GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Senior Korbe Otis’ walk-off RBI single gave the Florida softball team a 4-3 win over Alabama on Saturday afternoon at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

The win clinched the weekend series for Florida over the Crimson Tide.

Down 3-2 and down to their final three outs, senior Rylee Holtorf drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh, before senior Kendra Falby reached on a fielder’s choice.

With Falby on first and one out, Taylor Shumaker singled, before Jocelyn Erickson plated Falby with a fielder’s choice RBI to tie up the game at 3.

Then, for the second time this season, Otis had the walk-off winner, an RBI single just out of reach of Alabama’s second baseman.

The series victory was Florida’s first over the Crimson Tide in Gainesville since 2017 and the Gators’ first Southeastern Conference series win at home this season.

The Orange & Blue now have conference series victories over Texas A&M, Auburn, Ole Miss and Alabama.

Right-handed pitcher Keagan Rothrock made her 16^th start in the circle this season, facing 27 batters in 6.2 innings of work with three earned run and seven strikeouts.

Rothrock wasted no time setting down Alabama’s hitters, striking out the side in the top of the first.

The sophomore continued her tear in the second and third innings, setting down all six batters in order.

After the Crimson Tide took a 1-0 in the top of the sixth, the Gators plated their first two runs of the game off an Erickson RBI ground out and a Mia Williams RBI double.

For the second game in a row, Katelynn Oxley (7-4) picked up the win, getting the final out in the top of the seventh.

Following the game, Otis received a “golden ticket” from the AUSL (Athletes Unlimited Softball League) Commissioner Kim Ng.

The ticket guarantees that Otis will be a selection in the 2025 AUSL College Draft on Saturday, May 3 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

NOTABLES:

• Keagan Rothrock struck out the side in the first inning, the fourth time she has done that this season

  • She only allowed two balls in play during Alabama’s first time through the order

• Reagan Walsh went 3-for-3 on the day, her second multi-hit game in a row

  • Walsh hit a team-best .667 (6-for-9) against the Crimson Tide in the series

• Taylor Shumaker tallied her second three-hit game in a row, going 3-for-4 on Sunday

  • Four of her six hits against Alabama were for extra bases, including two home runs and two doubles
  • She finished the series with a team-best seven RBI

• Shumaker tallied her fourth double in the last five games, bringing her season total to 16, the most by a Florida freshman in program history
• Katelynn Oxley pitched just two innings in the series, but picked up both wins in the circle

  • She allowed no hits in either of her appearances and tallied one strikeout

• Despite not tallying a hit in the game, Jocelyn Erickson had two RBI, including the game equalizers in both the sixth and seventh inning
• Otis now has two walk-off hits in SEC play: a ninth-inning grand slam vs. Arkansas on April 5 and today’s RBI single vs. the Crimson Tide

  • Her walk-off hit was her first hit of the series against Alabama

HEAR FROM COACH TIM WALTON
On Keagan Rothrock’s start in the circle…
“Today was a lot better. She had the seven strikeouts through the first three inning and it was really, really good. And then she got some early outs late in the game, before (Alabama) changed their game plan a little bit. I thought she was good. … I think Keagan, from where she was last weekend and where she was on Thursday, it was a heck of a lot better. A lot more Keagan Rothrock-like.”

On Korbe Otis…

“Yeah, I mean she’s had two walk-off hits for us in SEC play. And then to have the opportunity to play professional softball after, I mean she’s great. She’ll graduate in a couple of weeks, and I don’t want to jinx her and say she’ll graduate with a 4.0 from Florida, but it’s pretty likely. She’s a good student, a good player and a good hitter. She got here bright and early this morning. First one to the field to get ready for this game today so, I think that tells you all you really need to know about her.”

UP NEXT:

The Gators will be back at home for an in-state showdown against USF on April 23 at 6 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.

Single-Game Ticket Information:

Single-game tickets are currently on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online or by contacting the Gator Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683.

 

FOLLOW THE GATORS

FloridaGators.com

Florida Softball on Twitter

Head Coach Tim Walton on Twitter

Florida Softball on Facebook