Florida Softball Wins Sixth SEC Tournament Title

The Florida Gators softball team defeated the Missouri Tigers 6-1 to win the SEC Tournament championship Saturday at Jane B. Moore Field in Auburn, Alabama.

Mia Williams and tournament MVP Skylar Wallace repeated their semifinal performances with home runs to lead the second-seeded Gators (46-12) to their record-tying sixth league tournament title.

Coach Tim Walton won his sixth SEC Tournament championship, the most by a head coach in league history.

https://twitter.com/GatorsSB/status/1789433391189770472

Wallace And Williams Steal Show

The Gators received early offense from the bottom part of the lineup for the second straight game.

With two outs in the bottom of the second, the Gators had runners on second and third. Facing two strikes, Williams hit a three-run home run (her fifth) over the scoreboard to give Florida a 3-0 lead. This was her second three-run home run of the tournament on back-to-back days.

Wallace reached on an error to score Korbe Otis, who had tripled, to make it 4-0 in the third and chase Missouri starter Laurin Krings (13-8). After fifth-seeded Missouri (43-15) made it 4-1 in the fourth, Wallace hit a two-run home run (her 13th) to make it 6-1 in the fifth.

https://twitter.com/GatorsSB/status/1789409345454604296

Rothrock’s Dominance

Florida starter and SEC Freshman of the Year Keagan Rothrock (26-6) pitched in her third game in two days, but the workload did not stop her from dominating the Missouri lineup.

Rothrock went the distance for her 21st complete game of the season. She struck out six batters and gave up up six hits and two walks.

The only run she gave up was off a Stefani Abruscato sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth.

https://twitter.com/GatorsSB/status/1789422025485771041

Up Next

The champs!

Congrats @GatorsSB on winning your sixth SEC Tournament Championship Title! 🧡💙🏆 pic.twitter.com/L5LkEe7Bvu

— Florida Gators (@FloridaGators) May 12, 2024

The Gators, winners of eight straight games, will turn their focus to Selection Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2 to find out their seeding in the NCAA Division I Softball Championship.

They should be a top-eight seed in the tournament which would allow them to host the Super Regionals if they advance past the Gainesville Regional scheduled for May 17-19.

IT’S GREAT TO BE A FLORIDA GATOR🐊 pic.twitter.com/wWFAbjhzf2

— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) May 12, 2024