Florida Softball Stays Unbeaten at USF-Rawlings Invitational
No. 6 Florida softball remained undefeated during the opening weekend of the 2026 season at the USF-Rawlings Invitational.
The Gators defeated Bethune-Cookman 8-0 in six innings Saturday evening in the second game of a double header at USF Softball Stadium.
The Gators lead the Wildcats in the all-time head-to-head record 19-2 and shut out Bethune-Cookman 16-0 during their last match-up at the 2025 USF-Rawlings Invitational.
Kenleigh Cahalan led the team with three hits and one RBI as the Gators outhit the Wildcats 14-2.
Jocelyn Erickson got the scoring started with a two-run home run in the first inning, her first home run of her senior season. The catcher totaled two hits and two runs against Bethune-Cookman.
Freshman Kalie Matsuno had her first hit and RBI of her collegiate career with a fifth-inning single, bringing in Kendall Grover who hit two doubles. Matsuno played at second base after pinch running for Ava Brown.
Brown started and received the win for the Gators. She threw two innings, only 19 pitches and one strikeout. Brown also made an impact at the plate with a third-inning single and a walk.
The Wildcats’ only two hits of the day were both doubles, one in the fifth off the bat of designated player Jasmine Mañebo and outfielder Emma Bradley-Tse.
Florida plays its last two games Sunday at the invitational, against Kansas at noon and USF at 2:35 p.m.
The Gators return to Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium Wednesday night for their home opener against Jacksonville University.
Gators Softball Routs Michigan in Game 2 Of Rawlings Invitational
No. 6 Florida routed the Michigan Wolverines, 5-1, in Game 2 of the USF Rawlings Invitational. The Wolverines kept the game close until the Gators caught fire in the fourth inning,
Florida’s ace Keagan Rothrock pitched a complete game to secure the first leg of Saturday’s double header.
Michigan got started early in the top of the first inning with a home run by junior outfielder Jenissa Conway. Conway’s home run was the first hit Rothrock has allowed of the season. The Gators ace ended the game with seven strikeouts in seven innings.
One of Florida’s newest stars, Kendall Grover, got the Gators on the board with an RBI single into left center that scored redshirt freshman Townsen Thomas. Grover’s single was her only hit of the game, as she ended 1-for-4.
Both teams remained stagnant until a fourth-inning surge gave Florida the spark it needed. Madison Walker’s left-field single scored pinch runner Allison Sparkman.
Gabi Comia kept the Gators rolling with a double down the infield line, scoring two runs, to make it 4-1. Thomas ended the inningwith a double to left field, scoring Comia, solidifying the Gators’ second win of the season.
Sophomore Taylor Shumaker and senior Jocelyn Erickson had a quiet game, with the pair going 0-for-3 and 0-for-4, respectively. Erickson and Shumaker were two of Florida’s best batters last season and look to pick up where they left off.
Florida is 2-0 in the USF Rawlings Invitational, and look to continue its hot start to the season against Bethune-Cookman, the second leg of its double header. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.
On Friday, the Gators beat the Redbirds 7-0 behind Rothrock to open the season.
Category: College Softball, Gator Sports, Gators Softball
