UF BSB: Starkville-Bound Gators Take On Mississippi State

Florida enters the series on a two-game winning streak over Mississippi State during which the Gators have outscored the Bulldogs, 17-3.

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Florida visits Mississippi State for a three-game series in Starkville this upcoming weekend for the first time since the 2018 season.

Game one is set to air on SEC Network on Friday night at 8 p.m. ET, while game two airs on ESPNU on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The series finale will stream on SEC Network+ on Sunday at 2 p.m.

The Gators (26-18, 8-13 SEC) and Bulldogs (25-20, 9-12 SEC) last met at the 2021 SEC Tournament in Hoover, with Florida mercy-ruling Mississippi State with a 13-1 victory in seven innings. Florida has won two-straight matchups in the series, outscoring the Bulldogs, 17-3, in that span.

Across the all-time series, Florida sports a 67-51 lead including a 27-25 mark in Starkville. The Gators are 20-12 against Mississippi State 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=am5uTLkE0w7cH7TfIK_iLDngDhl0FqXWuXB5DLqFa1l0dovriJfjPmQyVygIrVBz&s=-F5CR-eY2IBHxPk6ztgI8cqP1MvQ_5As9kMx6ZGAy3M&e= >, featuring a 6-6 record on the road.

Pitching Matchups
Friday | 8 p.m. ET (SECN) Saturday | 7:30 p.m. ET | (ESPNU) Sunday | 2 p.m. ET (SECN+)

LAST TIME OUT
Florida is coming off an 18-3 drubbing of South Florida in which the Gators scored a season-high 18 runs behind 16 hits while tying a season high with six home runs. Last weekend, Florida picked up a series win over Kentucky, where the team went 2-1 with wins in the first two games (9-2, 9-1). Right-handed pitcher 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=am5uTLkE0w7cH7TfIK_iLDngDhl0FqXWuXB5DLqFa1l0dovriJfjPmQyVygIrVBz&s=3LF2Ep4HsaFg-npyGijfbFuasIn3ujOdO6QuEuu4zOA&e= > pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the win in the opener while outfielders 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=am5uTLkE0w7cH7TfIK_iLDngDhl0FqXWuXB5DLqFa1l0dovriJfjPmQyVygIrVBz&s=FaAgHligkvxoaYVyW410PsaICJFZgU_rkzSEuuRJxMY&e= > and 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=am5uTLkE0w7cH7TfIK_iLDngDhl0FqXWuXB5DLqFa1l0dovriJfjPmQyVygIrVBz&s=RvJ8s9y9ZFkHSqN-siwOOmmEx6NNsZ1uRSJb-KD3ITM&e= > homered. In game two, freshman right-hander Brandon Neely<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15118&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=am5uTLkE0w7cH7TfIK_iLDngDhl0FqXWuXB5DLqFa1l0dovriJfjPmQyVygIrVBz&s=LQOv9-5TGag2FmjhAwDKYAfyOvnxSTHztr_xy06H3yo&e= > tossed four no-hit innings to earn his first win as a starter.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Mississippi State was picked to finish tied-for-second in the SEC West in the conference’s Preseason Coaches Poll while receiving two votes to win the SEC. The Bulldogs’ 2022 season has not exactly gone in that direction, as they enter the weekend with a 25-20 record that includes a 9-12 mark in SEC play. Mississippi State is batting .280 as a team and owns a 5.32 staff ERA backed by a strong .984 fielding percentage.

JUD’S THREE-HOMER NIGHT
In Tuesday’s 18-3 win over USF, All-American outfielder 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=am5uTLkE0w7cH7TfIK_iLDngDhl0FqXWuXB5DLqFa1l0dovriJfjPmQyVygIrVBz&s=r-jROeOoJ_74TX05iyEXGw2LCawv4RV0h0DXevkVAAI&e= > went 3-for-4 with three home runs and eight RBI, both of which were career highs. The performance marked his first-career three-homer game and the eighth multi-homer game of his career overall, as he passed JJ Schwarz for fourth on Florida’s all-time home run list with 51 career long balls. Fabian became the first Gator to homer in three-straight at bats and to drive in eight runs in a game since Schwarz accomplished both feats on April 7, 2015 vs. Stetson. Fabian now leads the SEC with 19 home runs this season. Of Fabian’s eight-career multi-homer games, seven have seen him homer in back-to-back at bats, while six have occurred in back-to-back at bats off the same opposing pitcher.

FABIAN EYES BACK-TO-BACK 20 HOMER SEASONS
Sitting on an SEC-leading 19 home runs, J. Fabian is looking to become just the second Gator ever to eclipse 20-plus home runs in consecutive seasons (Brad Wilkerson, 1997-98). There have only ever been seven 20-homer seasons at Florida and only five players have ever accomplished the feat, meaning Fabian would account for two of eight 20-homer seasons at Florida the next time he leaves the yard.

THE FABIAN FILE
Batting .279/.454/.708, J. Fabian ranks first in the SEC with 19 home runs (T-sixth nationally), T-second with 48 runs scored, third in slugging and second (T-third nationally) with 46 walks – which surpasses his 60-game walk total of 40 from 2021. He is Florida’s only player with more free passes than strikeouts (38), having walked eight more times this year than he has struck out. With 38 strikeouts in 44 games, Fabian is on pace to strike out 51 times in a pro-rated 60 games, which would mark 28 fewer strikeouts (35.4% decrease) from last year’s total of 79 in Florida’s 60-game campaign. Fabian’s 2021 strikeout rate was 29.4%. Entering Friday, his 2022 K-rate is 18.3%, marking an 11.1% decrease.

HOME RUN TRIO
J. Fabian leads the SEC with 19 home runs while Langford has hit 14 homers (T-sixth SEC, T-37th nation) and 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=am5uTLkE0w7cH7TfIK_iLDngDhl0FqXWuXB5DLqFa1l0dovriJfjPmQyVygIrVBz&s=5KfGWyPpAtQHkl386RArlrlffnbGvm-UPsfOT34QGXg&e= > has connected for 13 homers (T-ninth SEC, T-55th nation). Fabian, Langford and Riopelle boast the fourth-most home runs (46) of any trio in the nation behind only Old Dominion, Texas and Georgia Tech. Florida is one of four teams with three players with 13-plus homers, joining Old Dominion, Texas and Mississippi State.

HISTORIC HOME RUN PACE
Florida is tied for eighth in the country with 83 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 103 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).

RIOPELLE PACES SEC CATCHERS
During the month of April, Riopelle led all SEC catchers with seven home runs, 22 RBI and a .672 slugging percentage. Riopelle’s 13 home runs this season pace all SEC backstops and are tied for ninth in the nation among catchers. In game two at Vanderbilt on April 16, Riopelle connected for three home runs in the second, fourth and seventh innings (first Gator to do so since JJ Schwarz vs. Stetson on April 7, 2015).

NO-NO NEALY
In his most-recent start vs. Kentucky, Neely fired four shutout, no-hit innings before exiting due to a two-plus hour rain delay. In his start before that on April 24 vs. No. 1 Tennessee, Neely took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, retiring 19 Vols before allowing a hit. Since joining the Florida starting rotation, Neely has made four starts and is 1-0 with a team-best 2.57 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, .125 BAA and 23 strikeouts in 21 innings while allowing just nine hits. Across his last three starts, he has a 1.04 ERA and .071 BAA, allowing just four hits over 17 1/3 frames.

NOTE ON SPROAT
Sproat has gone 5 1/3-plus innings in five-straight starts and has thrown five-plus innings in eight of 11 starts this year while allowing three earned runs or less in seven of those outings. Across his last two starts vs. No. 1 Tennessee and Kentucky, Sproat has a 2.38 ERA and .244 BAA.

GOING STREAKING
Entering the weekend, shortstop 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=am5uTLkE0w7cH7TfIK_iLDngDhl0FqXWuXB5DLqFa1l0dovriJfjPmQyVygIrVBz&s=W7Lqh9-v5o0Q_9GEYSBEYJxifrL8tfxIHo0nqCsRgyE&e= > is riding a team-high 18-game on-base streak. During that period, Rivera is hitting .279/.397/.459 with three home runs, 13 runs and 12 walks against eight strikeouts. Thompson is riding a 14-game on-base streak himself and leads the Gators in hitting over that stretch at .352. J. Fabian is in the midst of an 11-game on-base streak, walking 16 times against just 10 strikeouts in that span.

STATE OF THE DEFENSE
Florida ranks 16th in the nation with a .979 fielding percentage, having committed 34 errors in 1,604 defensive chances. Starting outfielders J. Fabian and Langford own perfect 1.000 fielding percentages on the season, combining for 173 putouts and one outfield assist.

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=am5uTLkE0w7cH7TfIK_iLDngDhl0FqXWuXB5DLqFa1l0dovriJfjPmQyVygIrVBz&s=RSVOSJh_vLIIKQRIAYMbn22qPiAt53pKK0W-cWmvCrc&e= > accomplished the feat. 2022 represents O’Sullivan’s 15th season as the head coach at Florida. During that time, O’Sullivan owns a 611-296 (.674) record, passing the legendary Dave Fuller (556-354-6) for the most wins in program history on March 9, 2021. O’Sullivan’s .674 winning percentage ranks fourth among all active Division I head coaches.

DRAFT BUZZ
After being selected 40th overall in last year’s draft, 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-handed pitcher 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=am5uTLkE0w7cH7TfIK_iLDngDhl0FqXWuXB5DLqFa1l0dovriJfjPmQyVygIrVBz&s=0gqCJeOI8vkFeMLqkQGP1DEn3ZuSZIHkG_DSwTVr4GU&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=am5uTLkE0w7cH7TfIK_iLDngDhl0FqXWuXB5DLqFa1l0dovriJfjPmQyVygIrVBz&s=YPX9kVAWKqAW1hIfyF8sSmjDw21FVuT-msdB9Ru1qSQ&e= > and Rivera 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 right-hander 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=am5uTLkE0w7cH7TfIK_iLDngDhl0FqXWuXB5DLqFa1l0dovriJfjPmQyVygIrVBz&s=9Yi6jHlwSzsbn8Aoi5L4pQfMWUUp7aoz1Lkqj-kyWa8&e= >, who was tabbed the conference’s No. 50 prospect.

Recently updated on March 14, Florida placed five players on Baseball America’s top-200 draft prospects list: Barco (No. 23), Fabian (No. 33), Thompson (No. 53), Sproat (No. 96) and Halter (No. 198).

ON DECK
Florida returns home for a Tuesday midweek contest against Bethune-Cookman. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. and the matchup will steam on SEC Network+.

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