After falling 10-0 in its second game of the Women’s College World Series, the Florida softball team competed in an all-Southeastern Conference elimination game against Alabama.
Florida recorded just three hits through two WCWS games but came out with a different, more aggressive approach at the plate Sunday evening.
In the top of the sixth inning with two outs and runners on the corners for the Gators, Alabama made its second pitching change of the game. Sophomore catcher Jocelyn Erickson then stepped to the plate in familiar territory.
She came through in the clutch, sending a three-run home run off a changeup pitch over the center field wall.
Erickson’s homer pushed the No. 4-seeded Florida Gators (53-14) to victory while eliminating the 14th-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide (39-20) 6-4 in the WCWS at Devon Park.
UF freshman right-handed pitcher Keagan Rothrock performed with confidence in the circle for Florida. She recorded back-to-back strikeouts to retire the side in the bottom of the first inning 1-2-3.
However, Alabama took the first lead of the game in the bottom of the second inning with an unearned run via an RBI groundout to shortstop.
Florida immediately responded and recorded two runs off two hits in the top of the third inning. Erickson broke the UF single-season RBI record to 81 and tied the game 1-1 as she sent a drive to the right center field wall.
UF junior infielder Reagan Walsh kept it rolling with a fielder’s choice RBI to second base to break the tie. Though, the Crimson Tide fought back to tie the game 2-2 on an RBI-single to center field in the bottom half of the inning.
Both teams continued to battle in the box in an attempt to break the tie. Walsh did just that in the top of the fifth. She recorded her second RBI of the game with a single to center field to take back the lead 3-2.
Despite trailing 6-2, the Crimson Tide threatened in the bottom half of the sixth with bases loaded and one out. Back-to-back RBI singles cut Florida’s lead to 6-4, but senior right fielder Katie Kistler stranded a pair of runners with a flyout.
Rothrock faced the top of Alabama’s order in the bottom of the seventh inning, but she stayed composed and ended the frame in order 1-2-3.
Next, the Florida Gators will take on No. 2 seed and three-time defending NCAA champion Oklahoma Monday at noon with the winner advancing to the WCWS championship series. If Florida wins, the teams will play in an elimination game at 2:30 p.m. Monday.
Contact Hailey Hurst at hhurst@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @haileyjhurst.
Hailey Hurst is a second-year journalism major with a focus in sports media and a sports reporter for The Alligator. In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach and cheering for Miami sports teams.
