![Florida outfielder Townsen Thomas (44), center, celebrates making the winning out against Florida Stat with Florida infielder Kenleigh Cahalan (31) and Florida outfielder Taylor Shumaker (21) during a NCAA softball game at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_2738,h_1540/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/213/01kqcjcfbd8aez5gqsm0.jpg "Florida outfielder Townsen Thomas (44), center, celebrates making the winning out against Florida Stat with Florida infielder Kenleigh Cahalan (31) and Florida outfielder Taylor Shumaker (21) during a NCAA softball game at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]")
With the regular season set to wrap up this weekend, Tuesday’s contest between Florida and FSU did have some meaning to it. The Gators are ranked 8th in the polls and 5th in RPI and really needed a win to try to lock up a top-eight seed in the NCAA Tournament to host a potential Super Regional. Likewise, FSU entered Gainesville ranked 10th in both the polls and in RPI, and as of now would have to travel for Super Regionals.
It was a back-and-forth contest between the two, but ultimately the Gators made one final viral-worthy play to help secure the 4-3 win over FSU to split the regular season series.
Florida beats FSU 4-3
The final out came with Florida up 4-3, and the Seminoles had a runner on first with two outs. FSU sprayed a ball to left field that looked like it might get down for a hit and potentially even bounce and go straight to the wall to tie the game.
But Townsen Thomas had other ideas and spawled out with a backhand dive to snag the ball before it hit the ground to record the final out of the game.
WHAT A PLAY TO END IT 😤🤯 pic.twitter.com/YTrdfkRI8q
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) April 29, 2026
The lead-up to Townsen’s heroics was just as dramatic. FSU took an early 2-0 lead and chased Florida’s starter, Olivia Miller. The Gators struck back in the 3rd with two runs of their own, sparked by a Taylor Shumaker double. The Gators loaded the bases with no out in the 4th inning but came away with just one run to take a 3-2 lead.
Perhaps influenced by watching too much of Florida’s baseball team, but an error in the 5th inning by the Gators helped create an unearned run to tie things at 3-3.
The winning run came off a pinch-hit RBI single from Giulia Desiderio. Keagan Rothrock went 3.2 innings in relief to pick up the win.
Hosting Super Regionals
Barring a complete disaster against Georgia this weekend, who are ranked 16th in RPI, this win for Florida should lock up a top-eight seed in the NCAA Tournament, which would lead to Florida hosting Super Regionals.
The win, for now, also bumped Florida up in RPI, and the Gators are sitting No. 1 with the computers. And since the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee does value RPI, the Gators should get a much better ranking than their current No. 8 spot in the human polls.
Game one against Georgia this weekend is on Thursday in Athens.
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