Florida, Stetson Softball Game Paused to View Historic Artemis II Launch

The No.7 Florida Gators and Stetson Hatters softball teams had a front row seat to history on Wednesday evening.

While playing at Patricia Wilson Field in Deland, Fla, just about an hour away from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the game was abruptly stopped for players and the sold-out crowd to watch the launch of the Orion spacecraft.

Four astronauts, a part of the Artemis II crew, will attempt to fly around the Moon and back, marking the first human deep-space flight in over 50 years.

Florida’s Madison Walker was seen from the outfield, grabbing everyone’s attention right before Gabby Bauer’s at-bat for this must-see moment.

𝗣𝗢𝗩: 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗜 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 🚀

📺: https://t.co/tskXiMwJkW #GoHatters | @espn | @stetsonsoftball | @stetsonu pic.twitter.com/ODwVtVTYCD
— Stetson Hatters (@StetsonHatters) April 1, 2026

And while Orion continued to hurdle through the sky, Walker launched a moon shot of her own. In the 8-2 victory for the Gators, her deep two-run home run to center field in the sixth inning added to the team’s 12-hit night.

rockets in the sky... and on the field 💥

🎥 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/PE0Of3tsdG
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) April 2, 2026

Artemis II wasn’t the only monumental moment of the evening, either. With two RBIs on the night, Florida senior Jocelyn Erickson became just the sixth player in program history with 200 RBIs, a feat she accomplished in less than three years in Gainesville.

Jocelyn Erickson hits her 200th Gator career RBI 😤🔥

🎥 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/3Jzpe92Rc4
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) April 1, 2026

Eight of Florida's nine starters recorded a hit during the win, including Townsen Thomas, who went a team-best 3-for-5 and recorded an RBI to start the game.

In the circle, Olivia Miller picked up her fifth win of the season, allowing just one earned run on two hits with two strikeouts. Katelynn Oxley stepped in for relief and earned her first save of the season, throwing 2.1 hitless innings with three strikeouts.

Stetson attempted the answer in the third inning when Amber Chumley delivered an RBI double, cutting the score to 2-1, but pitchers Jenna Johnston and Caitlyn Kulczyski allowed six runs to cross the plate. The game marked the first time since February that the Hatters were able to play into the bottom of the seventh inning at home.

With the win, the Gators have extended their winning streak over Stetson to 14 games, dating back to 2006. The two faced off earlier this season in a tight 3-2 battle on March 25 in Gainesville.

The mid-week matchup now puts the Gators at 34-4 on the season. They return home to host No.13 Mississippi State for a three-game SEC series beginning Friday. Stetson moved to 22-15 overall and braces to face West Georgia for a three-game series at home.