No. 4 Florida Softball Sweeps Florida Tournament

Keagan Rothrock struck out a season-high 11 on Sunday when No. 4 Florida beat Middle Tennessee 7-0 to complete a 5-0 roll through the Florida Tournament.

The Gators (19-0) pitched four shutouts this weekend at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium, outscoring opponents 45-4. Middle Tennessee dropped to 5-9.

Florida is off to the softball program’s best start to a season since 2016. 

Rothrock (8-0) gave up only two hits and two walks in seven innings for her second consecutive scoreless outing. 

Kenleigh Cahalan, the team leader in hits, RBIs, home runs and batting average, continued to be an offensive powerhouse bringing in the team’s first four runs. Cahalan hit a sac fly to bring in Taylor Shumaker in the first and brought in three more in the third on a homer to right that just made it out of the stadium.

“I’m just really locking in on my swing, because last year I wasn’t really seeing the ball and I wasn’t relaxed,” Cahalan said.  “I’m not in the same mindset this season. I’m just trusting myself and what I do all week with the coaching staff and putting that into the game.”

No runs would be added to the board for either team after the shortstop’s third-inning long ball until the Gators plated three more in the sixth off the bat of Madison Walker pinch hitting for catcher Ella Wesolowski.

It was Walker’s second homer of the season, her previous coming a week ago against Georgia Tech.

The Gators are back at KSP in just under two weeks to open SEC play against Missouri (5-10) on March 7. Before then, they will travel west to play in the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif. Florida’s first game of the tournament starts at 8 p.m. Thursday against Cal.

Category: College Softball, Feature Sports News, Gator Sports, Gators Softball, NCAA, SEC, Softball