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Mississippi State
No. 5/7 Softball Drops Game Two to No. 13/16 Mississippi State, 9-5
Saturday, April 4, 2026 | Softball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 5/7 Florida softball team (35-5, 10-3 SEC) dropped a 9-5 decision in the second game of its three-game Southeastern Conference series against No. 13/16 Mississippi State (32-8, 5-6 SEC) on Saturday afternoon.
The loss was just Florida's second at home this season, now holding a 18-2 record at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium, and sets up a Sunday rubber match.
The Gators plated four of its five runs in the fifth inning.
Florida loaded the bases with three straight base hits from Ava Brown, Ella Wesolowski and Gabi Comia to open the frame, before a Taylor Shumaker sacrifice fly scored the first Florida run of the day.
Jocelyn Erickson then slugged a three-run home run to right field, her 17th of the season and sixth in conference play, a team-high, to make it 6-4.
The Bulldogs responded with a three-run sixth inning to go ahead, 9-4.
Madison Walker's first hit of the day was a two-out RBI single in the seventh to make it 9-5.
Mississippi State combined for nine runs off 14 hits, including two home runs and four doubles.
Katelynn Oxley (3-1) dropped her first decision of the season in the circle, allowing two runs on five hits and a pair of walks in four innings. The sophomore had both of Florida's strikeouts on the day.
Allison Sparkman, Leah Stevens and Olivia Miller split the remaining three innings.
Shumaker had Florida's sole multi-hit outing for the Gators, going 1-for-2 with a run and an RBI, while Erickson drove in three runs.
The Gators will look to bounce back and clinch the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. on SEC Network+.
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