UF is 35-19 vs. FSU under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan including wins in 22 of the last 26 meetings
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 8 Florida baseball hosts undefeated Florida State on Tuesday night on SEC Network in the first of three regular-season meetings between the two in-state rivals.
First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Condron Family Ballpark with Dave Neal and Kyle Peterson on the call for SEC Network.
Last year, Florida (10-5) won all three matchups in the season series in come-from-behind fashion. As a result, the Gators enter riding a four-game winning streak against FSU (14-0).
Despite trailing in the all-time series by four games at 127-131-1, Florida is 35-19 vs. the Noles under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/kevin-o-sullivan/1752> featuring an 18-3 mark at home. The Gators are 22-4 against FSU across the last 26 meetings overall.
Pitching Matchups
Tuesday | 6 ET (SEC Network)
FSU LHP Andrew Armstrong (2-0, 0.00)
Florida RHP Alex Philpott<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/alex-philpott/16632> (2-0, 2.57 ERA)
Links WATCH<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/8530bc5a-6e19-47d4-b377-8b62f97b1324> | LISTEN<https://floridagators.com/showcase?Live=5349>
Florida dropped to No. 8 in the D1Baseball Top 25 on Monday following its 2-2 week. The Gators are a consensus top-11 team nationally, coming in at No. 10 per Baseball America, No. 11 according to Perfect Game and No. 11 per the NCBWA.
GET TO KNOW THE NOLES
Entering with a perfect 14-0 record, Florida State has defeated Butler, Western Carolina and New Orleans in weekend series to begin the campaign. As a team, the Noles are slashing .377/.467/.630 with 26 home runs. On the mound, FSU has pitched to a 2.93 ERA backed by a .980 fielding percentage.
LAST TIME OUT
Florida is coming off a series victory over St. Mary’s (W 12-11, L 7-9, W 10-0) to complete a 2-2 week. Infielder Colby Shelton<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/colby-shelton/16639> homered in three of the four contests, slashing .421/.450/1.053 with four home runs, nine RBI, six runs and one steal. Designated hitter Brody Donay<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/brody-donay/16621> (.417/.462/.750, HR, 2B, 3 RBI) and catcher Luke Heyman<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/luke-heyman/16370> (.400/.550/.667, HR, 2B, 5 RBI, 4 R) were also excellent at the plate across UF’s four games. Right-hander Fisher Jameson<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/fisher-jameson/16371> tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings across four appearances while righty Ryan Slater<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/ryan-slater/16377> chucked four scoreless frames over two outings.
CAN’T CRACK CONDRON
Florida has won 13-consecutive three-game, regular-season home series at Condron Family Ballpark dating back to the 2022 season. The Gators are 28-6 in home series since 2023 following the series win over St. Mary’s. With wins in 23 of their last 27 games overall at Condron, UF is 43-10 at home since the start of last season. Counting Florida’s 2023 Super Regional sweep vs. South Carolina, the Gators have won 14-straight series at home.
NON-CON DOMINANCE
Florida has won 23 of its last 28 regular season, non-conference games. Dating back to 2023, the Gators are 32-8 in regular-season, non-con action.
MIDWEEK MAGIC
Dating back to last season, Florida has won 12 of its last 14 midweek games.
SHEL-SHOCKED
Across the last five games, Shelton has swatted six home runs while slashing .417/.440/1.167. In that span, he has totaled 28 bases, 13 RBI, and eight runs. Entering Tuesday, Shelton’s nine home runs are tied for fourth nationally including t-second in the SEC. He also sits seventh in the SEC in slugging, t-eighth in runs and t-ninth in RBI.
THIS PHILLY AIN’T CHICKEN
Opening his career with 12 1/3 scoreless innings, freshman right-hander Alex Philpott<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/alex-philpott/16632> was finally charged with an earned run in last Wednesday’s game vs. UCF. He now enters his first-career start on Tuesday with a 2.57 ERA, .188 batting average against, 9.6 strikeouts per nine and 4.5 walks per nine.
SLATER-AID
Slater leads the Orange & Blue with 19.0 innings pitched and is second on the team behind Caglianone with a 1.89 ERA and .159 batting average against. He has struck out 19 batters against six walks across eight appearances – two more than anyone else on the roster.
GARY ON GUARD
Transfer catcher Tanner Garrison<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/tanner-garrison/16622> showed his tools in Sunday’s win over St. Mary’s, going 2-for-4 with one double and the game-ending hit in the eighth inning to secure a 10-0 run-rule victory. He also threw out both runners that attempted to steal in the contest, improving to 3-for-3 on the season.
TRUE FRESHMAN FIREPOWER
Florida true freshman relievers Philpott, southpaw Robert Satin<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/robert-satin/16637>, right-hander Grayson Smith<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/grayson-smith/16640> and righty Reilly Witmer<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/reilly-witmer/16635> have combined for a 1.98 ERA in 27 1/3 innings to open the season. They have allowed six earned runs while fanning 29 batters.
WE’RE GOING STREAKING
Although Caglianone had his season-opening, 13-game hitting streak snapped on Saturday, two Gators have reached base safely in all 15 games this season in Heyman and Shelton. The latter leads the Gators with an active six-game hitting streak. Meanwhile, Caglianone has collected multiple hits in a team-high nine games.
IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
With 176 strikeouts in 131 innings, Florida ranks ninth nationally and fourth in the SEC in strikeouts per nine (12.1). On the other side of the ball, the Gators’ 32 home runs are good for 10th in the country and fourth in the SEC. Despite committing four errors over the weekend vs. St. Mary’s, Florida is 10th in the country and second in the SEC behind Vanderbilt in fielding percentage (.985).
JAC OF ALL TRADES
Fresh off another masterful performance on the mound this past Sunday (6.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 4 BB, 9 K), Caglianone has not allowed a run over his last two starts spanning 12.0 innings. Although he won’t pitch on Tuesday, he leads the Gators with a 1.80 ERA and .104 batting average against, boasting 27 strikeouts in 15 innings. At the plate, he has posted a team-high .429 batting average and .520 on-base percentage, totaling five homers, 19 runs and 16 RBI while drawing more than twice as many walks (11) as strikeouts. He ranks third in the SEC in batting average, fourth in hits (27), 14th in OBP, second in opponent batting average, t-ninth in ERA and t-12th in batters struck out.
CAGLIANONE ZONE
Of the last 46 batters Caglianone has faced, he has struck out 22 of them while allowing just three hits. In Caglianone’s last two starts on the mound, he collected four hits while allowing just three.
TYME BOMBS
Ranking third on the team in batting (.327) and fourth in OBP (.439), outfielder Ty Evans<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/ty-evans/16368> has picked up where he left off last season after setting the College World Series record with five home runs. Evans has collected hits in 13 of his 14 games this season and enters Tuesday with multiple knocks in three-straight contests, as well as four of the last five. Evans has connected for six extra-base hits (3 HR, 1 3B, 2 2B) across his first 55 at bats this season.
SHELLY CELLY
Belting his fifth long ball of the season on Sunday vs. Saint Mary’s, outfielder/infielder Tyler Shelnut<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/tyler-shelnut/16376> is tied with Caglianone for second on the team in homers. He joins Shelton (.847) and Caglianone (.683) as one of three Gators with a slugging percentage (.673) above .600. Shelnut owns 17 RBI, 13 runs and two steals across 52 at bats.
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
No. 4 Texas A&M comes to Gainesville for a three-game series against the Gators for SEC Opening Weekend (Friday, March 15 – Sunday, March 17).
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