No. 8 Gators Softball Falls To No. 22 Alabama As Rothrock Struggles

The No. 8 Florida Gators fell to the No. 17 Alabama Crimson Tide 7-4 on Thursday night at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

Keagan Rothrock Struggles Again

Gators ace Keagan Rothrock (10-4) had a rough start to her outing and was pulled after just 0.2 innings. Alabama (31-16, 8-8 SEC) scored seven runs on four hits in the top of the first inning. Rothrock struggled to find the strike zone, throwing 37 pitches and hitting three batters. The Gators defense didn’t make Rothrock’s job any easier as it recorded two errors.

Rothrock missed five weeks of the season due to compartment syndrome, an ailment where the muscles grow faster than the fascia tissue surrounding them. The 2024 SEC Freshman of the Year hasn’t looked like her self ever since returning. Rothrock has given up at least five runs in four consecutive starts. The former Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year now has a 2.93 ERA on the season in 71 innings of work.

Gators Bullpen Impresses

Olivia Miller came in to replace Rothrock and dominated in the circle. The sophomore from Orlando pitched 4.1 innings while allowing just two hits with no runs. Kara Hammock pitched the final two innings, giving up one walk, no hits and no runs with two strikeouts.

“I think I was able to trust in my defense,” Miller said. “I have 100% faith in them to be behind me. Believing in our at-bats, too, to keep us going throughout the game.”

Despite holding Alabama scoreless after the first inning, the Gators (37-10, 9-7) couldn’t overcome the early 7-0 deficit. The Gators totaled six hits and four runs.

The Gators put the tying run at the plate with two outs in the seventh. Down by three, freshman power-hitter Taylor Shumaker had two runners on base, but flew out to left field to end the game.

Gators leadoff hitter Kendra Falby got on base all four times Thursday night by going 2-for-2 with two walks. It was her 20th multi-hit game of the season. The rest of Florida’s top of the order struggled to cause much noise at the dish.

Crimson Tide starter Jocelyn Briski (12-10) pitched 4.1 innings and allowed three runs (two earned), four hits and two walks with two strikeouts.

This game featured no home runs, something that you can’t say often when the Gators hit the softball field.

Up Next

The Gators will play Game 2 of the series on Friday night at 6 p.m. (SEC Network). The first 250 fans in attendance get a tykes flag.