The Gators one-hit and run-ruled the Rattlers 12-0 in five innings while recording 12 hits and combining for six strikeouts. Florida now awaits the winner of Georgia Tech vs. Texas State to see who they will face Saturday at 10 a.m.

“It was a good way to kick off the tournament and we hope to take the energy into the rest of the tournament,” Jocelyn Erickson said. 

Leadoff hitter Taylor Shumaker headed Florida’s offense with five RBIs and a moonshot over the right fence, delivering Florida’s 100th home run for a third straight year. 

“That’s a cool number,” Shumaker said, “but at the end of the day we have to have good at-bats and find ways to manufacture runs in any case scenario.”

Florida junior Keagan Rothrock set the tone early in the circle, recording two strikeouts on the first three batters she faced before the offense provided support.

The Gators’ batters were quick to jump out to an early lead in the first inning. After Erickson recorded her 16th double of the season on a full count, Kenleigh Cahalan scored Erickson on an RBI ground-rule double.

Shumaker continued her dominance at the plate this season in the second inning, hitting an RBI single to left-center field, putting Florida up 2-0 with no outs. Ava Brown followed up with a two-run double and Thomas hit an RBI sac-fly to left field to extend the Gators’ lead to 5-0. 

Rothrock hit Samantha Smith, the leadoff hitter of the third, to give the Rattlers their first baserunner of the game but Florida’s ace quickly regained her composure in the circle, recording two consecutive strikeouts to shut down any potential threat.

Hughes, who struggled finding the zone all day, was pulled from the circle after throwing her fourth walk. The Rattlers hoped to change to pace with pitcher Sariah Espada, but the Gators’ offensive onslaught continued.

Shumaker’s second RBI single of the day put Florida up 6-0. With the defense rattled, Florida capitalized as Comia stole home and Shumaker took third base before scoring on Brown’s throwing error. 

After Rothrock pitched three scoreless innings, Katelynn “Red” Oxley entered the circle for the Gators. The junior ended the game with six strikeouts in three innings while allowing no hits.

Oxley followed Rothrock’s tone with another scoreless inning but miscommunication in the outfield allowed Rattlers second baseman Amya Ramos to notch FAMU’s lone hit of the game.

Florida stayed hot in the fourth inning as Shumaker homered for her 17th of the season, putting the Gators up 11-0. 

Thomas made it 12-0 with an RBI-single to score Erickson, who had run home three times today. 

With the ability to run-rule and get some extra rest, pitcher Leah Stevens entered the game for the fifth to seal the victory.Florida’s pitching staff allowed just one hit and one walk through five innings. 

“I thought they really did a good job, with the exception of maybe the walk, that everything was really pretty laser focused,” Walton said. 

While the show ranks the greatest Gators, running alongside it all summer is a separate question. What is the single greatest moment in UF athletics history?

The Greatest Gators Moments Bracket is now live, and the first quadrant is open for voting.

The 2008 National Championship against the 2023 College World Series. The 1996 National Championship against Danny Wuerffel’s Heisman.

You decide which moments advance. Voting closes Thursday, May 21 at 1:59 p.m.

The 35 — Revealed So Far

Episode 1 — The Forgotten Legends May 14, 2026

35

James Bates

Football · Linebacker · 1992–96 • Senior captain of the 1996 national championship team

34

Jason Williams

Basketball · Guard · 2000–02 • Florida single-game record: 17 assists vs. Duquesne

33

Kerwin Bell

Football · Quarterback · 1984–87 • Walk-on to 1984 SEC Player of the Year as a freshman

32

Ike Hilliard

Football · Wide Receiver · 1994–96 • Three TDs in the 1997 Sugar Bowl, including the iconic “stop and pop”

31

Shane Matthews

Football · Quarterback · 1990–92 • Spurrier’s first QB • Two-time SEC Player of the Year • Led the 1991 SEC Championship

Next Thursday — May 21 at 2 PM

Episode 2 — The Championship Builders

No. 30 through No. 26 revealed live on WRUF 98.1

Listen Live

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG

Listen live every Thursday 2–3 p.m. on WRUF 98.1

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Text your takes to 352-325-3777 — best ones go on air live

The 35: Greatest Gators of All Time. Thursdays 2–3 p.m. on WRUF 98.1. May 14 through July 2.

The No. 19 Gators (34-18, 15-12 SEC) have climbed to sixth in the SEC standings after back-to-back conference series wins over Oklahoma and Kentucky. Entering a three-game series against LSU, starting Thursday, Florida is in position to secure a bye in the SEC Tournament and a projected 10-seed to host the NCAA Regional.

The team’s success has coincided with the emergence of Caden McDonald.

Two weeks ago against then-No. 15 Oklahoma, McDonald showcased his skills on both sides after earning a spot in the lineup against Texas A&M the week prior. He became the first Gator to bat and pitch since Jac Caglianone in 2024.

After undergoing Tommy John surgery during his first year at Florida, McDonald made 20 relief appearances last season, posting a perfect 4-0 record with a 5.14 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 28 innings pitched.

“Some people may question, ‘why didn’t you hit him earlier?’ But in all fairness, some other guys had played well, and he wanted to focus on his pitching,” UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “The lack of production, it’s easy to second guess because he’s having so much success, but better late than never.”

In Florida’s 10-5 win in game two against Oklahoma, McDonald hit 4-for-5 with two home runs and six RBIs. On the mound, he followed starting pitcher Liam Peterson’s 4 ⅔ innings with three innings of relief, allowing just one hit while striking out four to record the win.

The Gators carried that momentum into last weekend’s rainy series against Kentucky. Despite seven total hours of weather delays over the three days, Florida secured the series with a walk-off win Friday and a strong showing Sunday.
McDonald shined once again in the finale, hitting 2-for-3 with a two-run home run during a rain-soaked afternoon. The organic chemistry major also recorded the win on the mound, bringing his record to 5-1 with 4 ⅓ shutout innings and six strikeouts.

“I always envisioned myself doing this ever since I was in high school doing it as well,” McDonald said. “It’s been awesome the past few weeks.”

Following Brian Johnson (2010-2012) and fellow Tampa native Caglianone (2022-2024), McDonald is the third Gator in program history to record a home run, throw three or more scoreless innings and earn the win in a single game. He achieved the feat twice over the last two weekends.

“It’s not easy to do at this level,” O’Sullivan said. “Usually one side of the game has got to come a little bit easier than the other, like for Cags, hitting was a little bit easier than the pitching side. There’s only so many hours in the day.

“Going back to Brian Johnson, pitching was easy for him, strikes were easy, and the hitting thing took a little bit more time. With Caden, I haven’t figured it out yet, honestly. He’s just playing really well right now, and we’re going to ride it as long as we can.”

Looking ahead, the Gators travel to Baton Rouge for one final regular-season test before tournament play begins.

The LSU Tigers baseball (30-23, 10-17 SEC) have had a rough season following last year’s national title and enter the series 14th in the conference standings after getting swept at Georgia last weekend.

D1Baseball projects that LSU will not make the NCAA Tournament and is no longer on the bubble after its last outing.

Florida last played the Tigers in the 2024 regular season, taking the final two games in Baton Rouge. With a chance for history to repeat itself in this storied rivalry, the Gators could have an opportunity to climb from sixth place in the SEC standings.

Tied with Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball and Arkansas Razorbacks baseball in conference play, Florida would need help from seeds two through five — Texas A&M Aggies baseball (16-10), Texas Longhorns baseball (16-10), Alabama Crimson Tide baseball (16-11) and Auburn Tigers baseball (16-11) — to have a shot at a double-bye in the SEC Tournament. Georgia Bulldogs baseball has already secured the SEC regular-season title with a 21-6 record.

The SEC Tournament begins May 19, before NCAA Regional play starts 10 days later.

The Gators earned the No. 6 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament after finishing 48-10 overall and 17-7 in SEC play. Florida’s SEC Tournament run ended in the semifinals.

As a top-eight national seed, Florida is guaranteed to host both a regional and super regional if it advances.

The Gainesville Regional field includes Florida, Texas State (32-20), Georgia Tech (30-27) and Florida A&M (32-20).

Texas State enters the tournament after falling to South Alabama in the Sun Belt Tournament championship game.

Georgia Tech, which Florida defeated earlier this season, lost to Florida State in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals.

Florida A&M secured an automatic NCAA Tournament bid after defeating Southern 2-1 in walk-off fashion to win the program’s first Southwestern Athletic Conference championship.

The matchup against Texas State will mark the first meeting in program history between the two schools. Florida has faced Florida A&M 23 times and Georgia Tech nine times previously.

The Gators are undefeated all-time against Florida A&M and hold a 9-1 record against Georgia Tech, including a 5-1 victory earlier this season.

If Florida advances out of the Gainesville Regional, it would host the winner of the Lubbock Regional. That regional features Texas Tech (52-6), Ole Miss (34-24), Boston University (46-13) and Marist (37-19). Texas Tech reached the Women’s College World Series finals in 2025.

Florida opens NCAA Tournament play Friday against Florida A&M at 11 a.m.

After dominating the opening quarter, Florida collapsed in the second half of a 16-8 loss to Denver in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Boulder, Colorado.

The Gators entered Friday averaging 15.67 goals per game, the fourth-highest mark in the nation. But against a Denver squad ranked fourth nationally in scoring margin (+7.56), Florida’s offense seemed to almost disappear after the opening quarter.

Florida looked in control early.

After Denver opened scoring on a free-position goal, the Gators rattled off four unanswered goals in the first quarter. Florida’s quick passing repeatedly forced Denver’s zone defense to scramble as the Gators controlled possession and carried a 4-1 lead into the second quarter.

But momentum shifted quickly.

Denver erased the deficit with three second-quarter goals before Clark Hamilton briefly restored Florida’s power to take a 5-4 lead. The quarter turned chaotic from there, with multiple yellow cards disrupting the flow on both sides and goals waved off for each team.

A crucial save from goalkeeper Susan Radebaugh kept the game tied late in the half, but Denver struck with two seconds remaining before halftime to take a 6-5 lead.

At halftime, Florida coach Amanda O’Leary pointed to the Gators’ missed opportunities offensively.

“We’re making some really good decisions offensively,” O’Leary told ESPN. “We just have to shoot better. We’re getting multiple opportunities, we just need to shoot better.”

The warning signs only grew after halftime.

Denver opened the third quarter with three straight goals in less than three minutes, part of an unanswered six-goal run spanning the second and third quarters that completely flipped the game. 

Florida never recovered.

Gabbi Koury and Frannie Hahn each scored in the third quarter, but the Gators struggled to generate consistent offense as Denver continued to capitalize on its chances.

Radebaugh exited after allowing nine goals with five saves before Florida turned to Maya Soskin and later Paige Crowther in net. The goalkeeper changes did little to slow Denver’s attack.

Meanwhile, Denver’s goalkeeper Lexi Gwakhu continued her postseason dominance, recording her third consecutive double-digit save performance.

Denver closed the game on a five-goal scoring run and finished with 22 shots on goal compared to Florida’s 18.

What began as a dominant opening quarter for the Gators quickly unraveled, as Denver advanced to the second round to play Colorado.

Falling 9-1 in five innings to No. 2 Alabama in the SEC Tournament semifinals, the Gators went 0-for-4 with the bases loaded and left 10 runners on base in the loss. It marked Florida’s first run-rule defeat in the SEC Tournament since the 2012 championship game (also against Alabama).

Freshman Leah Stevens got the start in the circle and opened strong before the Crimson Tide broke through. Stevens (5-2) pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

Florida (48-10) showed early promise when Taylor Shumaker and Jocelyn Erickson drew walks in the first and advanced on a passed ball, but Alabama pitcher Vic Moten responded with three straight strikeouts to strand both runners.

Alabama (49-6) threatened in the bottom half, but Stevens matched Moten by striking out the side to escape the inning.

The Gators continued to apply pressure in the second, loading the bases again as Moten struggled with command. But once more, Florida came up empty, unable to deliver a timely hit.

That missed opportunity proved costly.

The Crimson Tide broke through in the second when Ambrey Taylor launched a leadoff home run. Alabama added three more runs in the inning, highlighted by a two-run single from Marie Giles, to take a 4-0 lead.

Florida answered with its only run in the third. Ava Brown led off with a walk and moved to third on a double from Townsen Thomas. Madison Walker brought her home with a groundout, cutting the deficit to 4-1.

Alabama quickly regained momentum. After Olivia Miller relieved Stevens with two outs in the third, the Crimson Tide extended the lead with a two-out rally. Jena Young delivered an RBI double, aided by a throwing error, and Alexis Pupillo followed with an RBI single to make it 6-1.

Moten settled in from there, retiring the Gators in order in the fourth.

Florida had one last chance to avoid the run rule in the fifth but, for the fourth time, left the bases loaded without scoring.

Alabama put the game away in the bottom half with Katelynn Oxley on the mound. Pupillo drove in a run with an RBI double, Audrey Vandagriff followed with another and Taylor ended it with an RBI single to seal the run-rule win.

Florida now awaits Selection Sunday at 7 p.m. to learn its NCAA Tournament fate.

Tampa was named the host site for the 2027 and 2028 SEC Gymnastics Championships. The meet will be at Benchmark International Arena, the home of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the same arena that hosted Florida men’s basketball in the first rounds of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

“We are pleased to bring the SEC Gymnastics Championships to Tampa, thanks in large part to the strong support the Tampa Bay community has historically provided for SEC events,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said. “That proven enthusiasm, combined with Benchmark International Arena’s championship reputation and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission’s deep experience, gives us great confidence in delivering a world-class event worthy of the elite level of competition our student-athletes bring to the floor every year.”

The SEC Gymnastics Championships moved to neutral sites in 2001, coming to Florida just twice. Jacksonville played host in 2010 and 2017, but Birmingham, Alabama, and Duluth, Georgia, have hosted a combined 14 times. 

Florida did not have a large fan presence in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where it won its 13th program SEC title in March, dating back to the second meet in 1982, and fourth under coach Jenny Rowland. Now, with the SEC Championship just 131 miles from the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, the Gators can expect a large turnout as Florida attempts to win back-to-back titles.

After graduating in May 2021, Chronister found herself at a crossroads by the fall. She didn’t know how to separate herself from a sport that had become part of her, but she was willing to try. After graduation, she decided to attend law school at UF.

“I wanted to see what else I had to offer, which is kind of why I went to law school,” Chronister said.

At the same time, an opportunity to return to softball came with an offer to coach at Santa Fe College; however, she was hesitant to accept. The quick turnaround from player to coach was a road she wasn’t sure how to navigate.

“I told myself I didn’t necessarily want to coach. I wasn’t sure if I was capable of translating it — my patience, my competitive energy can sometimes be a little tough,” Chronister said.

Chronister eventually talked herself into accepting the assistant coaching position and has now coached for the past five seasons, helping lead the Saints to a 40-12 record this year.

“She’s one of the best pitching coaches in the state of Florida, if not the country,” said McKenna O’Sullivan, a freshman utility player and pitcher for Santa Fe.

O’Sullivan graduated last spring from Gainesville High, where she played for Chronister’s father, Chris.

Before her days as a Saint, she began taking pitching lessons with Chronister at age 11, and the two worked together for nearly six years. During that time, they formed a close relationship that has carried into their time together at Santa Fe.

After trying to step away from coaching during her first semester of law school, Chronister realized she still needed what the game had provided her since childhood. After earning SEC Academic Honor Roll recognition all four years of undergrad, she struggled in her first semester of law school.

“It was honestly the worst semester I’ve had. So I knew that I needed to thrive in the chaos of always being busy and having a way to decompress away from school,” Chronister said. “That’s what the game once again provided for me — that peace and comfort.”

Approaching graduation in May, Chronister has gained a new perspective through coaching. She continues to lean on lessons learned from watching her father, Chris. Growing up, she built a strong connection with him through their shared love of softball.

“He’s a leader. As soon as he steps on the field, the kids are going to listen to him,” Chronister said. “That’s something I want to exude as a coach as well.”

Turning the Page

After winning Gainesville High’s first state championship in program history and being named Florida Gatorade Player of the Year, Chronister took her next step at the University of Florida.

The lights shine much brighter on the SEC stage. However, she carried many of the lessons she learned from her father to help her succeed at the next level.

“The SEC can humble you really quick,” Chronister said. “You can have great days and you can have really bad days. So him being tough on me — in the sense of owning my mistakes and figuring out how not to crumble — was something that I definitely needed.”

On May 29, 2021, she pitched the final game of her college career against Georgia in the Super Regional. The realization that she would never play again hit her like a freight train.

“I was a victim of Georgia starting to hit me around a little bit, and that’s when I realized it was probably going to be my last day playing,” Chronister said. “It’s a feeling that honestly was horrible looking back, but also five years later, it makes me so proud of how much I loved that game. That feeling of sadness brought out gratitude — all the hard years were worth that moment.”

Chronister’s softball journey was far from over. During her five years at Santa Fe, she has helped lead the Saints to five straight 30-win seasons. Santa Fe is ranked No. 6 in the NJCAA DI Softball Rankings as it finishes the regular season and prepares for postseason play.

The former pitcher is not only a coach to her players, but an inspiration.

“I think a lot of my teammates have adopted her mindset because Coach Katie’s mindset is, ‘I’m that girl; I’m a winner,’” O’Sullivan said. “She’s super confident in herself, and she’s super confident in us. Her confidence definitely rubs off and makes us feel confident even if we don’t truly feel it.”

Chronister continues to translate her experience at UF into the inner workings of Santa Fe’s program. She is preparing her players for their next chapters and the reality of playing at a four-year university.

“She always has things super fast-paced,” O’Sullivan said. “The way practices are run, it’s like a four-year, which is very useful for us whenever we go to a four-year.

“It’s really refreshing to have coaches like that because I know some other junior colleges, their coaches aren’t like that. It’s definitely going to make playing at a four-year a lot easier because that’s how four-year coaches operate.”

Coaching goes beyond softball for Chronister. She is invested in her players’ lives off the diamond, helping them become the best version of themselves.

“She’s super engaging with people, which I really respect,” O’Sullivan said. “She doesn’t treat me just like an athlete. She treats me as a human being who has feelings and things going on.

“That’s what I appreciate most — how I’m able to talk to her about everything and how gracious she is.”

Softball did not end for Chronister on that day against Georgia; it was simply the end of one chapter. Now, five years later, she is living a new one. While much has changed, one thing remains a constant anchor in her life: the game of softball.

Despite the loss of two legends of the game, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, Miami loaded up its roster in the offseason and prepared to defend its title. With the opening of its new home, Nu Stadium, management was poised to usher in a new era for the club.

However, Miami has failed to win at Nu Stadium across its three home games, leaving fans and management disappointed. And while Miami (5-4-2) is currently No. 3 in the Eastern Conference, it has failed to live up to the high expectations set for the season.

It kicked off the season with a shocking 3-0 loss to LAFC. A few weeks later, Miami was knocked out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup in the Round of 16 by Nashville SC. After logging two draws across both legs, Nashville advanced on away goals, taking away Miami’s chance at winning the only major title that has eluded them so far.

And on April 14, its entire coaching staff left the club after coach Javier Mascherano stepped down due to personal reasons. Mascherano joined Inter Miami in late 2024. In his first season, he led the team to its first MLS Cup title, which came after an Eastern Conference Championship. Under Mascherano, the team broke the MLS’ single-season goal-scoring record, with 101 goals across 58 games. 

So it came as a surprise that he left the club early in the season, taking his entire staff with him, leaving fans to speculate about what went wrong. The club will likely conduct its search for its fifth permanent head coach during the World Cup break. 

“I think what this club lacks, in general, is continuity and stability,” Miami Herald sportswriter Michelle Kaufman said. “I don’t think any club can really build when they’re changing coaches every year.”

Another factor that may explain the team’s performance is the immense pressure put on the team. Miami is led by one of the biggest names in the sport: Lionel Messi. He has become the face of Miami and the face of the MLS. Everything revolves around the star, which puts a lot of pressure on the rest of his teammates.

“When the whole focal point is one player, all the players are focused so much on him that they don’t play as freely as when they’re playing without him,” Kaufman said. 

This may explain why forward Germán Berterame, who was formerly the star at Monterrey, has struggled to adjust to his new team. The loss of Busquets and Alba, who both played with Messi for several years and developed strong chemistry with him on the pitch, has placed a strain on the lineup.

“They lost two legends,” Kaufman said. “You can’t just replace that.”

The team has struggled to be consistent and cohesive. During several games this season, Miami failed to be aggressive from the start of the game. There is still a lot of time left in the season to improve, but it is vital that they learn to play together, Kaufman said.