GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 11
th-ranked Florida softball team steps back into Southeastern Conference play with a three-game series at South Carolina this Friday through Sunday at the Carolina Softball Stadium. Friday and Sunday's games will stream via SEC Network+, while Saturday's game will be aired on SEC Network.
The Gators (25-7, 3-3 SEC) will face the Gamecocks (24-8, 1-5 SEC) for the first time since the 2021 season. That year the Orange & Blue took the series, 2-1, over USC in Gainesville.
This year, the two squads enter the weekend series after having played only two conference series. South Carolina dropped their first two series to then-ranked No. 14 LSU, 1-2, and were swept at Mississippi State, while Florida took their first series of the year at home against Missouri, 2-1, but fell at then-ranked No. 12 Arkansas, 1-2.
Florida rebounded with an impressive, 8-0 (6 innings) midweek win over Stetson this past Wednesday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. UF belted tied its single-season high with four home runs en route to the program's 16
th run-rule and 11
th shutout of the season. The homers were provided by
Charla Echols and
Reagan Walsh in the 1
st inning,
Sarah Longley in the 2
nd inning and
Skylar Wallace in the 4
th inning.
The Gators offense has put up a .345 batting average on the year, which ranks first in the SEC and sixth nationally, and also ranks nationally in on base percentage (.451 – 3
rd), scoring (7.59 rpg – 5
th), slugging percentage (.581 – 7
th) and walks (134 – 3
rd).
Echols (.420 BA), Wallace (.414 BA) and Falby (.408 BA) pace UF's offense individually, while Walsh (.350 BA),
Avery Goelz (.342 BA),
Katie Kistler (.318 BA) and
Sam Roe (.306 BA) each boast batting averages over .300.
Florida's impressive run production is supported by Wallace (1.29 rpg – 3
rd) and Falby's (1.26 – 6
th) ability to create runs as the duo ranks in the top 10 nationally in runs per game.
Leading the way at the plate for the Gamecocks is Brooke Blankenship (.421 BA) who leads the team in batting average and total hits (32). Riley Blampied has driven the most in with 32 RBI on the year.
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