GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Shortstop Kenleigh Cahalan broke open a scoreless game with a three-run homer in the third inning and No. 6-seed Florida seized the momentum from there for a second-straight run-rule victory, defeating Georgia Tech 8-0 in Saturday's winner's bracket of the NCAA Tournament Gainesville Regional at Pressly Stadium.
Junior Keagan Rothrock (28-6) picked up her second shutout win in as many days, working all five innings, allowing four hits, fanning four and walking just one. It was Rothrock's first complete-game shutout since beating South Carolina 5-0 on the road April 10.
Cahalan's home run came after fouling off seven balls when she launched the 11th pitch from Sydnie Watts over the right-field fence to give the home team an early 3-0 cushion. Cassidy McLellan made it 4-0 in the same inning with a RBI triple. JuniorAva Brown had a couple RBI also, as UF scored once in the fourth and three times in the fifth -- taking advantage of three Yellow Jackets pitchers who combined to walk nine batters -- to put the run rule in play heading into Tech's home fifth.
The win was Florida's third over Georgia Tech this season. The Gators defeated the Jackets 8-5 and 5-1 in their home tournament, the Florida Classic, in February.
UF second baseman Gabi Comia (10) is fired up after a second-inning double-play helped erase an early Georgia Tech threat.
PLAY OF THE GAME:
Tech had runners on first and second with no outs in the second inning when Paige Vukadinovich lined sharply to Cahalan at shortstop. Cahalan gloved the drive and quickly threw to second baseman Gabi Comia to pick off Addison Leschber for a double play. It was key, as the next two Yellow Jackets hit singles to load the bases, but Rothrock got Raegan Wall on a groundout to third to escape the threat and keep the game scoreless. The Gators struck for their four runs in the next inning.
UF has won its two regional games by a combined score of 20-0 -- the Gators defeated Florida A&M 12-0 in opening-round play Friday -- and now have seven consecutive run-rule regional wins, dating back to the 2024 season.
NOTABLES
Kenleigh Cahalanhas hit 16 home runs in her senior season. Her home run against Georgia Tech was her first home run in an NCAA Tournament game in her career
Keagan Rothrock improves to 28-6 on the season in the circle, tossing her sixth complete-game shutout of the season
Cassidy McLellanrecorded her second career triple and Florida's fourth of the season
Ava Brown's fifth double was the Gators' 112th double as a team, matching a single-season program record
UP NEXT:
Florida (50-10) will get the rest of Saturday off while the remaining three teams in the pod canibalize each other to try and get to Sunday's champonship round. Who the UF opponent will be won't be determined until either Texas State (38-21) or FAMU (32-21) -- who were set for an elimination game later Saturday -- face Georgia Tech (31-28) in the elimination bracket final Saturday night. The Jackets defeated Texas State 2-1 in Friday's first round. Sunday's game will start at noon, with a second immediately to follow, if necessary.
QUOTES
Coach Tim Walton
* "As the game went on, we got better. Jocelyn Erickson had some good at-bats. Keagan, same thing. She settled in and made some really good pitches. The double play in the second inning that Kenleigh turned with Gabi I thought was a turning point in a zero-zero game – big play – especially with the next kid getting a hit. Another good day of people at the game. I know it's not easy to get up and get here at 10 a.m. for a game. Very appreciative of the crowd and the support. The energy got a little higher after Kenleigh's 10th pitch in her at -bat. It got up and – Boom! – Kenleigh rewarded them for standing up and cheering. But a big win. This is the spot you want to be in a regional."
* (on the depth of the Gator offense…): "We had two new people up here today from yesterday, and tomorrow we'll have two new people up here again. I think the key for us is just being able to be all about the Florida Gators and really staying focused and positive and keeping it simple. I don't have to coach that part of the game. They're all rooting for each other and they're all really pushing each other If one person doesn't get on base a ton, you have somebody else who will step up. Yesterday was Gabi Comia, today it was Cassidy McLellan."
Kenleigh Cahalan * (on hitting a homer on the 11th pitch of her at-bat): "I was trying to zone in on my spot at the plate. I wasn't really thinking about much, but just trying to stay on the pitch and hit it hard. We had runners in scoring position, at second and third, so just trying to hit it on the right side and do something with it. And it just happened."
* (on the crowd getting behind her during her 11 pitch at-bat and what's it's like to play at KSP during the postseason…): "I heard it and I didn't expect it. I was thinking 'don't let the moment get too big'. I just locked on the pitch. It's just so fun playing at home. We all love it. We had the crowd behind us and cheering for us."
Keagan Rothrock * (on having that 4-0 lead to work with): "It just lets you play free and, at the same time, go out there throw good pitches and let the defense get outs. On the flip side, it's making sure those innings are productive so we can get back into the dugout and let them hit."
* (on the defense turning the double play in the second inning…): "I thought it was huge. I saw it was a line drive off the bat and was like, 'oh, she's definitely way too far of the bag,' and I knew as soon as she caught it, she was going to second base. So, those are the kinds of plays that you just turn around, you just celebrate those and you're like that's awesome, and then you just reset, move on to the next pitch and keep going and get the next out."
