Florida Softball Opens SEC Play with Series Against Missouri
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 5/8 Florida softball team (23-1) begins Southeastern Conference play this weekend, hosting Missouri in a three-game series at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium from March 7-9. The series opener on Saturday will be streamed on SEC Network+, while Sunday and Monday’s games will both air on SEC Network, featuring Mark Neely (play-by-play), Michele Smith (analyst), and Amanda Scarborough (analyst).
Fans can also listen to all three games on 98.1 FM / 850 AM WRUF (Saturday/Monday) or FloridaGators.com (Sunday) with Ryan Urquhart, Sky LeBron, and Lance Williams providing the radio commentary.
Series Schedule
| Date | Time (CT) | Network |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, March 7 | 12 p.m. | SEC Network+ |
| Sunday, March 8 | 3 p.m. | SEC Network |
| Monday, March 9 | 6 p.m. | SEC Network |
Missouri Team Information
Missouri enters the series with a 7-13 record. Head coach Larissa Anderson has a career record of 382-233-1 (.621). Florida leads the all-time series against Missouri 19-8, and has won the last six matchups. The last meeting between the two teams was during the 2024 SEC Championship in Auburn, Alabama, where Florida won 6-1 to claim its sixth SEC Tournament title.
Recent History Between Florida and Missouri
| Date | Location | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2024 | Auburn, Ala. | W | 6-1 |
| April 14, 2024 | Columbia, Mo. | W | 3-1 |
| April 13, 2024 | Columbia, Mo. | L | 5-2 |
| April 12, 2024 | Columbia, Mo. | L | 6-3 |
| March 19, 2023 | Gainesville, Fla. | W | 4-3 |
Promotional Schedule
- Saturday: Bat Tumbler Giveaway – First 500 fans
- Sunday: Hair Bow Giveaway – First 500 fans
- Monday: School Night – Kids 12 and under can run the bases post-game. First 100 kids receive a goodie bag.
Notable Information
- Florida has won seven consecutive SEC-opening series dating back to 2019.
- Under head coach Tim Walton, the Gators have won all but three of their SEC-opening series in 20 seasons.
- Florida recently completed a five-game trip to California with a 4-1 record, scoring 76 runs with 86 hits and 15 home runs.
- The Gators set program records for runs in a single inning (17), runs scored in a game (28), hits (26), and RBIs (28) during their California trip.
- Taylor Shumaker was named SEC Player of the Week and the D1 Softball National Player of the Week.
- Florida ranks No. 1 in the NCAA in doubles (60), walks (131), and No. 2 in batting average (.421).
- Taylor Shumaker leads the NCAA in runs scored (41), and Keagan Rothrock leads the country in victories (12) and games started (12).
- Kenleigh Cahalan’s first cousin, Claire, is a junior outfielder for Missouri, marking the first time the cousins will compete against each other.
- Madison Walker played her first two seasons at Missouri (2024 & 2025) before joining the Gators.
Follow the Gators
- FloridaGators.com
- Florida Softball on Twitter
- Head Coach Tim Walton on Twitter
- Florida Softball on Facebook
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