Heading into the weekend’s games, the No. 3 Florida Gators took a step back while two players celebrated a special homecoming.
Junior catcher Jocelyn Erickson and senior transfer shortstop Rylee Holtorf, who are childhood friends from the Phoenix area, returned to Sandra Day O’Connor High School as Florida practiced at the duo’s old high school field.
Warming up in a familiar place may have helped Holtorf, who had five RBIs on the day, including a grand slam in the first game.
On a sunny day in Tempe, Arizona, the Gators (15-1) were looking to get back on track following an 8-1 blowout loss to No. 14 Duke on Sunday. UF did just that with an 11-0 win over the California Baptist Lancers (5-8) in five innings) and a 9-1 win over the Arizona State Sun Devils (7-5).
Holtorf and freshman right fielder Taylor Shumaker combined for 10 RBIs between the two games.
Holtorf, the former Washington Husky, belted a two-out grand slam to left field in her opening homecoming game to plate the seventh run of Florida’s first inning. She also opened the scoring against the Sun Devils with a sacrifice fly.
Shumaker blasted a pair of two-run homers against California Baptist to crack double-digit home runs on the year, which leads UF. She also laced a RBI single to right field against the Sun Devils.
However, the Gators needed a catalyst to start the day offensively: senior left fielder Korbe Otis. Her two-run double to left field in the bottom of the first started the scoring against the Lancers, while junior third baseman Kenleigh Cahalan added on with an RBI double of her own.
Despite Florida hitting three home runs in the first game, sophomore second baseman Mia Williams was the only Gator to send a ball over the fence against the Sun Devils. She hit a solo moonshot in the top of the fourth.
In the top of the seventh, she notched her second RBI of the day with a single to right field. She was immediately followed by freshman utility player Layla Lamar, who added a two-run single.
Sophomore pitchers Ava Brown and Keagan Rothrock were both consistent in the circle on Friday for Florida.
Brown (4-0) pitched four scoreless innings against the Lancers, and sophomore pitcher Olivia Miller closed the game for the Gators in the fifth inning.
Rothrock (7-1) pitched seven innings against Arizona State and escaped a jam senior pitcher Kara Hammock started in the final frame. Hammock gave up a walk and a double before Rothrock returned to the circle. The latter struck out five batters on the afternoon as well.
The Gators are back in action with a doubleheader on Saturday. They take on New Mexico State University at 6 p.m. eastern time followed by a date with Grand Canyon University at 8:30 p.m.
Contact Jackson Colding at jcolding@alligator.org. Follow him on X @Colding_Jackson.
Jackson Colding is a junior sports journalism major and the Spring 2025 softball reporter. He is in his second semester at the sports desk. In his free time, he likes playing hockey, soccer and going to the gym.
