Florida’s baseball team is the best it’s ever been, and the proof is in the record.
The No. 1 Gators (40-8) reached 40 wins faster than any team in school history, needing just 48 games to do so.
They surpassed the 1996 team, which reached the 40-win mark in 52 games.
Not bad for a program that’s existed for more than 100 years and played at least 40 games every season since 1969.
“It’s a heck of an accomplishment,” UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan said in a release after a series-clinching win against Tennessee on Sunday.
“At the end of the year in the regular season, 40 wins is not easy to get to.”
With a few hiccups along the way, Florida has made its dominance look fairly easy.
And there's one main reason the Gators are currently the only team in the nation with 40 victories: They’re taking care of weaker teams.
UF is 30-4 against unranked opponents and 24-1 against non-conference teams.
Florida, 14-1 in mid-week games this year, will look to continue that trend against South Florida at 7 p.m. in McKethan Stadium.
The Bulls (21-26) were swept by No. 18 Tulane last weekend and have lost four in a row.
They also haven’t had much luck against the Gators in recent years, as UF has won the last five matchups and 17 of the last 18 contests.
At the plate, USF is weaker compared to UF.
Just four Bulls' starters are hitting above .250. First baseman Duke Stunkel leads the team in both runs (27) and hits (45), while outfielder Chris Chatfield’s seven homers head that category.
Florida will likely send left-hander Scott Moss to the mound.
Moss (2-0, 0.68 ERA) hasn’t allowed a hit in his last two starts, going three innings against Jacksonville on April 5 and three innings against Bethune-Cookman on May 3.
Moss will have to step up for freshman Jackson Kowar, UF’s usual mid-week starter. Kowar could be out for the rest of the season with a non-baseball related medical condition.
But Moss will have some offensive support behind him.
Florida is riding the hot hitting of catcher Mike Rivera, who is 7-for-16 (.438) with two home runs and six RBIs in his last four games.
The sophomore’s eight homers and 44 RBIs rank second and tied for first on the team, respectively.
Rivera is enjoying a breakout season in the power department, as he totaled just three home runs last year.
The Venice native has homered once every 20 at-bats this season, while he homered just once every 75 at-bats in 2015.
Tonight's matchup will be aired on SEC Network+.
Contact Patrick Pinak at ppinak@alligator.org or follow him on Twitter @Pinakk12.
Scott Moss pitches during Florida's 12-3 win against Florida Gulf Coast on Feb. 21, 2016 at McKethan Stadium.
