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Solid weekend for Florida Softball continues similar themes

The Gators went 4-1 while in California, including a win over UCLA

Florida shortstop Skylar Wallace (17) and Florida catcher Jocelyn Erickson (8) celebrate Wallace s
Florida shortstop Skylar Wallace (17) and Florida catcher Jocelyn Erickson (8) celebrate Wallace s / Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA
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Heading into the Judi Garman Classic, Florida Softball was hoping for a much better showing than the 1-3 record they posted last year when they made the flight to California.

Their stay ended on a sour note but shouldn't dampen the overall success of the weekend.

Florida Softball: California Dreaming

The Gators had the top ranked offense in the country heading into the weekend and their bats were on full display against Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State on Thursday. Skylar Wallace, Ava Brown, and Mia Williams all hit home runs as Florida had 20 hits between the two games and won 9-0 and 15-0 respectively.

But the theme for the Gators wasn't whether or not they could hit weaker pitching, it was whether they could hit Power Five pitching. In their three previous games against Power Five opponents, Florida had a combined two runs.

Did that change against 18th ranked UCLA on Friday?

Not exactly as Florida's lone run was a Wallace home run in the first inning, but freshman Keagan Rothrock pitched seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits and two walks en route to a 1-0 victory for the Gators.

Florida would go on the pummel DePaul 12-0 with homeruns from Korbe Otis, Jocelyn Erickson, Baylee Goddard, and Brown to move to 4-0 on the weekend.

This set up a rematch with Michigan on Saturday with a chance to leave California undefeated. Florida had lost to Michigan 2-1 in extra innings to open the season.

Unfortunately for Florida for the first time all season its pitching didn't hold up as the Gators were shelled for ten runs in just four innings of work. The Gators did scratch across two runs in the 5th but the game ended with a 10-2 run rule defeat.

The weekend continued the theme we have seen for the Gators all season as they prepare for SEC play. Florida have gone scorched Earth on non-Power Five pitching, but have yet to score more than two runs in the five games they have played against Power Five opposition.

In addition, the freshmen pitchers continue to showcase that Florida will hang around in almost any game this season even if the bats are running cold.

Florida will open SEC play next Saturday when they will be in Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama.

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