GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida welcomes South Florida to Condron Family Ballpark on Tuesday for a 6:30 p.m. matchup on SEC Network+.
The Gators (24-23) and Bulls (23-24) last faced off in a home-and-home during the 2023 campaign, with both squads posting road wins for a split. Florida won, 6-1, in Tampa on Feb. 21 behind solo home runs from first baseman Jac Caglianone<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jac-caglianone/16365>, designated hitter Tyler Shelnut<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/tyler-shelnut/16376>, second baseman Cade Kurland<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/cade-kurland/16372> and outfielder Wyatt Langford<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/wyatt-langford/15497> in left-handed pitcher Cade Fisher<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/cade-fisher/16369>’s first-career start (4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K). The Gators then fell to the Bulls at home, 10-9, after USF plated seven runs in the top of the ninth.
Florida is 64-28 all-time vs. USF including 43-12 at home, owning wins in 26 of the last 31 meetings. The Gators are 24-5 in the series under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/kevin-o-sullivan/1752>, highlighted by a 20-4 mark in Gainesville.
Pitching Matchups
Tuesday | 6:30 ET (SEC Network+)
USF RHP Lawson Gailey (2-1, 4.61 ERA)
Florida RHP Liam Peterson<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/liam-peterson/16631> (1-4, 6.70 ERA)
Links WATCH<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/9d363ff8-59b7-4c25-8e0a-e66197f36467> | LISTEN<https://floridagators.com/showcase?Live=5424>
LAST TIME OUT
The Gators dropped two out of three to now-No. 1 Tennessee at home over the weekend (L 6-2, W 4-3, L 16-3). On Friday, catcher/deisgnated hitter Brody Donay<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/brody-donay/16621> homered in both ends of a doubleheader while going 4-for-7 on the day. Right-handed pitcher Liam Peterson<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/liam-peterson/16631> and righty Fisher Jameson<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/fisher-jameson/16371> were stellar on the mound in game two, with the former opening with four shutout, one-hit innings highlighted by seven strikeouts. Jameson fanned eight across four frames of three-run ball (two earned) to earn the Gators’ lone victory of the day.
BACKGROUND ON THE BULLS
South Florida enters with a 23-24 record and 9-12 mark in American Athletic Conference play. As a team, the Bulls are slashing .288/.393/.447 with 43 home runs backed by a 6.23 ERA across 399 innings on the mound. Defensively, USF has fielded to a .971 clip over 1,680 chances.
RELENTLESS REPTILES
Florida boasts 13 come-from-behind wins on the season, with nine of the team’s 10 SEC victories occurring in comeback fashion. The Gators wield three walk-off victories this year.
COMFY AT CONDRON
Florida is 53-18 at home since the start of last season despite a 17-11 record at Condron Family Ballpark in 2024. The Gators have claimed 15 of their last 17 three-game, regular-season series at Condron Family Ballpark dating back to the 2022 season.
NATIONAL LEADERBOARDS
Florida ranks eighth nationally and fourth in the SEC with 98 home runs this season (2.09 per game). Meanwhile, the Gators sit 11th in the country and third in the conference in strikeouts per nine innings (10.9). At .979, Florida ranks third in the SEC and 22nd in the NCAA in fielding percentage.
WE’RE GOING STREAKING
The longest active on-base streak on the team belongs to Caglianone at 33 games, who also paces Florida with a 26-game hitting streak. Dating back to March 22 vs. LSU. Caglianone’s hitting streak is four games shy of tying Jacob Young’s program record of 30-straight set from 2019-2021. Young broke Tim Olson’s 21-year-old record on Sunday, March 7, as he singled in the eighth inning to extend his hitting streak to a record 30 games. Young recorded hits in the final two games of the 2019 Lubbock Regional, all 16 games he made a plate appearance in 2020, and the first 12 games of the 2021 season. The hitting streak spanned over 646 days, as his streak began June 1, 2019. Young hit .415 (51-123) over the streak, with 11 doubles, 18 RBIs, and 23 runs. Incredibly enough, Caglianone is also batting .415 (39-for-94) across his hitting streak. He has totaled a .534 on-base percentage, .968 slugging percentage, 17 home runs, 32 RBI, 30 runs, 18 walks and seven strikeouts over the streak.
HEALTHY SIP OF JAMESON
Across the team’s last 12 games, Jameson has made six appearances for a team-low 2.63 ERA across 13 2/3 innings. In that span, Jameson has struck out 19 batters while issuing just one walk. He also wields a 1-0 record, two saves and a .220 batting average against in his previous six outings.
CLEMENTE CRUISING
Redshirt freshman right-hander Jake Clemente<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jake-clemente/16366> has not given up an earned run across his last four appearances, having last been charged with an earned run on March 12. Since then, Clemente is 2-0 with eight innings pitched, one unearned run allowed, seven hits, five walks and 14 strikeouts. He is coming off 2 1/3 shutout, one-hit innings with five strikeouts vs. now-No. 1 Tennessee.
CAGLIANONE’S GOLDEN SEASON
After homering in an NCAA-record nine-straight games from April 6-19, Caglianone followed the act with an equally brilliant one by going 66-consecutive plate appearances without a strikeout from April 7-27 before being fanned in the eighth inning of the series finale at No. 2 Arkansas. At present, the slugger ranks among the top-45 most-difficult hitters to strike out in the country with 10.8 at bats per strikeout. Caglianone’s unparalleled power-contact combination has fueled him to a 17-to-30 strikeout-to-walk ratio, 7.7% strikeout rate and 26 home runs on the season, the latter of which is tied for second nationally. He now owns a share of each of the two-most-prolific home run seasons in Gators history, setting the team record with 33 last season while his 26 bombs this year are tied for second-most in club history alongside Wyatt Langford<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/wyatt-langford/15497> (2022) and Matt LaPorta (2005).
Caglianone paces the Gators in virtually every offensive statistic including batting average (.410), on-base percentage (.511), slugging (.847), OPS (1.358), hits (75), homers, RBI (53), runs (54) and walks (30). The two-way standout ranks second in the SEC in hits, homers, batting average and slugging (sixth in NCAA), third in OBP and total bases (155), seventh in RBI and tied for seventh in runs scored. On the mound, Caglianone is 5-1 and his .223 batting average against is the 13th-best in the SEC, as the southpaw has been charged with the 10th-fewest hits allowed and fourth-fewest homers surrendered among qualified SEC hurlers.
2-WAY 2 DOMINANT 2 HANDLE
In the 11 games Caglianone has started on the mound, he is hitting .425 (17-for-40). He has six home runs in those 40 at bats while surrendering only four to the opposing 240 batters he has faced. 63 of those batters have struck out while Caglianone has only two strikeouts in the games he has pitched. Florida has won in nine of Caglianone’s 11 starts.
EVANS ERUPTION
Adding to his career high in homers, outfielder Ty Evans<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/ty-evans/16368> launched his 13th home run of the season on Saturday vs. Tennessee. In addition to home runs, Evans owns single-season career highs in runs (44), hits (59), doubles (10), extra-base hits (24) and walks (18) while increasing by at least .85 points in every slash category with a .326/.417/.608 batting line after hitting .239/.302/.485 in 2023. Evans boasts 19 multi-hit games and 15 multi-RBI contests in 47 games this season, with both totals ranking second on the roster behind Caglianone.
THE SCORING STREAK
Florida’s scoring streak of 127-consecutive games is tied for the third-longest in program history (May 27, 2022-present) alongside Feb. 2, 2007-March 22, 2009 (127). The only longer streaks in team history occurred from March 12, 1995-April 7, 1999 (268 games) and from 1957-63 (184). The Gators were last shut out on May 26, 2022 vs. Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament.
SULLY SUPERLATIVES: Since O’Sullivan’s 2008 arrival, no college program has more CWS trips (8), Super Regionals hosted (nine), top-eight national seeds (10) and NCAA Tournament bids (15) than the Florida Gators. Overall, Florida’s 15-straight NCAA bids represent the second-longest active streak in the sport. The Gators have also hosted 12 NCAA Regionals out of a possible 15 during O’Sullivan’s tenure (no NCAA Tournament in 2020), which ranks first in the nation. Looking at the SEC specifically, Florida’s .607 winning percentage (287-186) since 2008 is the top mark in the conference.
PARKING/SHUTTLES
Fans are encouraged to park at the Fifield and IFAS lots during the weekend. An increased number of shuttles will be available for transportation to the ballpark each day.
Click HERE<https://floridagators.com/documents/2024/2/14/2024_BB_Parking_Map_copy.pdf> for a Parking map.
* 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.
* Fans can follow this link<http://floridagators.com/EventParking> to an interactive parking map.
* RV Parking is available in the Fifield Flat lot. Reserved RV parking is not available for Florida baseball games. All motor home parking is on a first come, first-served basis.
* On-board generators are permitted, however exterior or pull-along generators are prohibited at all times. For safety reasons, all motor homes/RVs are required to utilize exhaust extensions or “smoke stacks” to channel exhaust fumes to the top of the motor home/RV.
* Overnight stays are only allowed on weekend series in the Fifield Flat lot.
* Do Not Park Illegally
* Park in designated parking spots (Do not park on grass or in No Parking Zones).
* Vehicles are subject to towing if they block streets, sidewalks, service drives, or fire lanes, or if illegally parked in a disabled space.
TRAFFIC PATTERNS ON GAME DAY
Those visiting Condron Family Ballpark on game day should be aware of updated traffic patterns surrounding the ballpark. Fans are advised to utilize Ballpark Way, which will serve as a connecting route to the ballpark from Archer Road. For departures, a postgame traffic flow pattern guide can be found here.<https://floridagators.com/common/controls/image_handler.aspx?thumb_id=0&image_path=/images/2022/4/22/BB_Post_Game_Traffic_20220421.png>
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<http://s1445136311.t.en25.com/e/er?s=1445136311&lid=1301&elqTrackId=F42DAD870CD1B888DE14DCC3F8C8916F&elq=f69e4978773d47758819914b4936bd42&elqaid=3046&elqat=1> from your mobile device or
2) through FloridaGators.com/myaccount<http://s1445136311.t.en25.com/e/er?s=1445136311&lid=1324&elqTrackId=E19038CB8FD63F3F29DC57131044A028&elq=f69e4978773d47758819914b4936bd42&elqaid=3046&elqat=1>. Fans will also be able to transfer or donate their tickets easily within the app or online.
TICKET INFORMATION
Season tickets are currently on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online<https://floridagators.com/sports/2015/12/10/_tickets_baseball_.aspx> or by contacting the Gator Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683. Season ticket prices and availability can be accessed directly here.<https://am.ticketmaster.com/gators/en/virtual-venue/QlMyNA==>
Tickets are currently on sale for the 2024 season, including both season tickets and single-game options. Tickets can be purchased online<https://floridagators.com/sports/2015/12/10/_tickets_baseball_.aspx> or by contacting the Gator Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683. Season ticket prices and availability can be accessed directly here<https://am.ticketmaster.com/gators/en/virtual-venue/QlMyNA==> while single-game tickets<https://www.ticketmaster.com/florida-gators-baseball-tickets/artist/1294070> as well as On-Deck Flex Passes<https://floridagators.com/sports/2021/12/10/baseball-flex-pass.aspx> are currently on sale now.
ON DECK
The Gators host No. 3 Kentucky in a three-game series beginning Friday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+.
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