Tuesday, April 28
Gainesville, Fla.
7 p.m.
Florida Gators
46-7
4
vs
3
Florida State
43-8
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSU | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| FLORIDA | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | X | 4 | 8 | 1 |
Outfielder Townsen Thomas had every right to be giddy after her diving, game-ending catch Tuesday to cap the 4-3 victory against rival FSU.
Seminole Win With a Super Feel
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 | Softball, Chris Harry
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida State was in town Tuesday night, so obviously it was a big game. Tim Walton got a reminder of just how big when the Florida coach could see hands attached to spill-over fans curling atop the center field wall.
"That's a Super Regional feel," Walton said.
And the Super-like crowd was treated to a Super-like showdown between two super teams who could very likely be playing in the NCAA Tournament Super Region round next month.
UF pinch-hitter Giulia Desiderio grounded a go-ahead single up the middle in the bottom of the fifth, then turned things over to Keagan Rothrock and a defense that closed out the ninth-ranked Seminoles and gave the No. 6 Gators a feel-good 4-3 victory – and just the second win over their cross-state rival in 10 tries – in front of a crowd of 2,575 that marked the eighth-largest in program history.
The game ended when FSU clean-up hitter Anna Hinde, with the tying run at first, lashed a hard, sinking line-drive to left that UF redshirt freshman outfielder Townsen Thomas charged, dove for, and snow-coned inches off the Pressley Stadium grass for the dramatic final out. The Seminoles (43-8) challenged the play, but the umpire crew upheld the circus catch, as the Gators (46-7) celebrated a tremendous finish in their 2026 regular-season home finale.
"My teammates and me train hard for those moments," Thomas said. "We capitalized."
Did they ever.
Take Desiderio, a grad-transfer from South Carolina who in pinch-hitting for Cassidy McLellan (.328 on the season) stepped to the plate for just her 14th at-bat of 2026 – and only her fourth in Southeastern Conference play. Desiderio, however, felt like she'd been there before. A bunch of times, in fact.
As Walton explained post-game, his team's weekly practice routine includes situational hitting, with players taking their cuts based on their individual likely real-game scenarios. Desiderio usually goes up against red-shirting freshman and 2027 ace-in-the-hole Caroline Stanton.
"One of the at-bats Giulia gets every week: runner on second, two outs," Walton said. "Why? That's when we're going to use her."
FSU scored a run to tie the game at 3-all in the top of the fifth. In the UF half, Kenleigh Cahalan drew a two-out walk, which designated-hitter Ava Brown followed with a single to left, moving Cahalan to second. Sure enough, Desiderio got the two-out call (with a runner on second). Cue her clutch heroics.
How clutch?
It was her first RBI of the season.
"I was really just trying to stay as calm as I could be," Desiderio said, acknowledging how the simulated at-bats prepped her for the pressure. "Practicing that [scenario] helps me when I get in those situations to be less stressed, not freaked-out as much."
There was nothing freaky about the preparation-meets-opportunity result. Hers was a timely, game-deciding play in a high-end matchup between two outstanding teams that came to the ballyard ranked among the best offenses and defenses in the country.
The Florida stars were out. Taylor Shumaker roped an RBI-double. Kenleigh Cahalan scored a pair of runs. The Ava Brown comeback tour continued with a couple hits, including an infield beat-out single. Olivia Miller got the start in the circle and kept the hot-hitting Seminoles at bay long enough to give way to Rothrock, who entered with one out and runners at second and third in the fourth in a game tied at 2. The UF ace got out of that jam and surrendered just one run and two hits the rest of the way in running her record to 25-5, as the Gators beat the Seminoles at KSP for the first time since 2021.
Before it was over, as has been the case so many times with this group, a couple different Gators -- Desiderio on offense in the fifth; Thomas on defense in the seventh -- seized the spotlight with a personal highlight that benefited the greater cause.
"The energy in the stadium was great," Thomas said. "The team was lit."
UF dropped a 3-1 decision against FSU in Tallahassee last week, but chased that defeat with back-to-back 7-0 shutout wins against UCF (the first at home, the second Saturday in Orlando) and now will take a three-game winning streak on the road to close out the SEC slate and regular season with a series at 14th-ranked Georgia, starting Thursday night.
Should be a super bus ride to Athens.
"Eyes on the prize," Walton said. "Just keep getting better."
Email senior writer Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu. Find his story archives here.
"That's a Super Regional feel," Walton said.
And the Super-like crowd was treated to a Super-like showdown between two super teams who could very likely be playing in the NCAA Tournament Super Region round next month.
UF pinch-hitter Giulia Desiderio grounded a go-ahead single up the middle in the bottom of the fifth, then turned things over to Keagan Rothrock and a defense that closed out the ninth-ranked Seminoles and gave the No. 6 Gators a feel-good 4-3 victory – and just the second win over their cross-state rival in 10 tries – in front of a crowd of 2,575 that marked the eighth-largest in program history.
WHAT A PLAY TO END IT 😤🤯 pic.twitter.com/YTrdfkRI8q
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) April 29, 2026
The game ended when FSU clean-up hitter Anna Hinde, with the tying run at first, lashed a hard, sinking line-drive to left that UF redshirt freshman outfielder Townsen Thomas charged, dove for, and snow-coned inches off the Pressley Stadium grass for the dramatic final out. The Seminoles (43-8) challenged the play, but the umpire crew upheld the circus catch, as the Gators (46-7) celebrated a tremendous finish in their 2026 regular-season home finale.
"My teammates and me train hard for those moments," Thomas said. "We capitalized."
Did they ever.
Take Desiderio, a grad-transfer from South Carolina who in pinch-hitting for Cassidy McLellan (.328 on the season) stepped to the plate for just her 14th at-bat of 2026 – and only her fourth in Southeastern Conference play. Desiderio, however, felt like she'd been there before. A bunch of times, in fact.
As Walton explained post-game, his team's weekly practice routine includes situational hitting, with players taking their cuts based on their individual likely real-game scenarios. Desiderio usually goes up against red-shirting freshman and 2027 ace-in-the-hole Caroline Stanton.
"One of the at-bats Giulia gets every week: runner on second, two outs," Walton said. "Why? That's when we're going to use her."
FSU scored a run to tie the game at 3-all in the top of the fifth. In the UF half, Kenleigh Cahalan drew a two-out walk, which designated-hitter Ava Brown followed with a single to left, moving Cahalan to second. Sure enough, Desiderio got the two-out call (with a runner on second). Cue her clutch heroics.
How clutch?
It was her first RBI of the season.
Stepping up when your number is called ‼️
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) April 29, 2026
Pinch-hit RBI single for G 🔥
📽️: @SECNetwork | @_Desiderio3 pic.twitter.com/11xk5uZoZz
"I was really just trying to stay as calm as I could be," Desiderio said, acknowledging how the simulated at-bats prepped her for the pressure. "Practicing that [scenario] helps me when I get in those situations to be less stressed, not freaked-out as much."
There was nothing freaky about the preparation-meets-opportunity result. Hers was a timely, game-deciding play in a high-end matchup between two outstanding teams that came to the ballyard ranked among the best offenses and defenses in the country.
The Florida stars were out. Taylor Shumaker roped an RBI-double. Kenleigh Cahalan scored a pair of runs. The Ava Brown comeback tour continued with a couple hits, including an infield beat-out single. Olivia Miller got the start in the circle and kept the hot-hitting Seminoles at bay long enough to give way to Rothrock, who entered with one out and runners at second and third in the fourth in a game tied at 2. The UF ace got out of that jam and surrendered just one run and two hits the rest of the way in running her record to 25-5, as the Gators beat the Seminoles at KSP for the first time since 2021.
Before it was over, as has been the case so many times with this group, a couple different Gators -- Desiderio on offense in the fifth; Thomas on defense in the seventh -- seized the spotlight with a personal highlight that benefited the greater cause.
"The energy in the stadium was great," Thomas said. "The team was lit."
UF dropped a 3-1 decision against FSU in Tallahassee last week, but chased that defeat with back-to-back 7-0 shutout wins against UCF (the first at home, the second Saturday in Orlando) and now will take a three-game winning streak on the road to close out the SEC slate and regular season with a series at 14th-ranked Georgia, starting Thursday night.
Should be a super bus ride to Athens.
"Eyes on the prize," Walton said. "Just keep getting better."
Email senior writer Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu. Find his story archives here.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rothrock, Keagan (25-5)
L: Marlee Gaskell (2-1)
Batting:
2B: Kennedy Harp 1
RBI: Isa Torres 1 ; Anna Hinde 1 ; Hayley Griggs 1
SF: Isa Torres 1 ; Anna Hinde 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Isa Torres 1 ; Bella Ruggiero 1 ; Shelby McKenzie 1
HBP: Ashtyn Danley 1
Batting:
2B: Shumaker, Taylor 1 ; Cahalan, Kenleigh 1
RBI: Shumaker, Taylor 1 ; Thomas, Townsen 1 ; Desiderio, Giulia 1 ; Wesolowski, Ella 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Shumaker, Taylor 1 ; Cahalan, Kenleigh 2 ; Comia, Gabi 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
1
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballOF
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