Florida’s last two games have provided some memorable firsts for the No. 3 Gators softball team’s new transfer additions.
On Tuesday, senior Washington shortstop transfer Rylee Holtorf hit a grand slam for her first home run as a Gator. The following day, her infield counterpart, junior Alabama third baseman transfer Kenleigh Cahalan, followed suit. The pair call their infield partnership “left side, strong side.”
Facing zero balls and one strike in the bottom of the first, and with senior infielder Reagan Walsh already on base due to a fielding error, Cahalan had her first big Gator moment.
With the ball dancing across the plate, she hit a towering two-run blast to center field for her first home run as a Gator, capping off a five-run first inning for Florida.
The Gators (8-0) defeated the Stetson Hatters (5-1) 11-0 in five innings on Wednesday to wrap up midweek action at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Senior outfielder Kendra Falby got the offense started in her typical , aggressive fashion. After beating a throw to first, she stole second and third, putting herself in scoring position with junior catcher Jocelyn Erickson up to bat. On an attempt to catch senior outfielder Korbe Otis stealing second, Falby raced home for the first run of the game.
Erickson hit a towering two-run blast to right center field to make it 3-0. After this blast, Cahalan added Florida’s second two-run home run of the first inning.
“I just got up there relaxed, trusted the process, trusted my staff and my teammates to be behind me,” Cahalan said.
After the five-run first, the offense cooled off as Stetson freshman starting pitcher Hayley Arnold (2-1) settled in. However, she concluded the game having given up seven runs (six earned) on five hits, with most of the damage coming in the first.
Senior infielder Reagan Walsh hit a RBI sacrifice fly to help Erickson score, after the reigning NFCA DI Player of the Year hit a triple to lead off the bottom of the third. Florida’s offense continued its production in the bottom of the fourth, as sophomore infielder Mia Williams hit a moonshot solo home run to left field to start the inning.
Freshman outfielder Taylor Shumaker, who was named NFCA Player of the Week last week, recorded her first hit of the night on a RBI single she ripped to left field.
A would-be sacrifice fly dropped by Stetson junior left fielder Annabella McClerren and RBI walks from Cahalan and sophomore designated hitter Ava Brown brought the Gators to 11 runs.
UF sophomore starting pitcher Keagan Rothrock (4-0) shined in five innings of work. She pitched five scoreless innings while allowing two hits and striking out seven batters.
The Gators are back in action on Thursday at 6 p.m. against Boston College to kick off the six-game, four-day Bubly Invitational.
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.
