The Florida Gators softball team, ranked No. 5/8 nationally, will travel to Tallahassee for a highly anticipated game against No. 10/13 Florida State on April 22. The matchup is set for a 6 p.m. first pitch at Joann Graf Field and will be broadcast on ESPN2.
This game is significant as both teams enter undefeated against in-state opponents this season, with the Gators holding an 11-0 record and the Seminoles at 6-0. The contest also features two of the nation’s top programs, each boasting strong national rankings in batting average, doubles, and fielding percentage.
According to recent statistics, Florida leads the nation in doubles with a total of 100 through their first 49 games this season. This achievement marks only the third time in program history that the team has reached or surpassed this milestone during a single season. Additionally, six different Gator players have recorded double-digit doubles—an occurrence that last happened in 2009.
Florida’s Isa Torres currently holds the top spot nationally for batting average (.589) and ranks fifth for hits (76). On Saturday, two players received Athletes Unlimited Softball League Golden Tickets during a post-game ceremony presented by Aliyah Andrews, making them only the second and third Gators ever drafted into AUSL.
The upcoming game will also highlight recent award winners: it features both of the past two NFCA National Freshman of the Year recipients—one from each team—and showcases standout performances such as Rothrock’s rise to seventh-most career wins in program history with her latest victory over Auburn.
Head coach Tim Walton approaches his own milestone as he nears his 1,200th career win; achieving this would make him just the eighteenth coach in NCAA Division I history to reach that mark.
