No. 3 Florida Softball Drops Series Opener to No. 10 Arkansas

No. 3 Florida softball (32-3, 8-2) dropped the first game of three against the No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks 6-2 Friday night at Bogle Park.

Arkansas’ pitching held the Gators’ offense to just three hits and one RBI, a season low, and nine strikeouts, the second-highest team total of the season.

Ace Keagan Rothrock started for the Gators, and did not have her best stuff Friday night. She gave up five runs and only one strikeout in her third loss of the season.

Razorbacks first baseman Tianna Bell hit a two-RBI single in the second, which gave Arkansas the lead for good. 

The Gators offense had a productive fifth inning, loading the bases and scoring a run after Townsen Thomas reached first base due to a fielding error by Arkansas second baseman Karlie Davison. 

Unfortunately for the Gators, who left the bases loaded, Arkansas also had a productive fifth inning racking up five hits and four runs. After loading the bases, Rothrock was pulled and Olivia Miller came in to relieve with one out in the fifth.

Miller pitched to only two batters after giving up a sac-fly and a walk before Allison Sparkman made her first SEC appearance in relief for the final 1 1/3 innings for the Gators. She gave up four hits and zero runs to the Razorbacks.

The Gators scored another run in the sixth off the bat of Kenleigh Cahalan, who hit an RBI single after Jocelyn Erickson and Kendall Grover were both walked to lead off the inning.

The Gators will try to keep hope alive of securing their first series win in Arkansas since 2017 on Saturday at 8 p.m.

Category: College Softball, Gator Sports, Gators Softball, Softball