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Florida Softball Star Keagan Rothrock Throws No-Hitter With Surprising Twist

Surprise!
Maren Angus-Coombs|
Florida Gators pitcher Keagan Rothrock no-hit South Carolina on Friday, April 10, 2026.
Florida Gators pitcher Keagan Rothrock no-hit South Carolina on Friday, April 10, 2026. | Julie Bennett-Imagn Images

Florida starting pitcher Keagan Rothrock delivered her third career no-hitter on Friday night at Carolina Softball Stadium to take the series-opening win, 5-0.

However, the junior had no clue until her teammates began celebrating in the circle after the final out.

"Highlight of my life," Florida infielder Madison Walker wrote in a post on X, "telling Keagan she threw a no-hitter and she had no idea."

Rothrock's no-hitter was Florida's first since she threw two no-hitters as a freshman vs. Cal State Fullerton on March 1, 2024, and vs. Lafayette on Feb. 23, 2024.

Friday's contest marked Rothrock's first career seven-inning no-hitter as her other two no-hitters came in five-inning Gator victories.

For the program, the gem was the 37th no-hitter in program history and 13th against a conference foe. It was the first against an SEC team since Kelly Barnhill threw a no-no against No. 19 Auburn on April 26, 2019.

This was the second no-hitter for a Florida pitcher over South Carolina in program history. The first was by Beth Dieter on March 17, 2000, in Columbia.

Rothrock accomplished the feat on fewer than 100 pitches.

How it Happened

Other than Rockrock, Towsen Thomas had an excellent game for the Gators. The redshirt-freshman finished the night 3-for-4 with a home run, three runs scored, and two runs batted in.

Jocelyn Erickson, Kenleigh Cahalan, Kendall Grover and Cassidy McLellan contributed with a hit apiece.

McLellan drove in two runs and walked twice.

South Carolina's Jordi Heard was handed the loss and fell to 6-6 on the season. She allowed one unearned run on four hits and three walks. She struck out six. Nealy Lamb gave up two earned runs on out hit and two walks while only recording one out. Emma Friedel pitched an inning and surrendered two earned runs on two hits and a walk.

The Florida offense was mostly silenced through the first five innings, outside of a McLellan RBI-single in the top of the second.

However, the Gators heated up in the sixth.

McLellan earned a bases-loaded walk and Ella Wesolowski's sacrifice fly to left field extended the Florida lead to 3-0.

In the seventh, Cahalan singled and Thomas followed with a two-run home run, her third of the season to push the score to 5-0.

South Carolina tried to rally in the bottom half of the seventh. Arianna Rodi walked to walked to lead things off but Jamie McKay flew out to left field and Tori Ensley struck out. Lexi Winters earned a free pass to put two on out with two outs but Tate Davis struck out to end the game.

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 for various outlets including Softball America, ESPNW and Hurrdat Sports. She is currently the managing editor of Softball On SI and also serves as an analyst for Nebraska softball games on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.

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