GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The fourth-ranked Florida Gators are set to host the Columbia Lions of the Ivy League this upcoming weekend in a three-game series spanning from Friday, Feb. 23 through Sunday, Feb. 25.
Friday's series opener is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. while games two and three will begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday, respectively. All three matchupscan be streamed on SEC Network+.
This is the first meeting between Florida and Columbia since the Gators' 13-5win over the Lions in the openinggame of the 2018 Gainesville Regional.Prior to that, the Gatorsswept the Lions in a three-game series in March of 2017 and won a midweek contest in 2003 to builda 5-0 all-time series lead.Head coach Kevin O'Sullivan is 4-0 against Columbia. Every game in the series has been played in Gainesville.
Pitching Matchups
| Friday | 6:30 ET (SECN+) | Saturday | 6 ET (SECN+) | Sunday | 11ET (SECN+) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | RHP Joe Sheets (3-4, 4.26 ERA) | RHP Andy Leon (6-3, 4.79 ERA) | LHP JD Ogden (0-2, 10.98 ERA) |
| Florida | LHPCade Fisher(0-1, 22.50 ERA) | RHPLiam Peterson(1-0, 0.00 ERA) | LHPJac Caglianone(0-0, 0.00 ERA) |
| Links | WATCH|LISTEN | WATCH|LISTEN | WATCH|LISTEN |
*Columbia's numbers reflect2023 statistics
After going 0-1 on opening weekend, Florida dropped from No. 2 to No. 4 in the D1Baseball Top 25. The Gators are a consensus top-six team, sitting at No. 5 per Baseball America and No. 6 at Perfect Game.
SERIES PROMOS
A wide array of giveaways and promotions will be available for fans throughout the 2024 season. Prior to Friday's series opener, Florida baseball sweatshirts will be given out to the first 500 UF students in attendance, courtesy of American Campus Communities. Team posters and magnets will also be available to fans throughout the weekend.
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) February 22, 2024Florida Baseball crewnecks for the first 5️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ UF students tomorrow night!
🆚 Columbia
⏰ 6:30 PM ET pic.twitter.com/V8y9vflcvm
FOOD TRUCKS
There will be two food trucks located in the Dizney Grove area beyond the outfield wall on each day of the weekend series.
Friday: Chomp Truck by Sodexo, The Smoked Biscuit Company
Saturday: Chomp Truck by Sodexo, Rollin' Sliders
Sunday: Chomp Truck bySodexo,Nothing Bundt Cakes
LOWDOWN ON THELIONS
After going 23-22 (11-10 Ivy League) one season ago, Columbia embarks on the campaign picked to finish second in the 2024 Ivy League Preseason Poll behind Penn. Despite posting a series win over No. 18 Alabama and a midweek victory against No. 19 UConn in 2023, the Lions stumbled down the home stretch by finishing the season with nine-straight losses. They now look to turn the page, as this weekend's action represents Columbia's season-opening series. Last year, the Lions slashed .306/.401/.517 with 72 homers as a team while pitching to a 6.60 ERA across 387 1/3 frames.
LAST TIME OUT
The Gators are fresh off a two-game, home-and-home sweep of North Florida, winning 10-0 in seven frames in Jacksonville before posting a 13-4 win in Gainesville. The latter win marked the first time Florida scored 13 or more runs without homering since Feb. 18, 2020 at Jacksonville (W, 13-3). Florida outscored UNF, 23-4, over the set while scoring in 11 of 15 innings.
NON-CON DOMINANCE
Following a midweek sweep of North Florida, Florida has now won 15 of its last 16 regular season non-conference games. The Gators went 22-3 across 25 regular-season non-con games in 2023. Florida's streak of 13-consecutive regular season non-con wins was snapped last Friday night vs. St. John's.
HOME SERIES STACKS
Florida is 11-0 in its last 11 three-game, regular-season home series at Condron Family Ballpark dating back to the 2022 season. The Gators are 23-5 in home series since 2023 following last Friday night's loss to St. John's. The Gators have won 18 of their last 20 games overall at Condron and are 37-8 at home since the start of last season. Counting Florida's 2023 Super Regional sweep vs. South Carolina, the Gators have won 12-straight series at home.
SERIESLY WINNING
Florida has won 16 of its last 18 three-game, regular-season series dating back to the 2022 season including 11 of 13 in SEC play. The Gators are 31-11 in weekend series since 2023 and 40-14 over their last 18.
PASSING THE TORCH
As a team, the Gators are hitting .337/.449/.485 with 11 extra-base hits, 19 walks and 15 strikeouts through three games.
STATE OF THE DEFENSE
The Gators have committed just one error for a .990 fielding percentage, with the team's lone miscue coming on the mound in the opener. Florida position players have successfully converted all 98 of their defensive chances so far this season.
PRIMETIME PETEY
Arriving as the No. 34 recruit nationally, right-handed pitcher Liam Peterson dazzled in his collegiate debut at UNF on Feb. 20, chucking three shutout innings and striking out seven, including fanning the side in order in the first. Peterson's seven strikeouts were the most by a Gator in his collegiate debut since Pierce Coppola struck out seven vs. Liberty on Feb. 20, 2022. Karsten Whitson holds the team record with nine vs. USF on Feb. 20, 2011. From 2022-23 at Calvary Christian, Peterson delivered a 10-2 record, 1.28 ERA and 141 strikeouts in 76 2/3 innings - good for a 16.6 K/9.
WEEKEND ROOK ON THE HILL
Peterson will make his first-career weekend start vs. Columbia on Saturday. Across O'Sullivan's first 16 seasons at UF, 24 different true freshmen have made a weekend start on the mound. In their weekend debuts, those 24 starters went a combined 10-1 with a 3.12 ERA, 98 strikeouts and 32 walks in 118 1/3 innings. The lone Gator to lose out of that contingent was Brett Morales vs. Maryland on Feb. 15, 2014.
WE LIKEY, MIKEY
Outfielder Michael Robertson is off to a torrid start in 2024, highlighted by a career-high four hits, two doubles and three RBI vs. North Floridaon Feb. 21. Entering. Robertson leads the Gators in hitting with a .538/.571/.692 slash line, five RBI, three runs and one steal.
SLATER-AID
Entering the weekend, right-handed pitcherRyan Slater paces the Orange & Bluewith five innings pitched. He has allowed one run for a 1.80 ERA while striking out six against two free passes.
NEW YEAR, SAME CAGS
2023 Golden Spikes Award Finalist Jac Caglianone picked up right where he left off last season, slashing .455/.600/.818 with a team-high 1.418 OPS through three games. Caglianone has totaled one home run, one double, five RBI and two runs. He owns four walks while striking out just once in Florida's first three games.
SHELLY SHINES
As a .277/.371/.474 hitter last season, infielder/outfielder Tyler Shelnut collected multiple hits in each of Florida's last two games (4-for-7, 2B, 3 BB, 4 RBI, R). Shelnut has drawn at least one walk in all three contests this year including two with multiple.
KING KURLAND
Sophom*ore second basemanCade Kurland tied his career highs with three hits and four runs scored in Tuesday's 10-0 win at North Florida. He leads the Gators with six runs scored on the season and is hitting .333/.375/.400 with base hits in all three games.
FRESHMAN FIREPOWER
The true freshman trio of Peterson (1-0, 3.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1 H, 1 BB, 7 K), rightyAlex Philpott (1-0, 4.2 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 4 K) andsouthpawRobert Satin (2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 1 K) has combined for 9 2/3 shutout innings to begin their collective careers.
CLEMENTE'S DAY
After missing the 2023 campaign due to injury, redshirt freshman right-handed pitcherJake Clemente made his collegiate debut on Feb. 20 at North Florida. He fired one scoreless inning, walking one and striking out three batters.
TOUGH AS NEELS
All-American closerBrandon Neely made his season debut on Wednesday, throwing a perfect ninth inning on just 12 pitches while striking out a pair. Neely tossed an SEC-leading 13 saves in 14 chances last season – five more than the next-closest SEC player and good for sixth nationally. Neely fired 55 1/3 frames of 3.58 ERA ball with a .223 BAA and 72 strikeouts to earn All-SEC First Team and All-America Second Team nods.
OPENING NIGHT NOTES
Although the Gators dropped last Friday's opener, four players had multiple hits while Philpott threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief on two walks and two strikeouts. Shortstop Colby Shelton (2-for-4) led the way with a solo homer and a double, while third basemanDale Thomas (2-for-3, 2B, R), Robertson (2-for-4, BB, RBI, R) and Caglianone (2-for-4, BB) had multi-hit affairs.
PRESEASON HYPE
Various publications have tabbed Caglianone (unanimous first team), Shelton (second team) and Neely (first team, second team) as Preseason All-Americans.The Gators also secured a league-high four First Team Preseason All-SEC selections, twice more than the next-closest school (Caglianone, Kurland, Shelton, Neely). Individually speaking, Caglianone once again finds himself on the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List.
SULLY SUPERLATIVES
Since O'Sullivan's 2008 arrival, no college program has more CWS trips (eight), 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 .617 winning percentage (277-172) since 2008 is the top mark in the conference.
YEAR TO REMEMBER
The 2023 Gators finished the season as the NCAA Runner-Up while winning a program-record 54 games and capturing the team's 16th SEC Regular-Season Championship. In making the program's 13th MCWS appearance including the eighth under O'Sullivan, the Gators claimed their 15th NCAA Regional Title and posted 50 victories for the seventh time ever. In the process, the Gators set single-season program records in home runs (145), pitching strikeouts (725), strikeouts per nine innings (10.6) and offensive hit-by-pitches (90).
2023 STANDOUTS
Seven different Gators collected All-American honors in 2023 including two unanimous first team selections in outfielder Wyatt Langford and Caglianone. That is on top of Florida's league-high seven All-SEC selections. Of those seven All-Americans, four are back in Orange & Blue including Caglianone, Neely (second team), Kurland (freshman team) and left-hander Cade Fisher (freshman team). Florida also saw O'Sullivan honored as the ABCA Southeast Region Coach of the Year and Caglianone as the ABCA National Position Player of the Year.
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.
ClickHEREfor a Parking map.
- General Parkingis available in the west Condron FamilyBallpark baseball lot and the Fifield parking lot located directly across Hull Road.
- Disabled parkingis available on a first-come, first-serve basis in the Condron FamilyBallpark west lot with a valid Disabled Placard.
- Fans can followthis linkto an interactive parking map.
- RV Parkingis 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 theFifieldFlatlot.
- Do Not Park Illegally
- Park in designated parking spots (Do not park ongrass 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 foundhere.
MOBILE TICKETING & FLORIDA GATORS APP
As a reminder, mobile ticketing is required. There will be two ways to access your tickets:
1) through theFlorida Gators appfrom your mobile device or
2) throughFloridaGators.com/myaccount. Fans will also be able to transfer or donate their tickets easily within the app or online.
TICKET INFORMATION
Season tickets are currentlyon sale now. Tickets can be purchasedonlineor by contacting the Gator Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683. Season ticket prices and availability can be accessed directlyhere.
Tickets are currentlyon sale for the 2024 season, including both season tickets and single-gameoptions. Tickets can be purchasedonlineor by contacting the Gator Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683. Season ticket prices and availability can be accessed directlyherewhilesingle-game ticketsas well asOn-Deck Flex Passesare currently on sale now.
ON DECK
The Gators travel to Stetson for a Tuesday night road tilt at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+. Florida then returns home to host Bethune-Cookman on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+.
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