ATHENS, Ga. – The Florida softball team (43-14, 14-10 SEC) fell to Ole Miss, 6-3, in extra innings at the 2025 Southeastern Conference Tournament in Athens, Ga., on Wednesday afternoon.

The Gators rallied after trailing 3-1 going into the seventh inning with back-to-back solo home runs from Jocelyn Erickson and Taylor Shumaker to tie it up at 3-all.

The Rebels (37-16, 11-13) responded themselves in the next half inning with a three-run home run to go ahead, 6-3.

Florida loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth, but left all three runners stranded to end the game.

Ava Brown (10-3) took the loss in the circle, tossing 3.2 innings, allowing three runs, all off the three-run home run, with two strikeouts.

Shumaker, who went a team-best 3-for-5 at the plate and hit her 18^th home run of the season, is now one home run shy of tying the Florida freshman record.

She is also now 10 RBI shy of tying the program’s single-season record with 76 already in her freshman campaign.

Kendra Falby and Ava Brown each tallied a pair of hits, while Rylee Holtorf recorded her sixth double of the season.

HEAR FROM THE GATORS:

On the back-to-back home runs in the seventh and takeaways from that inning…

“I think we were going into that inning just trying to scratch and fight and claw back, and I think that little fight that we had in us is really good to show that we have it going into the NCAA Tournament. It’s really tough competition and there’s going to be those circumstances again where we’re going to have to come back, so it’s good that we showed a little fight.” – junior Jocelyn Erickson

 

On preparation for the NCAA Tournament…

“We’re training in practice to find those little moments, and we’ve got to do the little things right so when we’re in those big moments that everything goes smoothly. So, we’re just going to keep training and practicing and getting after it, ready for the selection show and the NCAA Tournament.” – junior Jocelyn Erickson

 

On the team’s fight in the seventh inning…

“I think the same thing. I think any time that you can have a team who can be down by two runs in the seventh inning and find a way to put yourselves right back in the game is really important and really special. We have a lot more work to do, but I think being able to have a game like this where you kind of get a sense of what we really can do when it matters is really important for us going into the rest of the postseason.” – freshman Taylor Shumaker

 

On the team’s work ethic and identity…

“We have a really good work ethic on this team, so I think after moments like this, it just is one more reason to go back home and figure out who we are and what we need to do and then go right back to it and grind it out and figure out who we are as a group again because you never stop finding out who you are as a group. I think people think that once you get to the postseason it’s like we are who we are, and I really don’t think that’s the case. I think teams continue to build after each and every game, and I think we just got one step closer to who we really are after this game.” – freshman Taylor Shumaker

 

UP NEXT:

The Gators now await their path in the NCAA Tournament.

 

The 2025 NCAA softball selection show airs on Sunday, May 11 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

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