WOMEN’S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES / ELIMINATION GAME

OKLAHOMA CITY – Tennessee erupted for seven runs in the first inning, getting hits from its first seven batters, including a bases-clearing double, and the seventh-seeded Volunteers went on to oust third-seeded Florida 11-3 from the Women’s College World Series in their Friday night elimination game at Devon Park. 

UT’s Gabby Leach stroked a lead-off triple in the bottom of the first off UF starter Kara Hammock (9-2) to initiate the onslaught. The next six Vols hitters went single, single, single, walk, single — with Ava Brown replacing Hammock along the way — before Allanah Leach lashed a base-loaded double into the right-field gap that scored three runs. An error on the relay throw from the outfield allowed Leach to advance to third, where she scored when the next hitter, Emma Clarke, hit a sacrifice fly to center to make it 7-0 for the first out of the inning.

Hammock, who started because sophomore Keagan Rothrock was dealing with a blister on finger, faced four batters, gave up four hits and was charged with four runs. Brown faced seven batters, gave up five hits and five runs, with the last two UT hitters, Sophia Nugent and McKenna Gibson, blasting two-out, solo homers. Brown was replaced by freshman Katelynn Oxley, who worked the final 2.1 innings, gave up three hits, one run and struck out three.  

Tennessee coach Karen Weekly opted to lift ace starter Karyln Pickens after just one inning and with that 7-0 lead just a day after she served up a crushing, walk-off homer to four-time NCAA champion Oklahoma. Pickens, who last week set a NCAA record in Super Regional play by throwing a pitch 79.4 miles per hour, was replaced by Sage Mardketko, who the Gators got to for back-to-back homers from Reagan Walsh (her 15th of the season) and Korbe Otis in the fourth inning to get out of run-rule territory, though only momentarily. Mardketko was replaced by Erin Nuwer. 

In the UT fourth, the Vols got a two-out double from Laura Mealer, who scored a batter later off Alannah Leach’s bloop single to left for her fourth RBI of the game and 11-3 lead, putting the mercy-rule back in play. 

The Gators got a two-out single from freshman Taylor Shumaker in the fifth and needed her to score to extend the game. Jocelyn Erickson, though, grounded to third for the final out. 

The outcome marked just the second time in Florida’s 13 WCWS trips the Gators were eliminated in two games, along with 2019.

PLAY OF THE GAME: Leach’s triple made it 6-0 before the Gators had recorded an out. 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Tough way to go out for Kendra Falby, the 2025 second-team All American and one of the all-time greats in UF history. Thank you, though, for dazzling the Florida fan base with your speed and spectacular web gems in centerfield. 

STAGGERING STATISTIC: The Vols’ seven runs were the most by any team in the first inning of a WCWS game since the Gators scored 11 against Alabama in the bottom of the first in 2011. UF went on to win that one 16-2 in five innings. 

UP NEXT: Florida (48-17) will begin looking toward the 2026 season, having to say goodbye to a pair of four-year standouts in Falby and Walsh, along with Otis, a ’25 All-Southeastern Conference selection, Hammock, shortstop Rylee Holtorf and outfielder Brooke Barnard.  

QUOTES

Coach Tim Walton 

* (Opening statement): Yeah, just want to congratulate my six seniors. Obviously the three that are up here have meant a lot to our program, but just everybody behind the scenes, the hard work that we put in. To our fans, obviously, to get a chance to watch these guys play ball, that’s probably the most sad part about this season for me coming to an end is just the relationships that we’ve built. Really just super happy and proud of the job, the development, the personal development, the player development that these guys have had in our program.

“So not a ton to really say other than thanks. Thanks to these guys for all they’ve done for Gator Nation and their hard work and sacrifice. And these two here next to me played four years for us. Reagan’s been committed for a long time. Kendra has been committed for a long time. Korbe is a newcomer who just collected a ton of awards along the way.

Just really thankful for all of our seniors and their leadership. And good season. Today was a terrible day, but still a good season for the Gators. Just really proud of the obstacles we overcame. We lost, but yet we still won in my mind, just how much we came together and how much fun we had along the way.”

* (On decision to start Kara Hammock over Keagan Rothrock): “We have been fighting a blister with Keagan for a while. It came apart, actually, on Friday against Georgia in the game [at Super Regionals]. So we’ve been fighting that for a little bit. Felt like it was our best chance to give Kara an opportunity. Kara was going to go one time through, same thing we had at Oklahoma, get nine outs and then bridge the gap. Maybe let Keagan throw at the end. But just trying to give that — ultimately, she could have pitched today, and being good or not good, we don’t know what that would have been. But we had got a long road to go, and you blow her out in the first inning of this game, and then what? I know we’re done now, but the decision was really to just try to go as much as we can with everyone else given the circumstances.”

* (More on Rothrock): “She’s been dealing with it for a long time. It was Friday against Georgia late in the game. That’s why the rise ball was a little flatter on Saturday. We’re not making excuses, it just is what it is.” 

Kendra Falby  

* “Being a Florida Gator has been the best decision of my life. And if I could do it over again, I would do it again and again and again.”

Reagan Walsh  

* “I’m just so proud of this group. We fought so hard. We worked so hard every single day before getting here.”

Korbe Otis

*” I’m just thankful. I’m thankful to be a part of Gator Nation. I’m thankful to have played two years and then two seasons [in] the World Series. That’s what 8-year-old Korbe dreamed of doing.”

Email senior writer Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu