Coming into a Wednesday night game against Florida Gulf Coast, UF senior first baseman Reagan Walsh had the lowest batting average among her eight other starting counterparts (.214). In a return to Gainesville, she needed a moment at the plate.
Having only one RBI in her past seven games and three in her last 11, Walsh getting herself on the scoresheet was necessary. While it wasn’t the strongest hit of her career, Walsh found her way onto the scoresheet in the bottom of the first.
She took a one-strike pitch and bounced it through the middle of the infield to score junior third baseman Kenleigh Cahalan and plate the final run of Florida’s three-run first inning.
The No. 3 Florida Gators (19-1) built on Walsh’s improved play at the plate and defeated the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (6-13) 8-0 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium on Wednesday in five innings. The contest served as a rematch from the Gainesville Regional matchup last May, in which the Gators took down the Eagles 6-0.
However, the rematch between these two teams showed drastic differences early on. Specifically, Florida’s bats came to hit early. In the NCAA Tournament game, FGCU sophomore starting pitcher Allison Sparkman (4-5) pitched 5 1/3 innings and gave up four runs.
However, she lasted just one inning Wednesday night. She gave up six runs on six hits and was forced to exit the game after just one inning of work.
Sparkman’s night started to unravel early on after UF freshman right fielder Taylor Shumaker walked and senior left fielder Korbe Otis hit a single to center.
With runners on first and second, junior catcher and UF single-season RBI record-holder Jocelyn Erickson blistered an RBI single into left field to get the offensive outburst started. Following a run scored off a throwing error by FGCU freshman catcher Leslie Flaherty, Walsh had her moment at the plate.
Her bouncing single to center provided the Gators much-needed separation in the game. She also recorded a double in the bottom of the fourth to notch her second multi-hit game of the season. It was her first of such since she had a pair of knocks against Michigan on Feb. 8.
“Maybe the season hasn’t been going the way she has wanted it to so far, but I just see her keep fighting and grinding,” Erickson said. “It’s a game of failure, so I just love to see her shine.”
Back-to-back singles in the bottom of the second by senior shortstop Rylee Holtorf and senior center fielder Kendra Falby, the latter having reached base in every game this season, set up the freshman sensation Shumaker.
She took a two-strike pitch and obliterated it past the right center field wall for a three-run blast to make it 6-0. This was her 11th homer of the season, tying the national lead. She also has six more home runs than any of her Gator teammates so far this season.
In the bottom of the fourth, Erickson sent a two-run moonshot over the right field fence to score Otis. This was her fifth home run of the season, tying her for second on the team with sophomore second baseman Mia Williams.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Katelynn Oxley (2-0) came through with an outstanding performance in the circle for the Gators. She pitched five scoreless innings in her first home start as a Gator. She struck out nine Eagle hitters while allowing one hit and one walk.
“I feel like throughout the game I got more and more comfortable, and I got to feel like myself again,” Oxley said. “I was definitely hitting the spot more and more as I went.”.
Oxley will look to continue her chemistry with Erickson, who catches her bullpen throws before games.
The Gators will next kick off the Florida Invitational on Friday at 5:30 p.m., when they take on the Samford Bulldogs.
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.
