No. 3 Gators Set To Face In-State Opponents for Midweek

Coming off a win against No. 2 Texas, the No. 3 Florida softball team has no time to rest. The Gators head to Jacksonville for games against Jacksonville University on Wednesday and North Florida on Thursday.

Florida is 6-1 this season on the road and looks to improve this in these in-state matchups.

Sinking the Dolphins

There’s one thing Florida (28-4) can’t seem to do against Jacksonville (13-13): lose. The Gators are 29-1 against the Dolphins all-time and 11-0 on the road. They had no problem beating JU earlier this year, defeating the Dolphins 10-1 in five innings.  The Gators have also not dropped a game to the Dolphins since 2005.

Back in February, Florida’s lineup dominated JU’s pitchers, scoring eight runs in the first inning. There’s not much anyone can do when the Gators get hot, including Jacksonville. This should be an easy win for Florida and a chance to recover from a tough Texas series. It’ll be a solid opportunity to get Florida’s pitchers more experience, especially freshman Katelynn Oxley. With Keagan Rothrock still on the mend, getting the pitching staff more comfortable in game situations will be key down the stretch for the Gators.

Grounding the Ospreys

The Gators also routed UNF earlier this season, winning 8-0 in five innings to open the year. The game featured three Florida homers, including Taylor Shumaker’s first hit and home run of the season. What is also featured, however, was Keagan Rothrock. The sophomore allowed just two hits and picked up three strikeouts in four innings pitched. Without Rothrock in the circle, the Gators will need another pitcher to step up against the Ospreys.

Florida is 17-0 against UNF (23-9) all-time and are not expected to drop a game now. As long as everyone does their job, it should be an easy win for the Gators. But, if they find themselves in a slump or making too many errors, they could open the door for the Ospreys to build momentum. The Ospreys are on a three-game win streak and gave No. 9 Florida State a scare earlier this season, although they lost the game 5-3. They are not an opponent to overlook.

Game times and Where to Watch

Wednesday’s game against JU starts at 6 p.m. and is available to watch on ESPN+. First pitch on Thursday against UNF is also set for 6 p.m. and will be on ESPN+.