Florida Softball Set for NCAA Super Regional Showdown vs. Texas Tech

Florida softball (51-10) has its eyes set on a third straight Women’s College World Series appearance, but the Gators will need to take down Texas Tech (55-6) in this weekend’s 2026 NCAA Gainesville Super Regional first. 

Both teams enter Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium with momentum Friday, after taking a clean sweep of their respective regionals.  

Florida cruised through the Gainesville Regional, taking back-to-back run-rule victories against Florida A&M and Georgia Tech. The Gators eliminated the Yellow Jackets 5-2 on Sunday.

“We scored more runs than our opponent,” coach Tim Walton said. “I think that’s a huge deal. It’s been a point of emphasis hitting with runners in scoring positions and finding ways to be tougher outs.”

The road to the Super Regionals wasn’t as smooth for Texas Tech. The Yellow Jackets overcame an eight-run deficit against Ole Miss at the bottom of the seventh with one out left to advance to the Lubbock Regional finals, where they took down Ole Miss again, 14-2, to advance. 

Florida has not played the Yellow Jackets since 2009 and has taken the win in all four of their previous matchups. 

While the two teams are not familiar with each other, the players know each other well. Former Gators second baseman Mia Williams will return to Gainesville this weekend. 

Williams is an offensive juggernaut, leading Texas Tech with 83 runs and 77 RBI. The second baseman does not expect her return to KSP to last long.

“We’re prepared,” Williams said. “We’re ready, and I’m sure they are too. It’s going to be two really good softball games.” 

The Gators have their own offensive weapon as leadoff hitter Taylor Shummaker leads Florida with 90 hits and 87 runs. 

“She’s really good at getting on base,” Shumaker’s teammate Kendall Grover said. “She hits the ball hard. She’s good at walking. She really can do it all.”

The Gainesville Super Regional won’t just be an offensive showdown.

The Red Raiders are rolling into Gainesville with one of the nation’s top pitching duos. Junior Kaitlyn Terry leads the pitching staff with a 1.39 ERA, and senior NiJaree Canady is right behind her at 1.42. 

Florida’s offense will need to find ways to get hits off of the Red Raiders’ 1-2 punch, especially as Canady ranks among the top 15 in the nation in strikeouts with 215 in 36 plate appearances. 

“She’s intimidating,” Walton said of Canady’s pitching. “We saw what she did last year. 

“She’s a rare talent.”

Gators ace Keagan Rothrock needs to maintain her momentum on the mound to shut down a Texas Tech offense ranked third in the NCAA with 605 hits. Rothrock pitched 15 innings in the Gainesville Regional and limited opponents to five hits and two runs. 

Even with Rothrock at the top of her game, Walton’s message to his team is the same.

“We’re not a perfect team,” Walton said. “I don’t think we’re perfect really at anything that we do. But it’s a heck of a lot easier to win when you mash the ball and you score a ton of runs.”

Category: Feature Sports News, Gators Softball, NCAA Tournament