After the No. 8 Florida Gators surrendered their four-run lead to the No. 22 Alabama Crimson Tide in the top of the fourth inning, they looked to respond. Following back-to-back walks, senior center fielder Kendra Falby hit a ground-ball RBI single to restore the lead for Florida.
UF was not done, however, as it scored four more runs in the fourth inning. Freshman right fielder Taylor Shumaker laced a two-run double to right center field to score Falby and graduate shortstop Rylee Holtorf. Those were two of her six RBIs in the contest, which is the second time this season she has reached that mark.
Junior catcher Jocelyn Erickson, the ensuing batter, hit a run-scoring double to left center. To finish the frame, senior first baseman Reagan Walsh hit a RBI single off the wall to score Erickson.
Florida (38-10, 10-7 SEC) used the barrage of scoring as a catalyst to even its SEC series against Alabama (31-17, 8-9 SEC) in five innings 12-4 in front of a packed crowd at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. It was Florida’s 22nd run-rule victory of the season.
The Gators got off to a fast start offensively, as Shumaker blasted a line-drive home run to right field in the bottom of the first to open the scoring. It was her first of two home runs in the contest after she had only one home run in her last 21 games.
“Honestly, I think that I was just putting a lot of pressure on myself because I feel like having success in the beginning of the season just puts a lot of pressure,” Shumaker said. “I was feeding into that, which isn’t really normal of something that I do.”
In the bottom of the second, Florida kept the offensive pressure. Junior third baseman and former Alabama star Kenleigh Cahalan reached on an error by senior second baseman Kali Heivilin. After an additional pair of Florida batters loaded the bases, Falby took a two-strike pitch and bounced a two-run single through the middle of the infield to extend Florida’s lead. The hit allowed Falby to reach 27 RBIs on the season, which is her single-season best. In the ensuing at-bat, Falby was caught stealing but Holtorf executed a double-steal to score.
Sophomore pitcher Ava Brown cruised through the first three innings, but struggled in the top of the fourth. She allowed four runs (three earned) in 3 1/3 innings on six hits and four walks. The righty struck out two batters.
Alabama junior third baseman Abby Duchscherer led off the fourth with a single, and junior right fielder Larissa Preuitt walked to put two runners on. Two at-bats later, sophomore shortstop Salen Hawkins had a chance to do damage at the plate.
She took the first pitch and lined a three-run home run to left field to bring the Crimson Tide within one run. Alabama didn’t stop applying pressure after. Junior center fielder Kristen White reached on a throwing error by Brown and advanced to second. Freshman left fielder Audrey Vandagriff followed her with a single to left field to put runners on first and third. Heivilin hit an RBI single to score White and even the contest.
After Brown allowed a walk, freshman pitcher Katelynn Oxley (6-4) relieved her and aimed to escape a bases-loaded jam. She did just that, inducing two popouts. The righty pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one walk.
In the bottom of the fifth, Florida looked to put the Crimson Tide away. Holtorf and Falby hit back-to-back singles to set up Shumaker with one out. She took a 1-0 pitch and sent a moonshot three-run home run for her 16th of the season, which ties sophomore second baseman Mia Williams for the team lead. The hit clinched a run-rule victory and evened the series.
“I think I was kind of just in a new mindset, I had a lot of hard conversations with my coaches just about going up to the box and trusting what I have and trusting my teammates that are going to do the job around me,” Shumaker said.
Florida will look to win the rubber match against the Crimson Tide on Saturday. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m.
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.
