-0 victory in five innings against the Mercer Bears (40-26) this weekend in Sunday’s Gainesville Regional final. Florida (46-14) picked up four extra-base hits and scored in every inning aided by a rebound performance from Keagan Rothrock to push the Gators to a 3-0 weekend and their 16th Super Regional appearance.

“It’s very refreshing to know that we can come out and compete in a tournament like this and turn the page quickly to the next opponent,” Florida coach Tim Walton said. “It’s not easy to do…and I have said this quite a few times, we’re a tough matchup in a tournament. Really tough. And so I think that benefits us a little bit.”

Since the Gators’ exit at the SEC Tournament, Walton said the team was “going hard” with multiple scrimmages to make the experience as real as it could be in preparation for the Gainesville Regional. And then they practiced following that.

Ava Brown said everything they did leading up prepared them for the past weekend.

“I think there was nothing that we did that we didn’t need,” she said. “And I think coming into this weekend we knew, obviously going into the postseason in general, whatever we get is whatever we’re going to earn. We’re not going to be given anything, because no team wants it to be their last game.”

She also said everything goes back to preparation. She believes they thrive under pressure because of how tough they practice and prepare. They’re all bought-in.

“This is what they came here for: for the opportunity to compete for championships,” Walton said.

The offense strikes again

All in all the Gators totaled eight hits in 24 at-bats for an even .300 including three doubles from Kendra Falby, Jocelyn Erickson and Korbe Otis plus a three-run home run by Brown. Seven different hitters recorded knocks and all nine reached base.

Walton said Sunday’s lineup, which was used on Friday and Saturday as well, was computer-generated to create as many runs as possible. He was particularly impressed with how many runs the Gators scored. They scored every chance they got – a coach’s dream.

“That was legit,” Walton said. “That’s the coolest thing to see, to see that we scored one every inning.”

Florida got it going early in the top of the first when an error on a fielder’s choice from a ground ball by Mia Williams with the bases loaded scored Taylor Shumaker from third. Then Erickson tripled the lead in the second on a two-out double down the right field line that plated Falby and Shumaker.

Korbe Otis provided a one-out runner in scoring position in the third on a two-bagger with Kenleigh Cahalan scoring the left fielder on a single to center.

Then Brown provided some fireworks in the fourth when she blew the game open on a two-out bomb to get to 7-0. It made her the sixth player on the roster with at least 10 home runs.

Reagan Walsh provided the run-rule score in the top of the fifth. Falby doubled to left field for the team’s final extra-base hit. After Shumaker walked and Erickson lined out, both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Walsh then lifted a 2-1 pitch into right for the eighth run on a sacrifice fly.

Rothrock rebounds

Meanwhile, the Gators got an outstanding outing from their sophomore right-hander to the tune of 4.1 one-hit innings with six strikeouts to two hit batters.

She led it off with a hit batter but  retired the next eight in a row as Florida built its lead. Rothrock also tossed two different 1-2-3 innings including striking out the side in the second. It was a turnaround performance from Saturday’s six runs and eight hits allowed in 4.2 frames against FAU. Rothrock said it provided her a little bit of relief going into the next week.

“I think it’s just knowing that when stuff like that happens, that I can bounce back from it, and just knowing that I’m always going to have the offense behind me, and they were there yesterday big time and had my back,” she said. “And then today was just coming back out here and just knowing who I am and what I’m good at, and just continuing to do what I’m good at.”

Walton said she generated more swings and misses in the first two innings. He pitched her every day during the week leading up to the weekend and almost put Rothrock in relief on Friday just to give her more work.

“Historically, the more Keagan pitches, the better she gets,” he said. “You look up on the scoreboard yesterday, she was 72 (miles per hour). Today, she never hit 72. So that says something about (how) she’s a spin pitcher, not a velocity pitcher and when she spins the ball she’s really, really good.”

Rothrock said any player would love a coach who has 100 percent faith in them. She said if Walton didn’t believe in her then he wouldn’t put her in and trust her in big situations.

“I love that he has that confidence in me, and I love that I can feel that confidence from my teammates as well,” she said. “And the best part about it is…whenever the starter gets pulled, or even the middle reliever, it’s never a bad exchange.”

Once the righty got the first batter of the fifth, Walton moved for a battery switch with Olivia Miller pitching and Makenna Bellaire catching. Miller got the next two outs on balls in play to end the game. Walton said he might need both of them in the week to come – even mentioning how Miller’s had a good season and Bellaire graduated from high school early to be on this squad.

“They earned that,” he said. “I don’t just give away anything. They earned that opportunity to have that moment.”

What’s next?

Florida moves on to the Super Regional round once again – its second in a row and fourth in the last five years. Rothrock made it clear the Gainesville Regional is in the rearview mirror.

“I think it’s really good momentum, but this weekend’s over, and so for us, it’s over we’re putting it behind us, and we have a new week ahead of us,” she said. “A new week to prepare for, a new opponent to prepare for.”