Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium was filled with orange,blue, garnet and gold on Wednesday evening–and lots of pink.
UF softball hosted “Swiftie Night” as the Gators played instate rivals Florida State in a top-25 matchup.
The evening’s entertainment wasn’t restricted to the field. Before the start of the game, the Gator’s hype video featured Swift’s song “Ready For It?" and the first 500 fans to enter the game received a free Alberta’s Version replica T-shirt of the Eras Tour merchandise. The first 100 people in line received a softball friendship bracelet, inspired by one of Swift’s lyrics on her album “Midnights.”
Softball enthusiasts and Swifties, the name of Taylor Swift fans, alike stood outside Gate 1 of Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium hours before the gate even opened, hoping to grab some of the garb.
Chelsea Carrasco, a UF freshman, arrived at the game before 4 p.m. and was already number 107 in line. The gate did not open until 5 p.m.
Lauren Petrides, a UF student and one of the lucky ones, also received a shirt. “I think I rolled up here at like 3:50,” Petrides said. “I sat down and looked like there were about like, 80-ish people in front of me when I got here, but they started coming in really quickly after that.”
Heather Cooney got to the game too late. “I actually didn't get a shirt, but I do love them,” she said. “I love the design of it. You could tell it's thought out like every square matches perfectly, like it has the right energy.”
The Gator-styled Eras shirt even had Seminoles fans wanting one.
Anne Whittmore went to bat for her granddaughter who is a Seminole’s fan (but a Swiftie nonetheless).
“My granddaughter called me earlier, asking if I could get her a shirt at the game tonight,” Whittmore said. “It’s funny because she doesn’t like the Gators, but since it's Taylor Swift-related, she insisted. I didn’t even know it was a Taylor Swift night until she called me.”
Select Swifites even came just to get a shirt and did not even stay to watch the game.
“A lot of people walked in, got the shirts, turned around, and left,” Petrides said. “They ran out so fast.”
The spirit night brought out spectators who do not usually attend softball games.
Chelsea Carrasco specifically came to be a part of the hype, even though she grew up playing the game.
“I had never gone to a softball game, but I got an email in my inbox saying it was a women's softball Taylor Swift night,” Carrasco said. “I figured this would be a good way to destress because it reminded me of when I used to play softball when I was younger, and I like Taylor Swift. So I was like, I might as well combine two things I love.”
Petrides had never been to a softball game, either. “This was my first softball game ever. So I kind of wanted to just stay while I was here and see what it was all about,” Petrides said.
Heather Cooney had only been to one other game before “Swiftie Night.” "So, I mean, this is definitely the most packed I've seen,” Cooney said. “I knew with an FSU game too, it was going to be good, but you could tell people came out because there are so many for sure.”
Some spectators were forced to stand along the fence of the stadium because even the lawn chair area filled up. 2,581 fans attended in total–the largest crowd of the season.
Taylor Swift’s music played on the speakers throughout the game.
“I like it a lot,” said Petrides. “The songs that they're playing have been some deep cuts, which is great. Like “King Of My Heart” was awesome. I do wish they were playing a little bit more Taylor because I do love her, but I'm also a little biased.”
Between game breaks, Swifties could take part in competitions, like seeing who could name more Taylor Swift songs in 30 seconds. There was even a giveaway prize for one lucky fan to win a record player and a vinyl of Swift’s latest project, “The Tortured Poets Department.”
The endgame for the Gators wasn’t gorgeous, despite Swifties having the time of their lives. The Seminoles took the win, 12-3.