Florida softball routs South Alabama, advance to NCAA Super Regionals

Florida softball punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament Super Regionals on Sunday with a 9-1 victory in five innings over the South Alabama Jaguars inside Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. It was the second-straight five-inning 9-1 win over USA for the Gators in as many days, following a 6-0 win over the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles on Friday.

Jocelyn Erickson had three RBI — including a two-run homer in the first inning. The rest of UF’s offensive production came in the third inning when the team combined for seven runs to all but seal the deal.

Keagan Rothrock, who dominated in the regional’s first two victories, took the start in the circle and tossed two shutout innings before giving way to Ava Brown with a 9-0 lead to start the third. Brown did cough up a run but otherwise turned in a dominant performance over three frames.

The victory was UF’s 11th straight overall and six straight in postseason play going back to the Southeastern Conference Tournament. The latter ties the Gators for their sixth-longest streak of the sort in program history.

“Congratulations to South Alabama and obviously the great games they had last night, yesterday and their season,” UF head coach Tim Walton offered in his postgame talk.

“Olivia Lackie obviously had a really, really outstanding career. And thanks to our fans, the fans did a great job coming out supporting us, and now we need you guys again next weekend. So whatever day — Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, whatever it works out to be — looking forward to getting out here and being loud and getting us to the College World Series.”

The Gators next face the Baylor Bears in the NCAA Super Regional held on Florida’s home field in Gainesville. The three-game series starts on Friday, May 24 with first pitch slated for noon ET.

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