No. 7 Florida Softball Hosts South Florida in Midweek Game

Coming off a rubber-match win against then-No. 13 Mississippi State on Sunday, No. 7 Florida softball returns to action Wednesday to host South Florida at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

Florida (36-5, 11-4 SEC) looks to build off its pitching success after taking Sunday’s game in walk-off fashion, 5-4. There, the Gators received a vital boost when starter Ava Brown made her first appearance in 38 days after suffering a lower-leg injury in March.

“To have her back is not something that on that day or that weekend I expected,” coach Tim Walton said.

Brown’s return to the Gators’ pitching staff is significant for the rest of the rotation. She can eat innings and relieve the heavy workload for the rest of the staff. While Brown will need time to shake off any rust, her health will be an x-factor for the Gators in the postseason.

Before then, Florida will need to stack consecutive wins. South Florida provides a chance to do so. 

The Gators have been successful this season against unranked teams, winning 31 of those matchups while dropping five games against ranked opponents. 

UF looks to continue its dominance against the Bulls. Florida has won nine of the last 10 matchups and holds a 63-14 series record.

The last time Florida faced USF, Feb. 8, it won 6-1. Katelynn Oxley pitched four innings, allowing one run and five strikeouts. 

USF (29-12) is coming off a series win against USTA the past weekend. South Florida’s pitching staff has been superlative on the season, led by Anne Long, who holds an 11-3 pitching record and a 1.69 ERA. On the offensive side, utility player Alex Wilkes has been leading the lineup, owning a .373 batting average. 

The Gators have also found success at Pressly Stadium this season, holding a 20-2 home record.  The Florida offense will likely lean on infielder Kenleigh Cahalan, who matched her single-season high of 49 RBIs, and outfielder Taylor Shumaker, who leads the NCAA with 61 runs.

After Wednesday’s game, the Gators will continue SEC play with a weekend series against South Carolina. The teams last met in 2024, when the Gators took the series 2-1.

First pitch against USF is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Coverage on 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF begins at 6:40 p.m. and on ESPN2 at 7.

Category: College Softball, Feature Sports News, Gator Sports, Gators Softball, Softball