Florida softball flipped the Super Regional script in win against Georgia

The Florida-Georgia rivalry extended from the gridiron to the diamond and from Jacksonville to Gainesville last spring as the Gator softball team squared off against the Bulldogs in a Super Regional showdown.

Over the last three decades, the two teams have faced each other 82 times, with Florida leading the charge with 49 games won compared to Georgia’s 33.

“That’s always just been a big rivalry in any sport,” junior pitcher Ava Brown said. “It’s no different for softball than it would be for any other sport at UF.”

The teams had faced each other twice in Supers prior to last season, once in 2016 and again in 2021.

The Gators were two-time defending national champions in 2016 when UGA came to Gainesville. The Bulldogs shut down UF’s hopes for three consecutive titles with a walk-off home run in the seventh inning.

Then in the 2021 Supers, UGA silenced Florida bats with two wins, both shutouts, 6-0 and 7-0.

But in May, the Gators turned the tide in their favor — with major postseason implications. The Gators were 47-14 heading into the three-game slate, compared to the 34-22 Bulldogs. UF was looking for its seventh World Series appearance in the last decade.

Despite the pressure, veteran left fielder Korbe Otis said the rivalry feels like “any other game.” Otis, one of six seniors on the 2024-25 team, said she tried to go into postseason games the same as she would any other matchup.

“Coach Walton says it all the time: ‘The team that can make it feel the most normal in [the] postseason is going to go in [as] the most confident and playing their best game,’” Otis said May 22, the day before the series began.

First baseman Reagan Walsh opened up the scoring in Game 1 with a 3-run home run in her first plate appearance of the day. Walsh was brought up due to an intentional walk to sophomore outfielder Taylor Shumaker. 

“It definitely puts a fire when they keep walking you to face you, but our lineup one through nine is really scary, so you’re going to have to deal with one of us at one point,” Walsh said.

Junior pitcher Keagan Rothrock also played a key role, opening each game in the circle. Her dominant showings aided the Florida offense, and the Gators took a 1-0 series lead after beating UGA 6-1. 

The next game flipped the script on Florida’s success. The Gators struck out eight times and left 13 runners on base. The loss taught the team it needed to swing at better pitches, coach Tim Walton said.

“I don’t know if we’ve had more swings and misses all year,” he said. 

The stage was set for a winner-takes-all Game 3 of the Super Regional series. Only one team would advance to the Women’s College World Series. The Gators delivered, with the seniors stealing the show in their last home outing. 

As the No. 9 hitter, shortstop Rylee Holtorf had a chance to extend the Gators’ lead. She had struggled heading into the final game of the series: The shortstop had just one hit over 12 at-bats across the NCAA tournament.

The graduate transfer hit a 2-run homer to left field, scoring two and extending the lead to three runs. 

“Going into the at-bat, [it] obviously wasn’t the best series, wasn’t the best weekend,” Holtorf said, “but I think that we have talked all year about the pitch that matters now, is most important.” 

Florida closed out the contest 5-2, punching its ticket to the Women’s College World Series. Coach Walton said the experience solidified how he understood his own role in the team.

“When you try to sit back and think of your purpose,” Walton said, “what’s my purpose as a coach? What am I doing this for? To play games, to win games? No, it’s to really create a great experience.”

Despite falling in the World Series to Tennessee, the Gators made their mark in the final series at KSP. 

“I wouldn’t wanna go out with this being my last ever home game any other way,” Falby said.

Contact Riley Orovitz at rorovitz@alligator.org. Follow her on X @rileyorovitz

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