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The No. 13 Florida Gators softball team defeated the No. 11 Alabama Crimson Tide 2-0 on Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Freshmen phenoms Keagan Rothrock and Ava Brown made the difference for the Gators (20-3, 1-0 SEC). Rothrock (9-2) pitched another gem by tossing a one-hitter. Brown, a two-way standout, drove home the two runs with a single in the second inning.
Starting the weekend with a WIN!#GoGators | Presented by @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/0nhRDOZkQn
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) March 9, 2024
Brown Comes Through
Coming into SEC play, the Gators struggled at hitting with runners in scoring position. When Brown headed to the plate in the second inning, the Gators had runners on second and third with two outs.
On the second pitch Brown saw, she singled back up the middle to plate two runners and give the Gators a 2-0 lead. That’s all the Gators would need to take down the Crimson Tide (19-2, 0-1) in the first of a three-game series.
Elite Defense
Rothrock only allowed five baserunners in the game and didn’t allow any runners to reach second base. But it took a team effort to keep the Crimson Tide off the board.
A windy day in Tuscaloosa accounted for several tough plays in the outfield, but the Gators held strong. In the fourth inning, center fielder Kendra Falby made an incredible running catch to prevent a leadoff double.
What a catch, @kfalby7 🤯
📺 SECN+ | #GoGators pic.twitter.com/OGXWXJwV5R
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) March 9, 2024
In the fifth inning, catcher Jocelyn Erickson threw a laser to second base to nab Lauren Johnson on a steal attempt. Every time an Alabama hitter reached base, Rothrock and the Gators defense stepped up. The Gators have the best fielding percentage in the country this season.
https://twitter.com/GatorsSB/status/1766577378040463434
What’s Next?
The Gators have two more games coming up in Tuscaloosa. They play at 6 p.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. Monday. Both games will be on the SEC Network and ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF.
They play at home Wednesday for the first time since Feb. 25 for a matchup with Stetson.
