Florida infielder Kenleigh Cahalan (31) fist bumps coach Tim Walton as she rounds third base after a home run Saturday against FIU. [Noah Lantor/WRUF]

Florida’s Bats Prove Too Much In Day 2 Of Florida Classic

The Gators haven’t had back-to-back 11-0 starts to its season since 2022-2023, and only FIU (8-2) and Marshall (5-6) stood in the way of that Saturday in Day 2 of the Florida Classic at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

No. 4 Florida took care of business to continue its unbeaten streak to begin the year, beating FIU 14-6 in six innings and beating Marshall 14-4 in five innings, scoring seven or more runs in a game for the seventh and eighth time in 2026.

Seven of the nine Florida batters hit a home run, combining for nine home runs on the day.

VS. FIU

Right-handed pitcher Katelynn Oxley got the starting nod against the Panthers, going into the matchup against a red hot FIU team, Oxley bolstered a 1.75 ERA in four appearances.

Oxley got off to a slow start, allowing five hits and three runs in 1.2 innings. Oxley was subbed out of the game in the second inning for FGCU transfer Allison Sparkman, who has pitched 2.1 innings in 2026.

Sparkman only pitched one inning, with two hits and two runs. Olivia Miller relieved Sparkman in the third.

Miller wasted no time, making her mark on a high-scoring game. She controlled the game, and cooled down FIU’s offense that seemed blistering. Miller (2-0) got the win, in 2.2 IP she struck out three with only one hit.

Taylor Shumaker showed the home crowd that she is not a one-season wonder. Shumaker went 4-for-4 against the Panthers, a two-run home run, a single, a double and an RBI double. The NFCA Freshman of the Year in 2025 was a triple away from the fabled cycle.

It was a homer party, when four other Gators went yard against the Panthers: Ava Brown, Kendall Grover, Kenleigh Cahalan and Townsen Thomas, whose two-run moonshot was her first career home run. Shumaker and Cahalan lead the team in home runs with four.

Florida outfielder Taylor Shumaker (21) hits Saturday against FIU in the Florida Classic at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. [Noah Lantor/WRUF]

VS. Marshall

In the short intermission between games, Florida’s bats made sure not to cool down.

After the Gator’s went down one in the first inning, they did not hold back. Ella Wesolowski got it started with a solo shot to left field in the second inning. With the bases loaded, Erickson followed up with an RBI single to score Gabi Comia.

Florida first baseman Ava Brown (00) and right-handed pitcher Caroline Stanton (1) pose after a home run Saturday against Marshall in the Florida Classic at KSPS [Noah Lantor/WRUF]

In the next at-bat, Grover hit a three-run missile out to left field, giving Florida a four-run lead. The Gators were not done yet, Brown joined the party with an RBI double to score Cahalan and cap off a six-run inning.

Marshall homered off Keagan Rothrock in the top of the fourth to cut the lead, but Florida showed no mercy. Brown hit another RBI double in the fourth to extend the lead. Cassidy McLellan joined the homer club with a two-run opposite field shot to make it 9-3 Florida.

The Gators iced it in the fifth. A Kendall Grover three-run no-doubter gave the Gators the 14-4 mercy-rule win in Game 2.

Rothrock pitched all five innings, ending the game with seven hits, four earned runs and seven strikeouts. Marshall homered twice off Rothrock.

Florida plays its final game of the Florida Classic on Sunday against Georgia Tech. The Gators beat the Yellow Jackets 8-5 in a thriller Friday. First pitch is set for 11:30 a.m.

Category: College Softball, Feature Sports News, Gators Softball