Florida Softball Continues NCAA Regional Domination in Georgia Tech Rout
Heading into a pivotal matchup against Georgia Tech, Kenleigh Cahalan was still searching for her first career NCAA Tournament home run.
The senior disrupted a pitching duel at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in the third inning, launching a moonshot into left-center field to give the Gators the lead.
Florida never looked back, continuing its NCAA Gainesville Regional dominance with an 8-0 run-rule win over Georgia Tech in five innings.
The Gators now await the outcome of Games 4 and 5 to determine their opponent in Sunday’s regional championship game. First pitch is set for noon.
“We only had to play five innings, so I think that’s always good,” Florida coach Tim Walton said. “It’s important for us to maintain our confidence and get off our feet as early as we can.”
Making consecutive starts Saturday, Florida ace Keagan Rothrock picked up right where she left off after shutting out Florida A&M through three innings in Friday’s opener.
Walton relied on Rothrock throughout the game, allowing the junior to throw her sixth complete-game shutout of 2026. Rothrock struck out four and allowed four hits.
Rothrock wasted no time settling in against the Yellow Jackets, striking out the first two batters she faced before retiring Georgia Tech in order with help from the defense.
After a quick first inning offensively, the Gators loaded the bases in the second following a pair of errors and a walk. However, Gabi Comia grounded out to first to end the threat and help Georgia Tech pitcher Sydnie Watts escape the jam.
Rothrock ran into trouble in the second after issuing her first walk of regional play and hitting another batter. Comia and Cahalan turned a 6-4 double play to help Florida recover.
“We work on our connection all the time,” Cahalan said. “I know she’s going to be there.”
The Yellow Jackets loaded the bases on back-to-back hits, but Rothrock and the Gators escaped unscathed after retiring Raegan Wall.
“They hit Keagan [Rothrock] early on, but then she settled down,” Walton said. “I thought the lead definitely helped.”
With two outs in the third, Florida finally capitalized. Cahalan battled through an 11-pitch at-bat before delivering a no-doubt three-run homer into right-center field — her first home run since April 11.
“She’s growing, she’s playing better defense and better offense,” Walton said about Cahalan. “It was as good of an at-bat as you’ll see of anybody in any moment of any game.”
Kendall Grover followed with a walk, and Cassidy McLellan drove her in with an RBI triple that dropped into left-center field to extend Florida’s lead to 4-0. Comia struck out swinging to end an inning in which all nine Gators came to the plate.
Rothrock continued to dominate in the circle, retiring Georgia Tech in order again in the fourth.
Florida’s bats caught fire in the bottom half of the inning. Ava Brown lined an RBI double into deep left field to score Jocelyn Erickson from first. Brown later advanced to third on a passed ball before Townsen Thomas brought her home with an RBI single up the middle to make it 6-0.
Thomas added another run moments later, stealing home while Cahalan was picked off attempting to steal second.
Looking for the final run needed to trigger the run rule, Florida drew three walks to load the bases for Brown. The junior delivered again, drawing a bases-loaded walk to push the lead to 8-0.
Rothrock and the Gators closed it out in the fifth. After allowing a leadoff hit, Rothrock retired the next three batters with help from the defense to secure Florida’s seventh straight run-rule victory in NCAA Regional play.
“We work on those things all the time, so to see it come to fruition in a game is awesome,” Rothrock said.
Category: Feature Sports News, Gator Sports, Gators Softball, NCAA
