Gators Softball Takes Series Opener Against South Carolina

The No. 10 Florida Gators softball team beat the South Carolina Gamecocks 11-6 on Friday night at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

The Gators (36-9, 11-5 SEC) scored 11 runs in the first three innings to secure the win in the series opener. Korbe Otis went 2-for-4 with four RBIs to lead UF.

https://twitter.com/GatorsSB/status/1781481159052181809

Early-Striking Offense

Florida scored all 11 runs against the Gamecocks (29-16, 5-11) in the first three innings. Jocelyn Erickson started the scoring in the first with an RBI double.

The second and third innings is where the Gators did the most damage. Mia Williams and Otis each had run-scoring singles to give the Gators a 3-0 lead in the second. Erickson had an RBI hit by pitch and Reagan Walsh had an RBI walk to make it 5-0.

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In the third inning, the Gators erupted for six runs. Otis hit a bases-clearing double to give the Gators an 8-1 lead. Walsh hit a two-run single and Emily Wilkie hit an RBI single to make it 11-1 and finish the scoring for Florida.

The Gators’ success at the plate caused South Carolina starter Jori Heard (6-2) to exit after 1.2 innings.

Erickson and Otis on what helped the Gators start the series on a winning note:

https://twitter.com/GatorsSB/status/1781459993574953018

Pitching Struggles

Florida starter Keagan Rothrock gave up four runs in three innings. She gave up an RBI single to Zoe Laneaux, a two-run home run to Aniyah Black and was charged for the run on Riley Blampied’s fielder’s choice.

https://twitter.com/GamecockSoftbll/status/1781463870869270606

She gave up six hits and struck out one batter. Mackenzie Wooten (1-0) came in relief and pitched two innings while giving up no runs. Olivia Miller pitched the final two innings and gave up two runs while striking out two. She gave up back-to-back RBI sacrifice flyouts to Laneaux and Jen Cummings.

Up Next

Game 2 of the series starts at noon Saturday. It will be televised on the SEC Network and air on ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF.