Florida softball will get a more significant test in the NCAA Gainesville Regional when it faces Florida Atlantic on May 17. Florida Atlantic (45-10) has won 11 of its last 12 games and is coming off a 5-4 win over Georgia Tech in eight innings on May 16 in its opening Gainesville Regional game. The Owls are batting .298 as a team and have pitched to a 2.87 ERA. Florida softball coach Tim Walton hinted he could go with multiple arms to counter FAU's balanced lineup. Kara Hammock and Ava Brown combined to pitch five shutout innings for UF against Mercer, with Brown picking up her 11th win of the season. "We're not going to go one pitcher through this whole tournament," Walton said. "We decided that a long time ago, that we need to give people a ton of different looks. We have five options and you're gonna see them."
Florida softball vs FAU live updates
For the second straight game, Jocelyn Erickson delivers the walk-off hit, a grand slam that lifts Florida to a 14-6 win over FAU in five innings, It's the first career grand slam for Erickson and capped a seven-run fifth inning. The
Florida Gators move on in the winner's bracket and will play a team to be determined on Sunday at 1 p.m.
A three-run homer from FAU catcher Chloe Yeatts off Florida starters Keegan Rothrock cuts UF's lead to 7-6 in the top of the fifth inning. Rothrock is then pulled after 4 2/3 innings and Ava Brown gets the final out of the inning, getting Bella Cimino to ground out to third. Florida 7, FAU 6 mid 5th.
Taylor Shumaker's second home run of the game, a three-run shot into the trees in right field, extends Florida softball's lead to 7-3 over FAU in the bottom of the fourth inning. Shumaker now has two home runs and 5 RBIs in the game and 21 home runs and 83 RBIs on the season. Florida 7, FAU 3 end 4.
Florida takes a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fourth. After Mia Williams leads off the inning with a walk, Ava Brown followed with her ninth homer of the season, lofting an opposite-field shot to right center that caromed off the glove of FAU right fielder Kiley Shelton over the wall.
FAU goes back up 3-2 on Florida softball as Bella Cimino leads off the fourth inning with a solo homer to left field off Rothrock, who retired the next three batters she faced to end the inning. Cimino is now 2-for-2 with a double, homer and 2 RBIs for the Owls.
Florida tied the score at 2 in the top of the first inning as Kendra Falby leads off the game for UF with an infield single and scored on a two-run homer over the left center field wall by freshman Taylor Shumaker. It's the 20th home run of the season for Shumaker, breaking Brittany Schutte's freshman record of 19 home runs set in 2010.
Florida Atlantic jumps to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first as the Owls plate two runs on three hits off UF stater Keegan Rothrock. FAU scored its first run on a double steal, with Kylie Hammonds stealing home on a run down play. Belia Cimino then followed with an RBI double off the center field wall, extending FAU's lead to 2-0 lead.
Florida softball will start righty Keegan Rothrock (12-5, 3.34 ERA) against Florida Atlantic lefty Jaden Martinez (6-4, 2.34 ERA).
Florida softball vs. FAU in 2025 NCAA Gainesville Regional: Start time
First pitch from Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium is set for noon.
Florida softball vs. FAU in 2025 NCAA Gainesville Regional: Streaming
You can listen to it
here . Live stats are available on
Gainesville.com/sports/college .
