GAINESVILLE, Fla. \u2013 For the second time in two seasons, the Florida softball team secured a series victory over the No. 1 team, downing Tennessee, 3-2, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium on Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n
The Gators now have series victories over Missouri, Kentucky and the Lady Vols, improving to 31-2 with an 8-1 mark in Southeastern Conference play.<\/p>\n
Taylor Shumaker<\/a> opened the game with a leadoff solo home run, her 13th of the season, to give the Gators an early lead that they never surrendered.<\/p>\n Florida added a pair of runs off a wild pitch and a Shumaker RBI single in the fifth to take a 3-0 lead.<\/p>\n After Tennessee hit a two-run home run to make it a one-run game in the sixth, Keagan Rothrock<\/a> was able to shut down the Lady Vols, including stranding a runner on third, the potential game-tying run, to end the game.<\/p>\n Rothrock (17-2) earned the complete-game victory, allowing just two runs and five hits with four strikeouts and one walk. With the win, she improves to 6-1 in SEC play.
\n<\/p>\n NOTABLES:<\/p>\n
HEAR FROM THE GATORS: On Florida’s pitching staff’s performance this weekend\u2026 On the crowd support this weekend\u2026 On her thought process when hitting against a strong pitching staff like Tennessee\u2026 UP NEXT: FOLLOW THE GATORS<\/a>
\n\tThe series marked Florida’s first regular-series win over Tennessee since taking two-of-three from the Lady Vols in 2017 in Knoxville
\n\tComing into the weekend, the Lady Vols had allowed just 12 total home runs over 28 games. The Gators combined for four home runs over three games, one from each Kenleigh Cahalan<\/a>, Madison Walker<\/a>, Cassidy McLellan<\/a> and Taylor Shumaker<\/a>
\n\tShumaker extended her hitting streak to 15 games, recording two multi-hit games on the weekend
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\n\t\tShumaker hit a team-best .500 (5-for-10) against Tennessee with two RBIs, two runs, a walk and a home run
\n\t\tShe has now hit 35 home runs in her career, just five home runs shy of moving into the top-10 in Florida career history midway through her sophomore season
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\n\tShumaker\u00a0led off the top of the first inning with her 13th\u00a0home run of the season, a solo shot to center field
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\n\t\tIt was her third leadoff home run this season and fourth first-inning home run. She led off the Feb. 27 match up against No. 8\/9 UCLA with a solo home run, hit a three-run home run in her second at-bat of the first inning against East Texas A&M on Feb. 26 and opened the March 15 game at Kentucky with a solo shot
\n\t\tOf her 13 home runs, seven have been solo shots
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\n\tFlorida’s defense continued to shine, finishing the weekend with no errors. It’s the second-straight SEC series with a perfect fielding percentage for the Orange & Blue
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\n\t\tThe Gators have committed just one error through the first nine SEC games of the season
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\n\tWith her win today, Keagan Rothrock<\/a> now has 66 career victories in the circle, moving into a tie with Delanie Gourley (2014-2017) for eighth-most wins in program history
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\n\t\tWith two against the Lady Vols, Rothrock has made 90 career starts, tied with Renise Landry (1998-01) for eighth-most starts in program history
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\n\tFlorida had a combined three-day attendance of 7,254
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\nOpening statement\u2026
\n“First off, our crowd was awesome. I thought just the number of people and their ability to stay connected the\u00a0whole weekend was awesome. Obviously, we just didn’t get one clutch hit on Friday night, but we found a way to set the tone yesterday and we did a great job again today. Keagan had a great weekend and Olivia Miller<\/a> has just been super impressive in her opportunities. Against a pitching staff like Tennessee’s, getting hits is hard to come by. I thought we did a good job. I thought we really did a good job turning the page after Friday and getting better as the weekend went on.” \u2013 head coach Tim Walton<\/a><\/p>\n
\n“I mean it really is a whole staff effort. There is not a weekend where you can go in the SEC and use one pitcher; it truly does take a staff. So being able to talk to those two (Olivia Miller<\/a> and Katelynn Oxley<\/a>) about what they threw yesterday, what they saw with them in the box, it helped today. It’s also just about remembering who I am and throwing my game and making sure that I’m attacking the way that I know how.” \u2013 junior Keagan Rothrock<\/a><\/p>\n
\n“I mean this is why you pick to be a Gator, no matter the sport. Like gymnastics just won the SEC Championship last night, basketball was the overall champions. This is why you pick to be a Gator and this is why you choose to be here. That is why I chose to be here. The fan base that we have and the support that they show is insane. From day one to day three. Normally, the first game of a series isn’t as crowded and there was literally not a spot open on the berm on Friday. I think that just goes to show how Florida fans are with their sports. We are sports-loving people. We kind of feed into them and feed off of them, in both ways. That’s why you choose to be a Gator.” \u2013 junior Keagan Rothrock<\/a><\/p>\n
\n“For me as a hitter, I’ve always been taught not to make the moment too big, not make anything bigger than it has to be. I honestly believe that with the coaching staff I have and the great hitters I have around me, that if I’m at my best then nobody can really beat me. I feel like that confidence is what kind of drives me to be the best version of myself. Last year, I kind of learned that a lot of the film and stuff just kind of makes me think too much about what I’m doing. It’s literally just hitting a ball with a bat, like making sure I get my bat to the right part of the ball and picking good pitches. As long as I’m swinging at good pitchers and I’m doing what my team needs me to do, it doesn’t matter what the other team’s doing as long as I’m at my best.” \u2013 sophomore Taylor Shumaker<\/a>
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\nThe Gators host Stetson in a midweek match up this Wednesday, March 25 at 6 p.m.<\/p>\n
\nFloridaGators.com<\/a>
\nFlorida Softball on Twitter<\/a>
\nHead Coach Tim Walton<\/a> on Twitter<\/a>
\nFlorida Softball on Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n