14 runs in the third inning. Six in the fifth inning. 20 total runs. Yes, you read that right. That’s exactly what the Gators did Tuesday.
Most notably, Florida’s 14-run third frame marks the most runs scored by a Division 1 team in an inning this season.
That explosive inning fueled No. 4 Florida’s run-rule win over Jacksonville. The 20 runs were the most by Florida since it put up a school-record 24 runs against Iowa State on Feb. 23, 2025.
Florida also moved to 32-0 all-time against the Dolphins with the victory.
Six Gators had multi-hit games, led by senior Kendall Grover’s three-hit performance. 10 different Gators scored, highlighted by sophomore Gabi Comia’s team-high three runs.
The Gators set early-season offensive team highs that could be tough to surpass as the season progresses. In the victory, they totaled 16 hits, drew 10 walks and drove in 19 RBIs
Junior Ava Brown got the start for Florida, tossing three innings and recording two strikeouts. Freshman Leah Stevens also continued to see early-season action, marking her third appearance of the season so far. She recorded a strikeout and closed out the final inning of play.
Leaving runners on base has been an early-season issue for Florida, and that trend continued early on. Through the first two innings, the Gators stranded four runners, including leaving the bases loaded in the opening frame.
However, the tide turned in the third inning, when Florida’s offense started to fire on all cylinders.
Alone in the third, the Gators had eight hits en route to the staggering 14-run frame. Grover got the scoring started for Florida when she launched a two-run homer over the centerfield wall, her first round-tripper as a Gator.
From there, senior Kenleigh Cahalan doubled to center field to score another run. Then, the Gators capitalized on Jacksonville’s control issues, scoring four runs on a series of walks issued by the Dolphins’ pitching staff.
Redshirt freshman Townsen Thomas and sophomore Comia stood out at the bottom of the lineup. Both players had multi-hit games and recorded RBIs in the third. Graduate transfer Giulia Desiderio also had her first hit in a Florida uniform in the win.
Fresh off the dominant victory, No. 4 Florida will have its home opener tomorrow night as it will finish the midweek series against Jacksonville. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Contact Zach Moore at zmoore@alligator.org. Follow him on X @zach_moore27.
Zach is a sophomore sports journalism student in his first semester at The Alligator, covering softball. He also has experience as an intern in the Florida Collegiate Summer League. Zach enjoys watching sports in his free time, primarily the Minnesota Vikings, Orlando Magic, and Arsenal FC.
