UF is 32-19 vs. FSU under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan including wins in 19 of the last 23 meetings.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 3 Florida baseball travels to Florida State on Tuesday evening for the first of three installments in the 2023 Sunshine Showdown. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. with coverage on ACC Network.
Tuesday night marks the first meeting between the Gators (18-4, 2-1 SEC) and Seminoles (12-8, 3-3 ACC) since Sterlin Thompson’s<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/sterlin-thompson/15108> two-run walk-off homer to clinch the season series on May 17 of last year. The Gators have won 19 of the last 23 head-to-head meetings and are 32-19 in the series under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/kevin-o-sullivan/1551>.
Despite dominating the series in the O’Sullivan era, Florida still trails Florida State all-time, 124-131-1 including a 45-71-1 mark on the road. The Orange & Blue is 8-7 in Tallahassee against the Noles under O’Sullivan and have won four of the last six away games.
Pitching Matchup
Tuesday | 7 p.m. (ACCN)
Florida RHP Tyler Nesbitt<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/tyler-nesbitt/15500> (1-0, 1.17 ERA)
FSU RHP Ben Barrett (0-0, 3.18 ERA)
Links WATCH<https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=f57b689f-750d-4a92-9a55-83db1970493e> | LISTEN<https://floridagators.com/watch/?Live=5088&type=Archive>
Florida moved up to No. 3 in the D1Baseball Top-25 this week and ranks as highly as No. 2 nationally according to Baseball America and Perfect Game. The Gators are also USA Today’s No. 3 team.
SCOUTING THE NOLES
Florida State was dropped from the top-25 rankings after losing two-of-three at home over the weekend against Boston College (W 19-8, L 2-4, L 2-8). After being picked to finish tied-for-third in the ACC Atlantic Division, the Noles enter with a 12-8 record (3-3 ACC), but have lost four of their last five. FSU is batting .311/.381/.500 with 24 homers and 19 steals as a team while pitching to a 4.50 ERA and 221 strikeouts in 182 innings. Defensively, the Noles sport a .961 fielding percentage and have committed 30 errors.
LAST TIME THEY FACED
Each of the last two years, Florida has finished the season series against Florida State with a walk-off home run at Condron Family Ballpark. Last year, the Gators entered the Gainesville tilt tied with one victory apiece after winning in Jacksonville (6-3) and falling in Tallahassee (5-0), before Thompson delivered a 7-5 win on May 17 with his game-winning blast. In 2021, it was Kendrick Calilao<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/kendrick-calilao/15092> who provided the walk-off home run in the 10th inning.
THE REFRESH
The Gators are coming off a series win over No. 24 Alabama (W 3-0, W 8-7, L 3-6). Florida won the first matchup on the back of an all-time great performance by starting pitcher Brandon Sproat<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/brandon-sproat/15508>, who fired a complete-game, one-hit shutout while striking out a career-high 11 batters. In game two, UF overcame four separate Alabama leads including the walk-off rally in the bottom of the ninth. Colby Halter<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/colby-halter/15495> led off the frame with a game-tying homer while Josh Rivera’s<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/josh-rivera/15504> infield single plated Michael Robertson<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/michael-robertson/15505> to win it.
NON-CON RESUME
Off to a 16-3 start (.842) this season, Florida went 20-5 (.800) against non-conference regular season opponents in 2022. That mark featured a 19-3 record following the opening weekend of the year. Adding the totals together, UF is 35-6 across its previous 41 non-conference games (.854).
WEEKLY HONORS
On the heels of throwing a complete-game one-hitter against No. 24 Alabama in the SEC opener, Sproat was named the SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week as well as a Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week. Rivera was also named a National Player of the Week after slashing .500/.563/.929 with two homers, six runs and four RBI while starting all four games for the Orange & Blue.
OUT-HITTING THE COMPETITION
The Gators lead the nation in slugging percentage (.626) while ranking inside the top five with 51 home runs (second), 223 runs (second), 250 hits (third), 11 triples (fourth) and a .334 batting average (fifth). Florida ranks atop the SEC in batting average, hits, slugging, triples, at bats and total bases – boasting 37 more bases than the next-closest team (South Carolina).
SWING KINGS
Florida has a run differential of plus-120 and has scored in 90 of 167 batted innings this season (53.9%). The Gators have tallied 238 hits through 21 games (11.3 hits/game).
NESBITT TIDBIT
Tuesday’s projected starter, right-hander Tyler Nesbitt<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/tyler-nesbitt/15500>, has pitched three times against Florida State in his career. He has allowed one earned run in nine innings, giving up six hits and two walks while striking out nine. Nesbitt has made three appearances (two starts) this season and owns a 1.17 ERA, .172 batting average against and eight strikeouts vs. two walks in 7 2/3 frames.
STARTER’S DELIGHT
Through 22 games, Florida starting pitchers have combined for a 12-1 record, 3.49 ERA, .189 batting average against and 145 strikeouts against 44 walks across 105 2/3 innings. That equals 12.4 strikeouts per nine innings and 3.7 walks per nine. Conversely, opposing starters hold a 1-12 record, 8.78 ERA and .302 batting average against.
PEN(T) UP ENERGY
The Florida bullpen has shown substantial improvement over the last eight games, going 3-0 with three saves and a 2.17 ERA. During that period, Gators relievers have struck out 40 batters in 29 innings (12.4 K/9) while walking just eight (2.5 BB/9).
BLAST OFF
Florida has gone yard in 20 of 22 games this season including homers in 15-straight contests from Feb. 21 through March 12 – the team’s longest such streak in the last 25 years. UF’s 51 homers eqaute to 2.3 per game and rank second in the SEC and NCAA behind South Carolina’s 51. The Gators are on pace to hit 127 home runs in the regular season alone, which is just five shy of the school record set in 1998 (132).
THE GRAND RIVERA
Florida’s 18-4 start has been anchored by the breakout of Rivera, who has set career highs with 10 home runs and 35 RBI (T-fourth in NCAA) while reaching base in all 22 games. Across 79 at bats, the Gators shortstop is hitting .418 with a .520 on-base percentage and .835 slugging percentage, wielding significantly more walks (16) than strikeouts (nine). Over the last 16 games, Rivera is batting .431/.528/.966 with 56 total bases. After averaging a homer every 24.9 at bats in 2022, but has homered every 12.7 at bats so far in 2023. Rivera ranks top 10 in the SEC in batting, runs, total bases, slugging, hits, OBP, RBI and home runs.
CADER MADE START
Freshman infielder Cade Kurland<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/cade-kurland/15514> leads the Gators with 33 runs (second in NCAA) and is batting .405/.500/.747 with seven home runs, six doubles and 26 RBI through his first 21 games (20 starts). He homered in each of his first two SEC contests over the weekend against No. 24 Alabama.
CAGLIAGONERS
Two-way star Jac Caglianone<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jac-caglianone/15489> is tied for the NCAA lead while pacing the SEC with 13 home runs. The Tampa, Fla. native also ranks fourth in the SEC (10th in NCAA) in slugging. Entering the Sunshine Showdown, Caglianone is hitting .356/.423/.897 with 30 RBI and 27 runs.
GOING STREAKING
Rivera has reached base in all 22 games this season, which goes back 25 games including the 2022 campaign. Robertson also has an active 19-game on-base streak heading into the Sunshine Showdown.
DRAFT BUZZ
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel recently released his list of top-100 prospects for the 2023 MLB Draft, with outfielder Wyatt Langford<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/wyatt-langford/15497> coming in at No. 1 overall (Hurston Waldrep<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/hurston-waldrep/15517> – No. 19, Sproat – No. 54). According to MLB Pipeline, Langford ranks No. 3 overall, followed by Waldrep (No. 10) and Sproat (No. 78).
ON DECK
Following the midweek matchup with FSU, the Gators trek to Oxford for a three-game series at No. 13 Ole Miss from Friday, March 24 to Sunday, March 26. All three games will stream on SEC Network+.
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