The Florida Gators defeated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 8-0 in a five-inning run-rule victory in the Gainesville Regional of the NCAA softball tournament Saturday.

Florida (50-10) was powered by a dominant performance from pitcher Keagan Rothrock and a decisive offensive outburst in the third inning. Rothrock threw a complete game shutout, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out four over five innings. Kenleigh Cahalan broke the game open with a three-run home run and finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Ava Brown contributed two RBIs, while Townsen Thomas and Cassidy McLellan each drove in a run. Thomas went 1-for-3 with a stolen base, and McLellan was 1-for-1.

Georgia Tech (31-28) struggled to generate offense. Emma Simon was a bright spot for the Yellow Jackets, going a perfect 2-for-2. Paige Vukadinovich and Madi Duffel each added a hit. Starting pitcher Sydnie Watts took the loss, allowing four runs on three hits and four walks in 2⅔ innings of work.

The game remained scoreless through the first two innings. Florida's offense came alive in the top of the third when Cahalan launched her three-run homer to make it 3-0. McLellan followed with an RBI triple later in the inning to extend the lead to 4-0. The Gators added three more runs in the fourth, highlighted by an RBI double from Brown and an RBI single from Thomas, who later stole home to make it 7-0. The final run came in the top of the fifth on a bases-loaded walk by Brown.

Up next: Regional play in the NCAA softball tournament continues Sunday.

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