Florida Atlantic University Athletics

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 2-seeded Florida Atlantic softball team’s season concluded on Saturday at the NCAA Gainesville Regional’s double-elimination tournament, falling to No. 1-seed Florida by a score of 14-6 and No. 4-seed Mercer in a 7-0 defeat.

 

In their final outing of a remarkable year, the Owls (45-12) went toe-to-toe with the Gators (45-14), the No. 3 overall seed in the nation, and held a lead through four innings before surrendering seven runs in the bottom of the fifth. Florida Atlantic out-hit the Bears 7-5 in the later game but left 11 on base to officially end the postseason campaign of the back-to-back American Athletic Conference regular season champions.

 

GAME ONE

Redshirt sophomore outfielder Kylie Hammonds led off the day with a base hit and advanced to third via a bunt and then a single from junior third baseman Jesiana Mora. Mora found herself caught in a rundown on an attempted steal, but the distraction allowed for Hammonds to come home for the first score. On the next pitch, sophomore first baseman Bella Cimino hit a double off the wall to bring home a second run for a 2-0 lead. 

 

The Gators tied it up in the bottom of the first with a two-run home run, but two strikeouts from junior pitcher Jaden Martinez and a diving catch from sophomore shortstop Kiley Channell mitigated the damage.

 

Neither team scored again until the top of the fourth, when Cimino launched her second home run in as many days and her seventh of the year to break the tie and go up 3-2. Florida responded with a five-run bottom half of the inning for a 7-3 lead. Not going down without a fight, junior catcher Chloe Yeatts worked a long at-bat that culminated in a three-run blast to bring the score to 7-6 entering the bottom of the fifth. Florida ultimately ended the game with seven more runs, with a grand slam enacting the run rule.

 

GAME TWO

Hammonds reached base in the leadoff spot once again, this time via a hit-by-pitch. The Owls put batters on base in each of the first six innings but were unable to score a run.

 

Mercer took a 2-0 lead off an error in the single in the bottom of the first and held on the rest of the way.

 

Florida Atlantic had runners in scoring position in the second through sixth innings, including a bases-loaded situation in the top of the fourth before a flyout retired the side.

 

NOTES/NOTABLE

• The Owls conclude the season with the most runs in program history (367), their most wins since 2016 (45) and their first NCAA Regional win since 2016.
• With 54 RBI, Yeatts sets the single-season program record. 
• Hammonds finishes the season reaching base in 26 consecutive games and 53 out of 57 appearances in 2025.
• Cimino is the first Owl batter to homer twice in a single NCAA Regional period.

 

FOLLOW THE OWLS

For the Owls’ complete schedule, click HERE. To follow the team socially, visit @fausoftball, or for the most up-to-date information, go to www.fausports.com.

 

The Owls’ 2025 postseason is powered by Demand the Limits Injury Attorneys.