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After escaping Texas with an opening SEC series win, the No. 3 Florida softball team is set to host No. 25 UCF on Wednesday. The Gators are 13-1 at home this season and look to continue their winning ways at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium against a state opponent.
Riding Away With Win
The Gators (26-2) opened SEC play over the weekend at No. 4 Texas A&M. After dropping the first game of the series Friday, Florida battled back, winning two straight to capture the series victory. The Aggies pitching was no match for the Gators bats, which hit multiple home runs in every game of the series. They amassed 20 hits and 18 runs across the weekend.
Despite a relatively light non-conference schedule, the Gators proved their dominance can continue against big-time opponents. It may not come in the form of a run-rule every game, but Florida will no doubt continue winning into SEC play and the postseason, which it proved against the Aggies.
Matchup History
The Gators lead the overall series against the Knights at 24-6. They won the last matchup between the two teams in 2023 by three runs and are on a three-game win streak against the Knights.
Florida is also 15-3 at home against its in-state foe and has not dropped a game to UCF since 2021.
Scouting the Knights
The Knights are 19-8-1, but don’t let their record fool you. They can easily beat any ranked opponent that stands in their way. UCF took down No. 15 Missouri and No. 22 FAU last month and is coming off a series win against No. 7 Arizona over the weekend. The Arizona win was enough to earn a No. 25 ranking for the Knights in Softball America’s poll this week. With a Big 12 series win under their belt and a new top-25 ranking, the Knights come into Gainesville confident, knowing they can beat tough opponents.
At the top of its lineup, UCF has sophomore Sierra Humphreys. The infielder is was a unanimous All-Big 12 Freshman Team selection last season and is batting .405. She leads the Knights with 34 hits and a .457 on-base percentage.
The ace for the Knights is Florida-native Kaitlyn Felton. The senior has 15 appearances this season and 53.1 innings pitched. She is 9-0, boasting a .53 ERA. But she’s not the only presence in the circle for the Knights. Freshman Yessenia Lopez has quickly made a name for herself this season. She also has 15 appearances on the year with a 3.43 ERA. However, she leads the team with 55 strikeouts in 53 innings pitched.
The Gators can’t afford to take it easy Wednesday. The Knights have no problem capitalizing on opponents’ mistakes. Underestimating UCF won’t end well. Florida needs to keep its foot on the gas and play clean softball to beat the Knights.
Florida’s Keys
The status of ace Keagan Rothrock is still unknown. The sophomore didn’t travel with the Gators this weekend due to injury and it is unclear if she will be available for Wednesday. This means that the rest of the Gators staff needs to be ready to step up.
This didn’t prove to be a problem at College Station. Freshman Katelynn Oxley was quickly thrown into SEC play, starting Game 1 and 3 for Florida. She stayed calm and threw well, giving up just four earned runs in both games. Ava Brown tossed a complete game in Game 2, allowing just five hits and striking out four. Senior Kara Hammock closed out Game 3 in dominant fashion. She threw three hitless innings and picked up two strikeouts in her first SEC win.
If the Gators pitchers can rally together, like they did against the Aggies, they should be able to keep the Knights bats at bay.
Florida’s offense doesn’t need any notes. It has continued to prove why it is one of the most scary lineups in college softball. Hitting shouldn’t be an issue for the Gators against the Knights, especially with the home crowd behind them.
Game Time and What’s Next
First pitch on Wednesday is set for 6 p.m. at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. The game will be available to watch on SEC Network+ and at ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF starting at 5:45 p.m. Following Wednesday’s game, the Gators will stay home for an SEC series against No. 2 Texas, beginning Saturday. Saturday’s game is at 2 p.m. and will be broadcast on SEC Network.
