UF senior center fielder Kendra Falby is typically known for a few notable attributes — athleticism both in the outfield and on the basepaths, as well as her ability to slap the ball anywhere she wants.
One thing Falby is not typically known for is hitting the ball over the fence. However, she changed that narrative in the bottom of the third inning of Florida’s Wednesday night game.
She changed her approach from her typical plate appearances in the at-bat. Normally, Falby will run toward the edge of the batter’s box and attack the ball to slap it. However, facing a 2-1 count, she sat in the box and drove the neon yellow ball high into the clear skies at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. The ball landed right outside the bullpen, and she sprinted around the bases to her teammates surrounding home plate. This was the first home run she hit over the fence at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
The No. 3 Florida Gators (27-2) used Falby’s blast to defeat the UCF Knights (19-9-1) on Wednesday 3-0 to win one final contest before the team’s biggest series of the season to date against the No. 2 Texas Longhorns.
Wednesday’s matchup was not just a typical in-state midweek contest for UF. The Gators have run-ruled every team they’ve played in midweek action. The Knights came in having won their first conference series on the road against No. 5 Arizona 2-1. UF had its work cut out for it throughout the contest, as neither team was able to get much going at the plate.
UCF freshman starting pitcher Yessenia Lopez (2-4) kept the Knights within striking distance for the majority of the game. However, a few mistake pitches were all the Gators needed to strike. She pitched six innings and gave up three runs — one of which came on Falby’s blast — while surrendering four hits and striking out four UF batters.
She threw her first mistake in the bottom of the second. UF junior catcher Jocelyn Erickson was facing two strikes with nobody out or on base in the inning. The UF single-season RBI record holder drove the pitch to dead center to open the scoring and move into a three-way tie for second place on the team at nine.
Not only did Falby’s blast in the following inning extend UF’s lead, it also lengthened her on-base streak to 29 games — including every contest this season. The home run would not be the last time Falby reached base .
“I’ve never hit a home run over the fence like at our field so that was like really exciting for me,” Falby said.
UF head coach Tim Walton was complimentary of her ability to evolve at the plate and constantly change her approach.
“Now she’s a lot more process-oriented, she goes to hit when she feels and sees, she goes to slap when she feels and sees,” Walton said.
Heading into the bottom of the fifth, UF recorded just two hits in the game, with both of them home runs. Junior third baseman Kenleigh Cahalan walked to start the inning, and freshman designated player Gabi Comia reached on an infield single to set up Falby with two runners on and one out. She took a one-strike pitch and hit it off the glove of redshirt junior first baseman Ashleigh Griffin to score two.
UF senior starting pitcher Kara Hammock (7-0) was lights out in the circle against the Knights. She outdueled Lopez in the circle by shutting the Knights out. Hammock pitched 6 2/3 innings, as she was pulled in the top of the seventh after giving up a two-out single to freshman pinch-hitter Kendall Yarnell and a walk. Hammock finished allowing just four hits, and striking out four UCF batters. Freshman pitcher Katelynn Oxley came in relief and struck out the final batter.
“I think the biggest thing is just trusting the people behind me,” Hammock said.
Walton said in the postgame press conference that sophomore starting pitcher Keagan Rothrock is still day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, but she was doing cardio activities before the game and threw on Tuesday.
UF’s next action will be against No. 2 Texas as the Longhorns visit Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium for a Top-3 matchup. The first game of the series is on Saturday at 2 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.
