No. 12 Gators Softball Hosts No. 16 FSU

The No. 12 Gators softball team will play No. 16 FSU today in their first matchup of the season. The game will be at home for the Gators and it starts at 6 p.m.

In-state matchup at home🐊

🆚 No. 16 Florida State
📍 Gainesville, Fla.
⏰ 6 PM EST.
📺 SEC Network+
📊 https://t.co/mlWgORTxlk
🔊 https://t.co/1HK41qOFC6#GoGators pic.twitter.com/0JGPKuarJ4

— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) April 24, 2024

Tonight is also Taylor Swift night at the Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. The first 500 fans will receive an Alberta’s era t-shirt, and the first 100 will receive a friendship bracelet.

Swiftie Night at KSP tomorrow 👀

🔹 first 500 fans receive an Alberta Era’s t-shirt
🔹 first 100 fans receive a friendship bracelet#GoGators | @AlbertaGator pic.twitter.com/pdfFgAz4PI

— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) April 24, 2024

Coming In

The Gators are coming into the game with a 37-10 record. This is barely higher than the Seminoles, who are coming in with a 36-10 record.

Florida State is also currently on a 10-game win streak. They have won 17 of the last 18 games played.

However, both teams are coming off a high from this weekend. The Seminoles won the series against Boston College this weekend (3-0), and the Gators won their series against South Carolina (2-1).

Names to Watch

On the Gators’ side, junior Korbe Otis leads the team in her batting average of .451 per game, and Kendra Falby is right behind her with a .401 average. The Gators have six additional players batting above a .300.

For the Seminoles, Jaysoni Beachum leads the team with a .447 batting average. Beachum was also named the ACC Player of the Week this week. Angelee Bueno was in second place, with an average of exactly .400. FSU has eight other players batting above a .300.

Additionally, two Gators, Skylar Wallace and Jocelyn Erickson, were selected this week to play on the U.S. Women’s Elite Team for the 2024 Japan All-Star Series.

Defense to Defense

Despite three out of four of their pitchers being freshman, the Gators’ defense is much stronger than FSU’s.

Grad student Mackenzie Wooten leads the Gators with 0.62 ERA, and freshman Keagan Rothrock is not far behind with a .232 ERA.

For the Seminoles, all six of their pitchers have an ERA higher than .300. Freshman Ashtyn Danley is leading her team with a .331 ERA.

Up Next

After this in-state rivalry matchup, the Gators will hit the road to play Georgia on Friday at 6 p.m.

The Seminoles will return home to play UNC, also at 6 p.m. on Friday.