No. 13 Florida Set for SEC Home Opener vs. No. 4 Georgia
Friday night’s series opener between the Gators (18-5, 0-3 SEC) and Bulldogs (21-2, 2-1 SEC) is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+. Game two airs on SEC Network on Saturday at 12 p.m. while Sunday’s finale is slated for 1 p.m. on SEC Network+
Florida enters as winners of four of its last five against the Bulldogs, taking two of three in Athens last season (L 9-4, W 7-4, W 19-11) to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. In fact, Florida has dropped its last two series openers against UGA while rallying to win the series in both 2023 and 2024.
The Gators have claimed eight of the last 10 series in the rivalry, going 18-12 in the span. Florida is 195-116-2 overall and 102-45-1 vs. Georgia all-time, including marks of 32-18 (overall) and 18-6 (home) under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan.
Pitching Matchups
| Friday | 6:30 ET (SECN+) | Saturday | 12 ET (SECN) | Sunday | 1 ET (SECN+) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | LHP Charlie Goldstein (0-0, 7.36 ERA) | RHP Brian Curley (1-0, 3.29 ERA) | TBA |
| Florida | RHP Aidan King (3-1, 0.81 ERA) | TBA | RHP Jake Clemente (1-0, 4.24 ERA) |
| Links | WATCH | LISTEN | WATCH | LISTEN | WATCH | LISTEN |
CHECKING OUR POLLS
Florida fell from No. 7 to No. 13 in the D1Baseball Top 25 on Monday despite going 1-3 in four road games against top-five opponents. The Gators are ranked as highly as No. 6 nationally by the NCBWA while also coming in at No. 8 per Baseball America.
SERIES PROMOS
Friday: Florida Baseball puzzle for the first 500 kids 12 & under
Saturday: Balloon artist
Sunday: Snapback hats for the first 1,000 fans; face painter; kids run the bases postgame
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: 352 Munchies, Rastafar Ice
Saturday: Mayflower, Tough Guy Cookies
Sunday: Donut NV, Fat Tiki
COMFY AT CONDRON
Florida has promptly returned to its winning ways at Condron Family Ballpark in 2025, as the Gators are 15-1 at home to open the campaign. In those 16 games, the Gators are slashing .363/.478/.625 with 27 homers and 30 steals while pitching to a 3.16 ERA and 191-to-43 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 128 innings. Conversely, opponents have batted .207/.295/.287 with six homers and 12 steals while producing a 12.05 ERA and 96-to-82 K-to-BB-ratio on the mound.
SULLY SUPERLATIVES
Coming off the program’s 14th trip to the College World Series and second in as many seasons, O’Sullivan is in his 18th year at the helm. Since O’Sullivan’s 2008 arrival, Florida leads the nation with 290 SEC wins, 37 MLB debuts, 16 NCAA berths (T-1st), 10 top-eight seeds, nine College World Series trips, nine Super Regionals hosted and six SEC titles. The Gators have advanced to nine of the last 14 College World Series. With a 290-192 record (.602) in SEC play since 2008, Florida leads the conference as the only program above .600 in that span.
LAST TIME OUT
The Gators are fresh off back-to-back, run-rule victories during the midweek slate. Florida defeated Jacksonville, 16-4, and Florida A&M, 14-4, finishing off both teams in just seven innings. The Gators scored 30 combined runs in 13 offensive innings during its two midweek games.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
After 23 games, Florida is ranked inside the top-30 teams nationally across 16 statistical categories. Leading the SEC with the ninth-most shutouts (three) in the country, the Gators boast the fifth-best strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.67) and fifth-highest strikeouts per nine (12.5) nationally. Florida also ranks eighth in the nation in doubles (53), 11th in hit-by-pitches (49), 11th in hits (238), 14th in WHIP (1.18), 15th in batting average (.326), 16th in runs scored (198), 20th in slugging percentage (.543), 21st in home runs (34), 21st in hits allowed per nine (7.24), 22nd in walks allowed per nine (3.4), 23rd in on-base percentage (.436), 27th in fielding percentage (.979) and 28th in sacrifice flies (13).
THE STARTING LINE
In 15 weekend starts alone, Florida has already matched its quality starts total (five) from all of last season, including 2024 midweek games and the entire postseason. The Gators weekend rotation has combined for an 8-2 record, 2.45 ERA, .166 batting average against and a 107-to-24 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 69 2/3 innings.
YOUNG KING AIDAN
True freshman right-hander Aidan King dominated No. 2 Tennessee across six innings of one-run ball in game two, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out six. Not only did the outing mark King’s SEC debut as well as his first-career road start, but it represented back-to-back quality starts for the rookie in his first-two career starting nods. King carries a 0.81 ERA, .169 batting average against and 26-to-3 strikeout to walk ratio into his first-career home SEC start – which will coincidentally also be his first Friday night start. King has allowed one run in 19 1/3 innings over his last five appearances.
MURDERER’S ROW
Florida’s retooled lineup features as many as seven hitters with an OPS above 1.000: catcher/designated hitter Brody Donay (1.300), infielder Cade Kurland (1.176), infielder Colby Shelton (1.086), outfielder Blake Cyr (1.081), infielder Brendan Lawson (1.064), utilityman Justin Nadeau (1.052) and infielder Bobby Boser (1.015). The first six members of that contingent are all batting at least .350 on the season. 12 Gators have posted multi-hit games on the year while nine different UF players have logged three-hit games.
MOUND MONSTERS
Florida pitchers have produced a 257-to-70 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 185 1/3 innings pitched this season. The Gators have fanned double-digit batters in 17 of 23 games. Showing excellent control, Florida has walked two batters or fewer 12 times, and four or less in 18 games.
BELTIN’ SHELTON
Coming in with an SEC-leading 13 doubles and 37 hits, Shelton has collected three knocks in each of the last two games to raise his slash line to .407/.471/.615. Shelton has reached base safely in all 23 games to open the season, which stretches 26 contests dating back to the 2024 College World Series. The junior has refined his approach this season, consistently hitting to the opposite field while drastically cutting down on strikeouts. Shelton’s strikeout rate sits at a minuscule 8.7% after fanning at a 26.4% clip one year ago, as he has drawn more free bases (12 – 8 BB, 4 HBP) than strikeouts (nine).
CYRIOUSLY LOCKED IN
Having reached base safely in all 21 games he has played in, Cyr enters the Georgia series riding a 10-game hitting streak. During that span, Cyr has slashed .412/.447/.706 with three homers, one double, 10 RBI and 10 runs scored. He is coming off a 3-for-3, six-RBI performance with one homer against Florida A&M on Wednesday in his return to the lineup after a two-game absence.
STEALING THE SHOW
The Gators have stolen 38 bases in 45 attempts (84.4%), equating to 1.7 steals per game. For reference, the Gators averaged 0.7 steals per game last season. After 23 contests, the Gators are already 88.4% of the way to reaching their 2024 steals total (43). Boser leads the team with six stolen bases in six attempts, while Cyr and outfielder Hayden Yost are both 5-for-5. 11 different Gators have stolen a base this season.
ALEX FILTH-POTT
In his second season, right-handed pitcher Alex Philpott is tied for first in the SEC with seven games finished (in seven appearances). Headlined by two saves, Philpott has produced stellar numbers as the UF closer thus far: 3.38 ERA, .179 batting average against and a 16-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 10 2/3 frames.
RESPECT THE B-LAW
Leading the Gators with 25 RBI (13th in SEC) in his true freshman campaign, Lawson has started all 23 games in the UF infield at first or second base. The Canadian rookie is hitting .351/.480/.584 with five homers, three doubles, 22 runs and four steals. He has shown an advanced eye at the plate, as evidenced by a team-high 15 walks.
DEMOLITION DONAY
Ranking eighth in the SEC in homers (eight) and 11th in slugging (.800), Donay paces the Orange & Blue in both categories as well as owning a .500 on-base percentage. The 6-foot-5 slugger has also swiped five bags this season.
STREAKY MARKERS
In addition to Shelton (23) and Cyr’s (21) on-base streaks, Nadeau and Kurland have both reached safely in 11-consecutive games. Shelton leads the roster with 13 multi-hit performances and a trio of three-hit games while Lawson ranks second on the Gators with nine multi-knock games. Donay has driven in multiple runs in eight contests, followed by Lawson and Boser with seven apiece.
RELENTLESS REPTILES
Florida has secured six come-from-behind victories in its 18-5 start. Last season, the Gators delivered 21 wins in comeback fashion, featuring 12 of the team’s 13 SEC wins. Florida trailed in six of its 2024 postseason victories and claimed five-straight NCAA Tournament elimination games to keep its season alive. Going back two seasons, 22 of the 2023 Gators’ program-record 54 victories came via comebacks.
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. No parking is permitted anywhere on the grass, sidewalks, or along streets. Doing so runs the risk of receiving a parking citation.
Click HERE for a Parking map.
- General Parking is available in the main Condron Family Ballpark baseball lot, the small lot in front of the Donald R. Dizney Stadium and the Fifield Hall parking lot located directly across Hull Road.
- Additional parking is available at:
- UF Facilities Services lot off Radio Rd
- Maguire Village Lot off Bledsoe Dr
- Additional parking is available at:
- 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 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
- No parking on grass, sidewalks, or along streets. Doing so runs the risk of receiving a parking citation.
- 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.
TICKET INFORMATION
Season tickets and SEC Five-Pack Mini-Plans are currently on sale now in addition to single-game tickets. Tickets can be purchased online or by contacting the Gator Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683.
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 from your mobile device or
2) through FloridaGators.com/myaccount. Fans will also be able to transfer or donate their tickets easily within the app or online.
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.
ON DECK
The Gators face off with Florida State in Jacksonville on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
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