Softball Drops Series Opener 6-2 Against Top-Ranked Arkansas
No. 3/5 Florida softball dropped the series opener, 6-2, to No. 10/9 Arkansas Friday at Bogle Park. The loss was Florida’s third of the season. The game played under chilly conditions in Fayetteville.
Offense stalls in Fayetteville
Florida managed a season-low three hits. The Gators also drew three walks. The offense struggled to string together rallies against Arkansas pitching and defense.
Florida trailed 2-0 entering the fifth inning. The Gators scratched across their first run on an Arkansas fielding error in that frame. Kenleigh Cahalan added an RBI single in the sixth for Florida’s second run.
Ella Wesolowski supplied Florida’s only extra-base hit. Her double came in the top of the fifth. It was her first extra-base hit in SEC play and the seventh of the season.
Pitching and bullpen usage
Keagan Rothrock took the loss and is now 17-3. Rothrock worked 4.1 innings and allowed five earned runs and five walks. Arkansas chased the starter with damage from both the plate and the base paths.
Allison Sparkman and Giulia Desiderio made their first SEC appearances. Desiderio entered as a pinch hitter in the fifth and drew her second walk of the year. Sparkman tossed 1.1 innings, surrendered four hits, and recorded a strikeout.
Key statistics
- Florida record: 32-3 overall, 8-2 SEC.
- Arkansas record: 29-4 overall, 4-3 SEC.
- Florida hits: 3 (season low).
- Final score: Arkansas 6, Florida 2.
Looking ahead
Florida will try to even the series Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT. The game will air on SEC Network+.
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