Memorial Day is one of travel for many Americans. Most years, that included the Florida softball team.
The unofficial start of summer typically features a trip to the Gainesville Regional Airport and a plane bound for Oklahoma City, home of the Women’s College World Series.
This year, though, the holiday marked the end of the season for the Gators’ players. It’s a feeling unfamiliar to most UF teams.
The last time coach Tim Walton and Co. missed the Women’s College World Series came in 2023. It’s only happened seven times in his 20 seasons at the helm.
On the field, it’s clear to see why the Gators came up short vs. Texas Tech in the Gainesville Super Regional: pitching.
Florida tallied 25 runs off TTU and its pitchers NiJaree Canady and Kaitlyn Terry – two of the best in the game. Pretty much any UF fan would have taken that before Supers, but it wasn’t enough as the Red Raiders scored 26 of their own in their two wins.
All that bids the question: How can the Gators pitching improve in 2027?
The return of Ava Brown for Florida softball
Ava Brown’s pitching absence hung over Florida all season. The two-way player held a 0.49 ERA in 28.1 innings before a knee injury on February 27. She returned to hitting and found success at the plate but never consistently returned to the circle.
“I said to you guys, ‘God we need another person to do it,”’ Walton said after the season-ending loss Sunday. “With that kind of lineup, giving them 14 looks at Keagan Rothrock, that’s a really tough go, so it really hurt us not having a — let’s call it another potential All-American in the stable — who can give us a chance to win a ball game.”
The junior will be healthy for her senior season, and along with Rothrock in a more balanced role, the two should provide a nice punch for the Gators.
In the 2025 season, both threw at least 99 innings. As the year continued, Walton used Brown in a reliever role – one she found success in. A similar role this campaign could have helped Florida in a big way.
Hoping for more growth from the Gators’ other pitchers
UF isn’t losing any of its other four pitches to graduation. Barring transfers, Katelynn Oxley, Leah Stevens, Allison Sparkman and Olivia Miller will be back with the squad in 2027.
Miller showed big improvement in 2026 – even if she lacked the consistency needed to be Florida’s No. 2 pitcher. In eight innings vs. WCWS foes Mississippi State, Arkansas and Tennessee, Miller allowed just three runs.
A freshman who signed late in the cycle, Stevens showed flashes – such as a scoreless inning vs. Texas Tech in Friday’s loss. Improvement should come from her sophomore season.
As for Oxley and Sparkman, both were up and down all season. But Oxley held a team-low 2.58 ERA in 76 innings in 2025. Her talent is there. Same with Sparkman – a 2025 All-ASUN Second Team honoree.
Caroline Stanton and the newcomers
Any excitement regarding the Gators’ pitching staff in 2027 begins with Caroline Stanton. The Buford, Georgia, native was the top-ranked recruit in the Class of 2026. After another state championship season, she decided to enroll at UF early since softball is a fall sport in the Peach State.
That allowed Walton to work on her all season. Following Sunday’s loss, the coach called her a “great kid and hard worker,” but said she still has a long way to go.
“She’s not a swing-and-miss pitcher, so she’s going to really have to rely on her movement, but at some point in time, she’s going to be a high velocity,” Walton said.
The Gators bring in one other pitching recruit in Liliana Escobar from Trabuco Canyon, California. She was named the Orange County Register 2025 Player of the Year. This season, at JSerra Catholic, Escobar has 252 strikeouts, a 1.25 ERA and 17 wins – all ranking in the top 50 in California.
Then there’s the transfer portal. Walton hasn’t had as much success with pitchers there he’s had with hitters, but the options will be out there. For example, Texas State’s Maddy Azua – who is eighth in the nation in strikeouts – entered the portal May 22.
Noah Ram covers Florida Gators athletics and Gainesville-area high school sports for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him at nram@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X @Noah_ram1 and on Instagram @Ramreporter.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida softball’s pitching must improve in 2027. Is the answer on UF’s roster or elsewhere?
Reporting by Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
