GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 3 Florida softball team earned its 11^th shutout of the season on Wednesday evening, defeating (RV) UCF, 3-0, at Katie Pressly Seashole Stadium.

The Gators (27-2), who lead the nation in home runs, added to their total with a pair of solo home runs from senior Kendra Falby and junior Jocelyn Erickson.

Falby plated the third run of the game with an RBI single, her fourth multi-RBI game of the season.

Senior right-handed pitcher Kara Hammock (7-0) tossed 6.2 innings, combining with freshman Katelynn Oxley to shut out the Knights.

UCF (19-9-1) had previously only been shut out twice this season in 28 games.

Hammock tallied four strikeouts in her fifth start, allowing four hits, two walks and a hit by pitch, while Oxley earned her first career save, striking out the only batter she faced. 

NOTABLES:

• Senior Kendra Falby hit her second home run of the season and seventh of her career

  • Falby’s home run was just her second at Katie Pressly Stadium in her career and first that went over the fence. She had an inside-the-park as a freshman at March 14, 2022, vs. Mississippi State
  • She also extended her on-base streak to 29 games and her hitting streak to 15

• Falby went 2-for-3 at the plate in her 14^th multi-hit game of the season, a team-best

  • She now has 92 multi-hit games in her career

• Junior Jocelyn Erickson has now hit a home run in three straight games for the second time in her career

  • Erickson hit a home run in four straight games as a freshman at Oklahoma from Feb. 12-18, 2023 against San Jose, Longwood, Stephen F. Austin and Army
  • She has hit nine home runs this season

• Freshman Katelynn Oxley entered the game with runners on first and second in the top of the seventh and struck out the first batter she faced

  • Oxley has one of Florida’s two saves this season. Sophomore Ava Brown recorded a save at Grand Canyon (Feb. 22)

• Senior Kara Hammock improved to 7-0 in the circle as a Gator

  • She holds a 46-19 career record

• Junior Kenleigh Cahalan, who drew a walk in the bottom of the fifth, has reached base in 15 straight games
• Florida has recorded 18 multi-home run games this season, including in five straight games

  • The Gators have combined for 58 for home runs through 29 games, while allowing just six from opponents

HEAR FROM THE GATORS:
On the team’s pitching depth this season…
“Last year I tried as hard as I could have to get an extra arm in there to compliment the freshmen. But I think Keagan, being that highly rated out of high school, scared some people off. So, these guys came in, and Katelynn Oxley has done a great job so far. Kara obviously is her best start for us at home, pitched really well at Houston and then in relief against Texas A&M, that’s what she does. We didn’t play particularly awesome behind her in a couple circumstances, but she rolled up a double play and we miscued that one and then the ground ball to second. Overall, I thought we played pretty well and she did a really good job. Just set that tempo and went toe to toe for us today.” – head coach Tim Walton

On the long ball scoring two of Florida’s three runs tonight…

“I think right now we’re averaging about two home runs a game. Last year we had 100. A lot of home runs obviously graduated with Skylar, but we’re never going to de-emphasize a home run, I can tell you that right now. I think the biggest key for us is I don’t think anybody’s really trying to hit home runs. You know, occasionally we have one or two that give it a little extra go. I think for the most part it’s just when pitchers make mistakes, we’ve shown that we can get after it.” – head coach Tim Walton

On how Kendra Falby’s hitting approach has changed over the last couple of seasons…

“She had a really good at bat in the first, got down two in the first two pitches swinging out of the zone, and then worked it to a full count and then just tipped it. She tipped it in the catcher’s glove, so she just missed it. The difference between Kendra now and the Kendra a few years ago, if she got out, she’d do something totally opposite the next at bat. It really had nothing to do with the pitcher. If she struck out slapping, she’s going to hit. If she struck out hitting, she’s going to slap. If she popped the bunt up, she’s not going to bunt again. Now, she’s a lot more process oriented. She goes to hit when she feels and sees. She goes to slap when she feels and sees. This weekend against Emiley Kennedy at Texas A&M, she slapped a ball over the shortstop’s head. Today, she hits a home run over the left fielder, so I think it’s more about feel and what she feels her swing do in the middle of her at bat.” – head coach Tim Walton

 

On managing an increased workload early in the season…

“I came here for better competition; I think I’ve gotten that. Coach Steph (VanBrakle Prothro) makes me better; the team makes me better. Even at practice, everyone’s pushing me and trying to help me grow. I think that translates to the field—just the growth. Trying to keep a good mindset and trusting my teammates, trusting in Coach Steph, trusting the catcher makes it a lot easier.” – senior Kara Hammock

 

On hitting her second home run of the season…

“It was satisfying because they weren’t expecting it. I don’t think anyone was expecting it, but the coolest part was that it was my first home run out of the park as a Gator at our field. That was really exciting for me because I had an inside-the-park home run here my freshman year, but this was my first over-the-fence. So it was that much cooler.” – senior Kendra Falby

 

On preparing for a tough Texas match up after falling to the Longhorns in the Women’s College World Series in 2024…

“It’s definitely in the back of our heads that we don’t want that to happen again. But at the end of the day, our main focus is the Gators, and as long as we focus on ourselves, we’re going to be fine. We want the fans to be on their feet and ready. We know they will; we know Gator Nation is behind us.” – senior Kendra Falby

 

UP NEXT:

The Gators host No. 2 Texas for a three-game series from March 15-18.

The first game of the series is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. on SEC Network.

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