How 2 WCWS Stars Overcame Injuries to Lead Their Teams
Making it to the WCWS is a lifelong dream for any softball player. It takes years of hard work, grit, and determination.
Injuries and setbacks are a part of the game, but how you overcome them is what ultimately tells the story.
Florida's Keagan Rothrock and Texas Tech's Lauren Allred have battled back from injuries and have led their respective teams to the WCWS.
Rothrock was sidelined for over a month early on in the season, but since returning, she has been stellar in the circle. Currently she is 16-6 overall with a 3.21 ERA, has pitched 126 innings, and struck out 101 batters.
Gators head coach Time Walton is impressed with how she has ramped up her game.
"I think the one thing that probably impacted the most, just the sharpness in game, getting her pitches in the right locations," he said ahead of the WCWS.
B2 | THREE 🆙
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) May 18, 2025
THREE ⬇️
Rothrock is 🔥HOT🔥 in the circle, striking out the side in the second!
📺 https://t.co/pqvkOHfXbJ | @_kea01 pic.twitter.com/JLs4ckCHyU
Texas Tech's Lauren Allred was out all of last season due to injury. She sat on the sidelines as her now-former squad, Louisiana, hosted a Regional. Coming to Texas Tech this year, it was always her dream to make an impact on the team.
“I would say it was hard. Last year, the goal last year was to host the Regional, and we got to do that. It was tough watching my team do something so well without me," Allred said.
"So, coming into this year, I knew I wanted to try to make a mark and have an impact on the team. And being able to do that and work throughout the season, I think that’s the biggest reward to the injury itself.”
Lauren Allred walks it off in the 6th! 🚀
— Texas Tech Softball (@TexasTechSB) May 17, 2025
📺 ESPN2 | https://t.co/1Uc0XNaL26 pic.twitter.com/cZnoSV90ms
Both Allred and Rothrock will kick off their WCWS journeys on Thursday. Florida will take on Texas at 11 a.m., while Texas Tech faces Ole Miss at 6 p.m. CT.
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Sarah Person was born and raised in Nebraska and has lived there her whole life. She is a recent graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in sports media and broadcasting. She did everything during her time at UNL, including writing, anchoring, broadcasting, and photography. Sarah has had a lifelong passion for sports and is excited to continue that passion through her work for Softball on SI.
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