UF BSB: Gators Host South Carolina in Final Series of Regular Season

Gators Host South Carolina in Final Series of Regular Season

Florida has won 13 of the last 20 matchups against the Gamecocks including four-straight series wins in Gainesville.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida hosts South Carolina this week from Thursday, May 19 to Saturday, May 21 in the final series of the 2022 regular season.

All three games will stream on SEC Network+, with legendary Voice of the Gators, Mick Hubert<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_staff.aspx-3Fstaff-3D250&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=7D7YINcu8Mo8LNSLnzBIN4gQrPzKzCmkN6DVKi31T-s&e= >, calling his final matchups for the Orange & Blue. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Thursday and Friday, while Saturday’s regular season finale is set for 2 p.m.

Last year, South Carolina (26-25, 12-15 SEC) swept Florida (33-19, 13-14 SEC) in Columbia, but the Gators won the series the last time the Gamecocks visited Gainesville, two games to one (W, 9-5 / L, 3-6 / W, 6-4). In fact, Florida has won each of the last four home series against South Carolina.

Across the all-time series, South Carolina holds a slight 50-48 edge, with Florida boasting a 27-15 record in Gainesville. The Gators are 26-18 vs. the Gamecocks under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_coaches.aspx-3Frc-3D1445&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=-OUN16EeZf534W6gWrib9qOIkzxwc9BlJhVhzh6lYjY&e= >, including 14-4 at home.

LAST TIME OUT
The Gators are coming off an instant classic, walk-off win over No. 20 Florida State on Tuesday. Outfielder Wyatt Langford<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15097&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=7ZPG20cBV0YbxEIoCVHlE_Ab9UzkNrxn6HBWeGAiIko&e= > homered in each of his first-two at bats, but it was second baseman Sterlin Thompson<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15108&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=rK4vOKafcnjd1TWDA-ENZ0fPKYDjXKJsWpbx495I6cg&e= > who broke a 5-5 tie with a walk-off, two-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Last weekend, Florida took two of three games at Missouri (W, 13-1 / L, 3-5 / W, 4-3) for the team’s third-straight series victory. Right-handed pitchers Brandon Sproat<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15106&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=wVXIOUWkRImF9rVyQgVjZLXPG36UGcCvAGHwiX89TuI&e= > and Nick Pogue<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15102&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=rXRDpBP96KcCUNHyYJsCGutb6TtwqRziPIo36I-uDIk&e= > picked up wins while first baseman Kris Armstrong<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15090&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=QqvFy0wfElkXyqMUVgZa6ucEnelaNLGiGDAG7B7CjaE&e= > (.571/.667/.571), catcher BT Riopelle<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15114&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=0G-GYymnOrwPX7CC8-DOPn94w6gF-tpyd5X4notykZM&e= > (.500/.500/.600) and Langford (.417/.563/.667) paced the offense.

SCOUTING THE GAMECOCKS
South Carolina enters the final weekend of the campaign with a 26-25 record and 12-15 mark in Southeastern Conference play. Even so, the Gamecocks are coming off a series win over Kentucky and are 5-5 across their last 10 contests. South Carolina is batting .272 as a team and wield a staff ERA of 5.41 backed by a .974 fielding percentage.

HUBERT’S LEGACY
Legendary Voice of the Gators, Mick Hubert<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_staff.aspx-3Fstaff-3D250&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=7D7YINcu8Mo8LNSLnzBIN4gQrPzKzCmkN6DVKi31T-s&e= >, informed Athletic Director Scott Stricklin<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_staff.aspx-3Fstaff-3D487&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=KxpHXBS69zhPzdwh7mNYH8_CTUhSJe_2VrlJnrmXrdM&e= > earlier this week that he is retiring following the Florida-South Carolina baseball series this weekend at Condron Family Ballpark. Hubert took over as Florida’s primary play-by-play announcer on May 4, 1989, and has called over 2,500 games for the Orange & Blue over the course of his 33-year tenure. Hubert has called every Florida football game since the 1989 season opener, and has announced 1,027 baseball games throughout his career.

COMING IN HOT
Since reshuffling the top of the lineup for the start of the Kentucky series (Langford, Thompson, Fabian, Riopelle), Florida has won 10 of its last 12 games and is 7-2 across its last three SEC series. During that stretch, Florida is batting .277/.400/.517 as a team with 23 home runs and 47 total extra-base hits, scoring 7.8 runs per game runs while allowing only 3.3 runs per game. The pitching staff has clearly turned a corner in that period as well, evidenced by a 3.03 team ERA and .235 batting average against across 107 innings.

ONE-TWO PUNCH
Most impressively, Langford is hitting .468/.581/.957 in 12 games since being moved to the leadoff spot, with six home runs, 22 runs, 11 RBI, 10 walks and two strikeouts. He has reached base in nine of 12 leadoff plate appearances (.750 OBP) and is hitting .700 leading off games highlighted by two homers, one triple, one double and eight runs. Thompson has been nearly as solid in the two-hole with a .468/.610/.769 line, collecting three homers, 17 runs, a team-high 18 RBI, 14 walks and seven strikeouts.

LANGFORD’S CASE FOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
As a top SEC Player of the Year candidate, Langford paces Florida in batting average (.365), slugging (.715), runs (58), hits (73), home runs (19), RBI (53), steals (six), on-base plus slugging (1.164), multi-hit games (22) and three-hit games (10). He ranks T-first in the SEC in runs, T-first in fielding percentage (1.000), second in total bases (143), T-second in homers, third in slugging, T-third in hits, sixth in RBI, seventh in batting average and ninth in on-base percentage (.449).

PRETEND IT’S A SEED
Florida is currently projected as the No. 2 seed at the Coral Gables Regional in the NCAA Tournament by D1Baseball.

NOTE ON SPROAT
Thursday night’s scheduled starter, Sproat has gone 5 1/3-plus innings in seven-straight starts and has thrown five-plus innings in 10 of 13 starts this year while allowing three earned runs or less in nine of those outings. Across his last four starts vs. No. 1 Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi State and Missouri, Sproat is 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA and is coming off a career-high 6 2/3 innings pitched with just one run allowed at Missouri.

POGUE LIFE
Pogue notched career highs in innings (6 2/3) and strikeouts (eight) while picking up the win at Missouri on Sunday, allowing three runs on five hits. Across his last three starts, Pogue is 2-0 with a 2.87 ERA, 16 strikeouts and one walk across 15 2/3 innings.

GENERATIONAL OUTFIELD
On May 12, D1Baseball released its updated list of top-100 outfielders in college baseball and Langford (No. 10), Jud Fabian<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15127&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=JeFJ1OyiMsIvQ7OhvSUpCloPyQDazPK34WAkyOr6KQQ&e= > (No. 19) and Thompson (No. 27) all made the cut. Florida is the only team in the nation to have all three starting outfielders ranked inside the top 30.

MOM, THEY’RE MOCKING ME
In MLB Pipeline’s most-recent 2022 MLB Mock Draft published on May 11, Thompson is projected to the New York Yankees at No. 25 overall while J. Fabian is projected to the Houston Astros at No. 28 overall.

RIOPELLE PACING SEC BACKSTOPS
Riopelle leads all SEC catchers in slugging percentage (.598), home runs (14) and RBI (50). He owns a .310/.374/.608 slash line on the year and took home SEC Co-Player of the Week honors two weeks ago after batting .533/.556/1.133 with a team-high eight RBI. During the month of April, Riopelle led all SEC catchers with seven home runs, 22 RBI and a .672 slugging percentage.

GOING STREAKING
Thompson is riding a 22-game on-base streak, batting .380/.505/.570 during that span. Meanwhile, Langford has reached in 14 straight including a team-high nine-game hitting streak. Langford is slashing .528/.625/1.028 (19-for-36) with five homers, 19 runs, nine walks and one strikeout during his hitting streak.

EYEING 100 HOMERS
Florida is tied for ninth in the country with 96 home runs. The Gators hit their 71st home run in the 37th game of the season this year, matching the team’s total from all of last season’s 60 game schedule. Florida is on pace to hit 101 home runs in the regular season alone, which would mark the program’s third-highest total ever, as well as the most under O’Sullivan (2018 – 100).

HOME RUN TRIO
J. Fabian and Langford are tied for second in the SEC with 19 home runs (T-14th nation) while Riopelle has connected for 14 homers (T-12th SEC, T-85th nation). Fabian, Langford and Riopelle’s 52 combined homers are the fifth-most of any trio in the nation behind only Old Dominion (59), Texas (55), Georgia Tech (54) and Maryland (53). Florida is one of eight teams in the country to have three players with 14-plus homers.

THE FABIAN FILE
2021 All-American J. Fabian is tied for second in the SEC with 19 home runs (T-14th nationally), T-11th with 50 runs, 12th with 48 RBI and T-second with 51 walks (T-fourth nationally). Fabian’s strikeout rate is down 8.0% from last season’s mark of 29.4%, sitting at 21.4% in 2022. He is looking to become the second Gator to eclipse 20-plus homers in consecutive seasons (Brad Wilkerson, 1997-98). There have only been seven 20-homer seasons at Florida and only five players have accomplished the feat. Fabian currently sits on 51 career homers, which ranks fourth all-time at Florida.

LANGFORD CHASING 20
While Fabian looks for his second-straight 20-homer year, Langford is aiming to become the sixth Gator to eclipse 20 homers in a season, currently sitting on 19. Fabian and Langford would become the first pair of Florida teammates to ever hit 20 homers apiece in the same season, as well as the first duo to accomplish the feat in back-to-back years.

STATE OF THE DEFENSE
Florida ranks 11th in the nation with a .981 fielding percentage. The Gators have not committed an error in their last five games.

SULLY WINS 600TH
With a 13-6 victory to clinch the series over Alabama on March 19, O’Sullivan won his 600th game as Florida head coach – on the same day Georgia head coach Scott Stricklin<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_staff.aspx-3Fstaff-3D487&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=KxpHXBS69zhPzdwh7mNYH8_CTUhSJe_2VrlJnrmXrdM&e= > accomplished the feat. 2022 represents O’Sullivan’s 15th season as the head coach at Florida. During that time, O’Sullivan owns a 618-297 (.675) record, passing the legendary Dave Fuller (556-354-6) for the most wins in program history on March 9, 2021. O’Sullivan’s .675 winning percentage ranks third among all active Division I head coaches.

BALLPARK OF THE YEAR
Opened in 2021, the state-of-the-art Condron Family Ballpark was named Ballpark Digest’s 2021 College Ballpark of the Year in December. Newly equipped with permanent outfield concessions and restrooms, Condron Family Ballpark features a 360-degree open concourse, shade structures for fans and high definition video and sound.

DRAFT BUZZ
After being selected 40th overall in last year’s draft, J. Fabian is again projected as Florida’s top prospect by MLB Pipeline, coming in as the No. 45 overall prospect for the 2022 MLB Draft. Left-hander Hunter Barco<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15091&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=pa5L3Gfw7SJXKO1HYQr8LMxnT97q3qQYmxY07KLmTdo&e= > follows closely behind at No. 54, while Thompson (No. 90) and Sproat (No. 98) fell just inside the top 100. The Gators’ middle infield duo of Colby Halter<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15096&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=8PBLNQikz3PQ4q4AfKHhJL-lOkqBNBA5251VakyP5s8&e= > and Josh Rivera<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15104&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=g7Cz4KNbkOKiueRGiO0ZXHFreTeSFwU3yf0Kw8EBHZ8&e= > received draft buzz as well, with D1baseball ranking the former as the No. 60 college prospect and the latter sitting at No. 78. All six of the aforementioned players were ranked as top-30 prospects in the SEC by D1Baseball, in addition to Pogue, who was tabbed the conference’s No. 50 prospect.

Recently updated on April 27, Florida placed five players on Baseball America’s top-200 draft prospects list: Fabian (No. 34), Barco (No. 39), Thompson (No. 52), Sproat (No. 123) and Halter (No. 200).

OPENING THE GATES
The gates of Condron Family will open two hours and 15 minutes prior to first pitch for every home game.

TRAFFIC PATTERNS ON GAME DAY
Those visiting Condron Family Ballpark on game day should be aware of updated traffic patterns surrounding the ballpark. The 2022 season welcomes the addition of Ballpark Way, which will serve as a connecting route to the ballpark from Archer Road. For those departing the ballpark via Hull Road, fans will be directed to turn right onto Hull Road from the parking lot and travel eastbound towards SW 23rd Drive. See HERE<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_documents_2022_2_18_Post-5FGame-5Ftraffic-5FPARKING-5FMAP.jpg&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=uuPHeCbFMisjG1IAjq92HumCieTIJM2Qf2UFATs25fo&e= > for a postgame traffic guide to utilize when departing the ballpark.

PARKING/SHUTTLES
General Parking is available in the west Condron Family Ballpark baseball lot and the Fifield parking lot located directly across Hull Road. Disabled parking is available on a first-come, first-serve basis in the Condron Family Ballpark west lot with a valid Disabled Placard. Click HERE<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_documents_2022_3_8_FINAL-5FPArkingBaseball-5FRegion.jpg&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=sRaAsGVVrFZDDj8XxqNLnIhxHzIYTfGhYwA-aIRrYqU&e= > for a Parking map.

Due to the likelihood of increased traffic for this weekend, parking may be limited around Condron Family Ballpark and other athletic venues located on the southwest side of campus. Fans are encouraged to park in the lot located at Fifield Hall.

There will be a free shuttle service provided to and from the Fifield parking lot each day of the weekend series.

MOBILE TICKETING & FLORIDA GATORS APP
As a reminder, mobile ticketing is required. There will be two ways to access your tickets:
1) through the Florida Gators app<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__s1445136311.t.en25.com_e_er-3Fs-3D1445136311-26lid-3D1301-26elqTrackId-3DF42DAD870CD1B888DE14DCC3F8C8916F-26elq-3Df69e4978773d47758819914b4936bd42-26elqaid-3D3046-26elqat-3D1&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=ImsGvxfjasL9nyXagIJJfjh9fVnw_4Xm6lXVndXqA9c&e= > from your mobile device or
2) through FloridaGators.com/myaccount<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__s1445136311.t.en25.com_e_er-3Fs-3D1445136311-26lid-3D1324-26elqTrackId-3DE19038CB8FD63F3F29DC57131044A028-26elq-3Df69e4978773d47758819914b4936bd42-26elqaid-3D3046-26elqat-3D1&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=zx3q1b2WBtoprInrDEzwjNjuW14Y6EDVyH_ZGOQzUTB0RptES7bM1lxUaJ3rh1hs&s=QxJhQF9mFnqVTiBday1cN6Wzus9er0wPiDFbBTynaHo&e= >. Fans will also be able to transfer or donate their tickets easily within the app or online.

For a smoother and safer entry on game day, fans are encouraged to add their tickets to their Apple Wallet or Google Pay account in advance of coming to the ballpark.

ON DECK
Florida awaits its opponent in the 2022 SEC Baseball Tournament, which is scheduled for May 24-29 in Hoover, Ala.

###