After outscoring opponents by a combined 60-12 during its four-game homestand, the Florida baseball team is heading back on the road.
No. 8 UF faces No. 13 FSU tonight at 6 in Tallahassee in the third and final regular-season game between the two teams. A live stream of the game will air on ESPN3.
The Seminoles (26-12) are in the midst of a four-game losing streak. They scored just four runs during a three-game series against Notre Dame after splitting a two-game midweek series with Florida Gulf Coast.
While Florida State has found itself in a slump as of late, Florida (28-9) is surging.
The Gators posted a .415 batting average during their week at McKethan Stadium and all of their starting batters have at least a .292 hitting clip.
"We work so hard on the cages and in the field hitting," said sophomore outfielder Buddy Reed, who’s batting .324 on the year.
"We talk with coach all the time about our approaches. It’s the way we handle it at the plate."
Florida did not name a starting pitcher for tonight’s game, but UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan said after Sunday’s win against South Carolina that he is going to use the best available pitcher when it comes to naming starters for the foreseeable future.
"It’s maybe not conventional," O’Sullivan said, "but it works right now for us."
Notes: Florida is 13-14 against Florida State under O’Sullivan but has won eight of the last 11 matchups and taken two of the last three series (2012; 2014).
Freshman catcher/designated hitter JJ Schwarz piled in the accolades on Monday, being named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week and a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week. Schwarz belted seven home runs over four days in addition to a .529 batting average, 15 RBI, 12 runs and a 1.882 slugging percentage.
Florida State leads the Atlantic Coast Conference in walks (236) and is second in on-base percentage (.402) and home runs (32) and third in runs scored (269).
Follow Jordan McPherson on Twitter @J_McPherson1126
The Gators baseball team huddles prior to Florida's 14-3 win against the South Carolina Gamecocks on April 11, 2015 at McKethan Stadium.
