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The Florida Gators softball team is travelling to Columbia to take on the Missouri Tigers in a key SEC matchup.
The three-game series will be crucial for both teams, as they are looking to improve their standings in the SEC.
https://twitter.com/GatorsSB/status/1778764803034554552
No. 9 Florida (34-7, 9-3 SEC) is second in the conference, but is just one game behind conference leader Tennessee. No. 14 Missouri (31-10, 5-7 SEC), despite a great overall record, is ninth in the conference and hungry to move up in the standings.
Here’s what to look out for in this weekend duel between two solid softball teams.
Youth Versus Experience At The Plate
The Gators have two outstanding youngsters who have transitioned to the college game superbly. Freshman pitchers Keagan Rothrock (17-5) and Ava Brown (14-2) have been sensational this season. They are both top ten in conference wins amongst SEC pitchers, and they are the first pair of freshmen in Gators history to post at least 14 wins in a season.
T1 | Brown and the Gators start this one off by retiring the side in order 1-2-3!
Gators 0 | Bulls 0
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) April 10, 2024
Facing them in the batter’s box will be a Missouri lineup loaded with experience. Their offense is led by three seniors, outfielder Alex Honnold, shortstop Jenna Laird and second baseman Maddie Gallagher. Honnold and Laird each sport batting averages above .370, and Gallagher is second on the team with nine home runs.
The battle between Florida’s young pitching and Missouri’s veteran hitting will be one to watch.
Plate Appearances Galore
The Gators and Tigers are first and second, respectively, in plate appearances in the SEC. With excellent overall lineups, both teams are able to keep the bats swinging for long periods of time in each game.
This could pose a problem for the pitching staff of each team. Florida’s young staff will have to keep their composure against Missouri’s lineup.
But Missouri are the ones who really need to be careful on the mound. The Gators rank first in the SEC in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and runs scored. On each and every at-bat, they can come up with extra-base hits.
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The Tigers’ staff needs to come to play, or they will potentially suffer blowout losses in this crucial series.
Game Times
Florida and Missouri will play their weekend series at Mizzou Softball Stadium. The games will take place on Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.
