![Florida starting pitcher/relief pitcher Ava Brown (00) runs the bases after her home runs during a NCAA softball game at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. Florida beat Jacksonville in their home opener 11-1, [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_2658,h_1495/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/213/01kjwrmp5aafj82e5hwf.jpg "Florida starting pitcher/relief pitcher Ava Brown (00) runs the bases after her home runs during a NCAA softball game at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. Florida beat Jacksonville in their home opener 11-1, [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]")
For the second straight year, the Gators are going to be dealing with an injury to one of their star players right as SEC play is about to get underway. Ava Brown had been Florida’s most consistent pitcher this season, but she was notably absent from the circle last weekend when Florida took part in the Judi Garman Classic. Brown played 1st base against Cal to open the weekend, but then didn’t make an appearance in any of Florida’s four other games, which included a 15-12 loss to UCLA, the first loss of the season for the Gators.
Brown took to social media to indicate she will be taking some time off, but that she hopes to return to the field before the end of the season.
💙💙💙 https://t.co/lMgs7c3pWv
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) March 3, 2026
Florida currently sits at 23-1 on the season, but did fall to No. 8 after losing to UCLA. In good news, Taylor Shumaker was named the D1 Softball National Player of the Week. During Florida’s trip to California, she hit .714, had four home runs, and hit 14 RBIs. Add it all together, and Shumaker posted an OPS of 2.207 over the five games.
Florida will embark on SEC play this week, starting a three-game set against Missouri on Saturday. The Tigers are currently 7-13 on the season. After that, it’s a series against Kentucky before another major litmus test in mid-March against No. 1-ranked Tennessee.
Gators piece together a shutout against FAU
Florida Baseball knocked off FAU 4-0 on Tuesday. Cooper Walls got the start after his start against Miami was washed out. He pitched 2.0 innings in a tidy 22 pitches before making way for Russell Sandefer. Schuyler Sandford and Jackson Barberi also pitched at least two innings, and altogether the group gave up just four hits, three walks, and no runs while striking out 11.
Florida’s offense never kicked into full gear, scoring just four runs. It’s the first time all season Florida had scored less than six runs in a game. Brendan Lawson had a home run while Kyle Jones was 2-5. Karson Bowen was 1-3 with a walk and an RBI.
The win moves Florida to 12-1 on the season. The Gators will take on FAMU on Wednesday night before a three-game set against High Point. The schedule ramps up next week with a midweek game against FSU before SEC play begins.