The No. 3 Florida Gators faced little adversity in any of their first eight games to start the 2025 season. The most runs they allowed in a game was five against Delaware, with four of them coming in the top of the fifth of a game already well out of hand.
The Boston College Eagles’ offense, however, challenged UF sophomore starting pitcher Ava Brown in the first two innings with four runs early on. Nonetheless, Florida’s bats fought back, as the Gators used a five-run first inning to outpace the Eagles offensive output. From there, UF never trailed after the top of the first.
Swift baserunning and effective plate discipline helped the Gators (9-0) defeat the Eagles (3-3) 12-7 on Thursday in a rain-delayed game at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
The Eagles scored first after senior first baseman Makenna Segal reached first base on a fielding error by UF senior center fielder Kendra Falby.
Florida showcased speed on the basepaths in the bottom half of the inning. Junior catcher and reigning NFCA Division 1 Player of the Year Jocelyn Erickson opened the scoring for Florida with a RBI single to left field over the head of Eagles sophomore shortstop Gator Robinson.
“I think we’re just leaning on each other and trusting what we do in practice to execute out in the game,” Erickson said.
Florida’s next two runs showcased the speed the Gators possess on the basepaths. Freshman outfielder Taylor Shumaker stole home, and Erickson followed to second before advancing to third on a rundown to put the Gators ahead 2-1. Junior infielder Kenleigh Cahalan hit an RBI fielder's choice, and senior infielder Reagan Walsh beat the throw to second.
Sophomore infielder Cassidy McLellan later secured an RBI walk, and senior shortstop Rylee Holtorf hit a sacrifice fly to cap off a five-run inning.
The Eagles responded with a three-run second inning. Robinson walked to start the scoring, and senior infielder Zoe Hines hit a single to the wall to cut Boston College’s deficit to 5-3. The final run scored on a wild pitch.
Brown had a hard time in the circle for Florida following her stellar outing against Georgia Southern. She pitched just two innings , giving up four runs on six hits while striking out only one batter.
UF senior pitcher Kara Hammock pitched the next four and one-third innings in relief. She gave up three runs and struck out five batters while surrendering six hits. Sophomore Keagan Rothrock came in relief for Hammock and recorded the final two outs, including one strikeout.
Erickson recorded her second hit of the night in the bottom of the second, as she smashed a two-run double into right-center field. Cahalan hit a RBI sacrifice fly later in the inning to conclude a three-run second inning for the Gators.
Robinson recorded her second RBI walk of the game in the top of the third, which cut the Eagles’ deficit back down to 8-5.
Falby hit an RBI double in the bottom of the frame over the head of Hines, and Shumaker came right back to the plate looking to dish out her usual dose of power.
Shumaker, the reigning D1 Softball National Player of the Week, tallied her seventh home run in nine games with a two-run moonshot to left-center field.
In the top of the fifth, Boston College junior third baseman Janis Espinoza scorched an RBI single to center field to make it an 11-6 ballgame. Freshman Abby Ptak hit an RBI groundout in the final frame to conclude the Eagles’ scoring.
McLellan recorded her second RBI of the game (and the season) on a hard-hit RBI double to left field in the bottom of the sixth.
Despite suffering an injury in the first inning en route to an early exit, senior starting pitcher Abby Dunning (1-1) was tagged with the loss for Boston College after allowing two earned runs.
Florida will continue the Bubly Invitational on Friday at 4:30 p.m. against Providence, and at 7 p.m. against No. 15 Duke at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
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.
