Tuesday, February 17
Gainesville. Fla.
6 p.m.
Florida Gators
13-0
7
vs
3
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UNF
11-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
UNF
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
3
5
0
FLORIDA
0
3
2
0
0
2
X
7
11
0
No. 4/5 Softball Earns Midweek Victory Over UNF
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 | Softball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 4/5 Florida continued its undefeated streak to open the 2026 season on Tuesday night, downing North Florida, 7-3, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
With the win, the Gators improved to 19-0 in the all-time series over the Ospreys, including 15-0 in Gainesville.
For the fourth game in row, the Gators slugged multiple home runs, with Cassidy McLellan and Jocelyn Erickson hitting their third and fourth, respectively, of the
season.
McLellan has now hit a home run in each of the last three games.
Gabi Comia continued her hot streak at the plate, going 2-for-3, tallying her team-best seventh multi-hit game.
Townsen Thomas drove in two Gators with her fourth double of the season, giving Florida the lead in the second inning.
"First of all, I just want to congratulate Kendall Grover on being named the NFCA National player of the week. That was a tremendous accomplishment for her in her senior year, and she had a really good week for us. I thought today was good. These are challenges playing after an off day. Yesterday, we didn't practice and players were responsible for themselves. Sometimes we are really good after an off day and sometimes we are just okay, but today I thought we were better than just okay. Not perfect, but I thought Keagan pitched well enough to win and had the defensive behind her. We made some really good plays for her as well. There were a couple of really nice hits. It was good, not great, again, but it's what we expect." – head coach Tim Walton
On what the team is doing to remain consistent and focused after a busy couple of weeks…
"I'm not too worried about that. You know they lift weights. We have players who still lift weights on gamedays, so it's the nature of what we do right now in this part of the season. And again, it's pretty easy to get up and go do your thing when you're 13-0 and have players hitting really well. I manage the bodies, manage Ava, and I keep them not always standing out there, running out there, warming up extra and doing things unnecessary. I just think we get a good feel for it." – head coach Tim Walton
On what's working for her after hitting a home run in three straight games…
"Nothing's really changed, I've just trusted myself and trusted my coaches and my preparation. My swing feels great, so as long as I keep swinging at good pitches, I think it will keep working." – junior Cassidy McLellan
On how growing within the program over the last three years helped her find success this season…
"Working with the coaches the past three years has built me into the player that I am now. Playing alongside players like Keagan and Jocelyn have really just turned me into a better person and player." – junior Cassidy McLellan
On what throwing 40 complete-games in her career has meant to her…
"It means a lot, actually. Just being able to play at a university where I'm able to love softball and able to love my teammates and love the game, it means a lot because you just see a lot of transfers these days and to be at the same university for all these wins is super special to me." – junior Keagan Rothrock
On how much has the smaller team impacted the team's performance this year…
"We truly love being around each other all the time, so I think that really helps our communication on and off the field." – junior Cassidy McLellan
"We made sure we built really good connections early on. We really took pride early in making those close connections with our teammates." – junior Keagan Rothrock
Florida Softball on Twitter
Head Coach Tim Walton on Twitter
Florida Softball on Facebook
With the win, the Gators improved to 19-0 in the all-time series over the Ospreys, including 15-0 in Gainesville.
For the fourth game in row, the Gators slugged multiple home runs, with Cassidy McLellan and Jocelyn Erickson hitting their third and fourth, respectively, of the
season.
McLellan has now hit a home run in each of the last three games.
Gabi Comia continued her hot streak at the plate, going 2-for-3, tallying her team-best seventh multi-hit game.
Townsen Thomas drove in two Gators with her fourth double of the season, giving Florida the lead in the second inning.
NOTABLES:
- Keagan Rothrock improved to 6-0 in the circle, tossing her third complete game of her junior season
- Rothrock has now thrown 40 complete games in her career and holds a 55-16 overall record
- She also made her 80th career start, moving into a tie with Chelsey Sakizzie (1997-98) for tenth-most starts in program history
- Jocelyn Erickson led the Gators with three RBI on the night, her sixth multi-RBI game of the season, a team-best, and 49th multi-RBI game of her career
- Erickson hit her 34th home run as a Gator against North Florida. She is now just three home runs shy of moving into the top-10 in career home runs in program history
- She also currently has 163 RBI in her Florida career and needs just 13 more to move into the top-10 in program career RBI
- In 64 at-bats as a freshman, Gabi Comia recorded 20 hits. In 40 at-bats this season, Comia already has 19 hits
- Comia is the only Gator in the starting lineup who has not struck out this season. She has made 41 plate appearances
HEAR FROM THE GATORS:
Opening statement…"First of all, I just want to congratulate Kendall Grover on being named the NFCA National player of the week. That was a tremendous accomplishment for her in her senior year, and she had a really good week for us. I thought today was good. These are challenges playing after an off day. Yesterday, we didn't practice and players were responsible for themselves. Sometimes we are really good after an off day and sometimes we are just okay, but today I thought we were better than just okay. Not perfect, but I thought Keagan pitched well enough to win and had the defensive behind her. We made some really good plays for her as well. There were a couple of really nice hits. It was good, not great, again, but it's what we expect." – head coach Tim Walton
On what the team is doing to remain consistent and focused after a busy couple of weeks…
"I'm not too worried about that. You know they lift weights. We have players who still lift weights on gamedays, so it's the nature of what we do right now in this part of the season. And again, it's pretty easy to get up and go do your thing when you're 13-0 and have players hitting really well. I manage the bodies, manage Ava, and I keep them not always standing out there, running out there, warming up extra and doing things unnecessary. I just think we get a good feel for it." – head coach Tim Walton
On what's working for her after hitting a home run in three straight games…
"Nothing's really changed, I've just trusted myself and trusted my coaches and my preparation. My swing feels great, so as long as I keep swinging at good pitches, I think it will keep working." – junior Cassidy McLellan
On how growing within the program over the last three years helped her find success this season…
"Working with the coaches the past three years has built me into the player that I am now. Playing alongside players like Keagan and Jocelyn have really just turned me into a better person and player." – junior Cassidy McLellan
On what throwing 40 complete-games in her career has meant to her…
"It means a lot, actually. Just being able to play at a university where I'm able to love softball and able to love my teammates and love the game, it means a lot because you just see a lot of transfers these days and to be at the same university for all these wins is super special to me." – junior Keagan Rothrock
On how much has the smaller team impacted the team's performance this year…
"We truly love being around each other all the time, so I think that really helps our communication on and off the field." – junior Cassidy McLellan
"We made sure we built really good connections early on. We really took pride early in making those close connections with our teammates." – junior Keagan Rothrock
UP NEXT:
The Gators will rematch against the Ospreys on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the UNF Softball Complex. The game will air on ESPN+. FloridaGators.comFlorida Softball on Twitter
Head Coach Tim Walton on Twitter
Florida Softball on Facebook
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rothrock, Keagan (6-0)
L: COOK, Taylor (2-1)
%20(1).png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
Batting:
2B: SHAW, Grace 1 ; DAVILA, Hannah 1
HR: CIMINO, Bella 1
RBI: SHAW, Grace 1 ; CIMINO, Bella 2
SH: KEEF, Addie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: KEEF, Addie 1 ; SHAW, Grace 1 ; CIMINO, Bella 1
HBP: OLIVA, Caiden 1
Batting:
2B: Thomas, Townsen 1
HR: Erickson, Jocelyn 1 ; McLellan, Cassidy 1
RBI: Erickson, Jocelyn 3 ; McLellan, Cassidy 2 ; Thomas, Townsen 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Shumaker, Taylor 1 ; Erickson, Jocelyn 1 ; Cahalan, Kenleigh 1 ; McLellan, Cassidy 1 ; Walker, Madison 1 ; Comia, Gabi 1 ; Thomas, Townsen 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
2b/ss
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballOF
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