No. 2 Florida Softball Prepares for No. 12 Arkansas

After nearly three weeks of playing on the road, the Florida softball team returns home for a three-game series against the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Florida hasn’t faced off against Arkansas since 2023 when the Gators lost the series. However, the Orange and Blue leads the all time record 51-17. At one point, the team had a 30-game win streak against the Hogs.

A Look At Arkansas

The Razorbacks sit at 26-7 on the season, with six of their seven losses coming against SEC opponents.

Arkansas most recently won all three games against Kentucky for its first series sweep since 2023. Pitching carried the Hogs to victory, as the rotation allowed only six earned runs across 19 innings pitched.

Freshman Payton Burnham has been one of Arkansas’ most reliable arms all season long, with a 2.30 ERA. The team’s other ace is Robyn Herron; together, the two have combined for an 18-5 record.

1-2-3 that's enough for P

Payton Burnham retires the Wildcats in order during her first inning of work. pic.twitter.com/rv0XBbVR2v

— Arkansas Softball (@RazorbackSB) March 30, 2025

Offensively, the team is 28th in the nation in batting average. Leading the charge is Bri Ellis, who has hit for .494 with 18 homers— the very definition of a superstar slugger.

Meanwhile, Reagan Johnson recorded her 11^th career three-hit game in the third game against Kentucky, and she has been red-hot for the Hogs as of late.

Gators’ Last Time Out

The Gators (33-6, 6-3 SEC) had one of their most anemic performances in recent memory against FSU on Wednesday.

Though Kendra Falby extended her on-base streak to 39 games, the rest of the lineup didn’t have much to write home about. The team had a season-low four hits and was shut out for just the second time this season.

Looking back a bit further, the Gators looked more like themselves against Auburn, bringing 25 runs home and drawing a season-high 10 walks in the sweep. Additionally, Keagan Rothrock started in the circle for the first time in nearly a month and looked none the worse for wear, pitching a near complete-game shut out.

This suggests the game against the Seminoles might be nothing more than a fluke; however, it’s still a fact that Florida has struggled to match its early-season offensive power since commencing SEC play. This series against the Razorbacks gives the Gators a chance to rebound and re-establish their game.

Looking Ahead

The series begins on Friday at 6 p.m.

The game is broadcast on SEC Network+.