Florida is 34-19 vs. FSU under Kevin O’Sullivan including wins in 21 of the last 25 games.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 4 Florida and Florida State face off at 121 Financial Ballpark in Jacksonville on Tuesday night in the third and final installment of the Sunshine Showdown, presented by Fresh From Florida.
Representing the team’s final midweek contest of the campaign, UF has won each of the first two meetings to clinch the season series by scores of 9-5 in Tallahassee (March 21) and 5-3 in Gainesville (April 11). Florida has not lost a season series to FSU since 2015. The Gators came from behind to overcome three-plus-run deficits in both victories this year, scoring eight unanswered in the first installment and five unanswered in the latter.
As a result, Florida improved to 21-4 in the last 25 meetings in the series. The Gators are 34-19 vs. FSU under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/kevin-o-sullivan/1551> and 14-11 all-time in neutral-site battles.
Pitching Matchup
Tuesday | 6 p.m.
Florida RHP Clete Hartzog<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/clete-hartzog/15521> (1-0, 2.84 ERA
FSU RHP Ben Barrett (0-0, 4.35 ERA)
Links LIVE STATS<http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=463923&vislive=fla> | LISTEN<https://floridagators.com/showcase?Live=5100>
Florida remained at No. 4 in the D1Baseball Top-25 this week. The Gators are ranked as highly as No. 3 according to the USA Today Coaches Poll.
LAST TIME OUT
The Orange & Blue went 4-0 last week, taking down North Florida in a 6-2 Tuesday win before sweeping Missouri at home. Florida won the opener in seven innings by an 11-1 tally, then took the next two games, 11-7 and 8-7. Wyatt Langford<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/wyatt-langford/15497> paced the squad in the series, going 8-for-13 (.615) with one homer and five RBI. Tyler Shelnut<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/tyler-shelnut/15515> (5-for-10) was also outstanding, driving in a team-high eight runs while bopping a homer and a double.
SERIESLY WINNING
Florida has won 14 of its last 15 series dating back to last season including nine of 10 in SEC play. The Gators are 25-8 in weekend series this year and 34-11 over their last 15 series.
SPROATY THE GOATY
Right-hander Brandon Sproat<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/brandon-sproat/15508> was named the SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week on Monday after his complete-game gem vs. Missouri, sharing honors with Tennessee’s Drew Beam. The award marked Sproat’s second of the season and Florida’s sixth overall, as he also earned the accolade after his complete-game shutout vs. Alabama. Sproat fired seven innings with one run allowed on two hits and one walk while striking out seven to improve to 6-2 on the season.
LACING UP THE CLETE
Right-handed fireballer Clete Hartzog<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/clete-hartzog/15521> is in line to make his first-career start on Tuesday night. Across six relief appearances, Hartzog is 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA and .136 batting average against in 6 1/3 frames. Having transferred in from Wallace CC-Dothan, Hartzog is striking out a whopping 17.1 batters per nine innings. He has struck out the side three times in six appearances. Hartzog carries a 42.9% strikeout rate into the start.
NEELS THE DEAL
Returning to the mound last weekend, closer Brandon Neely<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/brandon-neely/15499> nailed down consecutive multi-inning saves in games two and three to cement UF’s fifth series sweep of the year. The righty finished with 4 1/3 scoreless frames with just one hit and one walk allowed while striking out six. He leads the SEC with nine saves and has not blown a chance all season.
CAGS CLOSES IN ON HOME RUN RECORD
First baseman/left-handed pitcher Jac Caglianone<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jac-caglianone/15489> is one blast away from tying the program record (26) shared by Matt LaPorta (2005) and Langford (2022) with a nation-leading 25 home runs. Caglianone has four more home runs than any other player in the country and is on pace to finish with 30 homers in the regular season alone. Caglianone also ranks fourth nationally with an .863 slugging percentage (first in SEC) and tied-for-seventh with 65 RBI (T-second in SEC).
OFFENSIVE RANKS
Backed by double-digit runs in 20 games and 10-plus knocks in 29 contests, Florida ranks top-10 nationally in slugging (second – .575), home runs (fourth – 93), runs scored (eighth – 407) and triples (10th – 18) while sitting in 21st with a .309 batting average (second in SEC). The Gators lead the SEC in slugging, triples and total bases (869) – boasting 54 more bases than the next-closest SEC team (LSU – 815). Meanwhile, the Gators are scoring in 48.2% of their batted innings (173 of 359).
AHEAD OF THE CURVE
Florida is 35-10 (14-7 SEC) through 45 games. Last season, UF was 27-18 through 45 games and 8-13 in SEC play after 21 conference contests.
POSITIONAL POWER PLUNGES
Freshman Cade Kurland<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/cade-kurland/15514> is tied with Ted Rich (1992) for the most home runs by a Gator second baseman in a single season with 13. Josh Rivera’s<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/josh-rivera/15504> 14 homers are one shy from tying Brady McConnell (15 – 2019) for the most by a UF shortstop while his 55 RBI are tied with Mark Kiger (2002) for second in a season at the position. Cole Figueroa holds the shortstop record with 57 RBI in 2008.
SHELLY CELLY
Entering the weekend with just 16 SEC at bats through 18 conference games, Shelnut started all three matchups vs. Missouri and went 5-for-10 with one home run, one double and a team-leading eight RBI. As a result, Shelnut is now hitting .308/.387/.500 in SEC play and .329/.420/.600 overall with five homers and 21 RBI in 85 at bats.
AWARDS CENTER
Two Gators were named to prestigious watch lists last week: Rivera to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List for the nation’s top shortstop and Caglianone to the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Watch List. Both players are front-runners for the respective awards.
RELENTLESS REPTILES
Just under half (45.7%) of Florida’s wins this season have been in comeback fashion (16), surpassing last year’s 66-game total of 13 (19.7%). After going 0-20 last season when trailing after six innings, Florida has three wins in that scenario in 2023 and is 3-0 when tied after six. Even more impressively, the Gators are 14-5 when the opponent scores first this season, compared to 11-15 last year.
ON DECK
The Gators trek to College Station, Tex. for a three-game weekend series at Texas A&M.
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