Stepping to home plate with two outs in a scoreless first inning, all University of Florida sophomore catcher Jocelyn Erickson wanted to do was provide a spark for her team.

An opportunity came moments later with a South Alabama pitch right down the middle of the plate. The 19-year-old Latter-day Saint slugger, the 2024 SEC Player of the Year, swung and smashed the ball over the right field fence to give her team an early 2-0 lead.

Two innings later, Erickson hit an RBI single to ignite a 7-run rally that gave her Gators a 9-1 victory over the Jaguars in the championship round of the NCAA Tournament’s Gainesville Regional on May 19.

View Comments

To read the full story, visit TheChurchNews.com.

Join the Conversation
Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.