College softball players pause game to watch moon rocket launch

NASA’s first lunar voyage in decades stole the spotlight at a Florida softball game Wednesday night, as players from both teams paused in astonishment while four astronauts embarked on a journey around the moon.

Florida Gators utility player Madison Walker pointed to the sky, and Stetson University freshman Gaby Bauer stood at home plate in awe as the Artemis II moon rocket lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center just before 7 p.m.

After the excitement settled, the No. 7 seed Florida went on to rout its in-state rival 8–2, marking the Gators’ 14th straight win over Stetson dating back to 2006. (IMAGN/ AP Newsroom)

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The game at Patricia Wilson Field in DeLand, Florida, was only an hour away from the launch site, but the rocket could still be seen making its way through the sky on a trip expected to last about 10 days. 

After the excitement settled, the No. 7 seed Florida went on to rout its in-state rival 8–2, marking the Gators’ 14th straight win over Stetson dating back to 2006.

NASA’s Artemis II moon rocket lifts off from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-B in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on April 1, 2026. (Chris O’Meara/AP)

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 Meanwhile, the historic lunar trip captivated most of the country on Wednesday.

Three Americans and one Canadian took off from the Kennedy Space Center to the moon some 248,000 miles away. The crew will sail past the moon another 4,000 miles before making a U-turn and returning home.

Astronauts Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, and Victor Glover attend a welcome ceremony at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 27, 2026, ahead of the Artemis II mission launch scheduled for April 1, 2026. (Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP)

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The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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