Kevin O’Sullivan has one hope entering the Southeastern Conference tournament this week — that his team saved its best baseball for the end of the year.
Florida ended the regular season by winning its last three series, a feat it hadn’t achieved since 2012, when UF was knocked out by Vanderbilt in the semifinal.
But unlike in 2012, No. 4 seed Florida has a first round bye this year.
On Wednesday it will play the winner of No. 5 seed Arkansas and No. 12 Tennessee, as UF looks to win the SEC tournament for the second time during O’Sullivan’s tenure.
"I think when you get to this time of year, I think it’s a great tournament to kind of measure where you’re at," O’Sullivan said during a SEC coaches’ teleconference on Monday.
Offensively, Florida ranks near the top of the SEC.
The Gators ended the season third in the conference in batting average (.293), second in home runs (50) and fourth in runs scored (361).
Much of UF’s offensive success has been the product of a breakout season from senior Josh Tobias and contributions from several freshmen, as well as consistent hitting throughout the lineup.
Tobias leads the team and is sixth in the SEC with a .366 batting average, while freshman catcher JJ Schwarz leads UF with 14 home runs.
"We’ve been fortunate over the years to have some freshmen come in who have held their own. Obviously those three guys have had great years," O’Sullivan said of UF’s three starting freshmen: Mike Rivera, Dalton Guthrie and Schwarz.
"Mike and JJ have done such a good job defensively, and obviously JJ (is) controlling the bat so well as a freshman."
But Florida’s biggest strength has been its defense, anchored by Richie Martin at shortstop and Tobias at third base. The Gators lead the nation with a .985 fielding percentage and have recorded the fewest errors (32) in the SEC.
"(Martin) is as good a player as I’ve ever coached defensively," O’Sullivan said. "This year he has made the routine play, he has made the great play, he has shown range both right and left. I think his internal clock is so much more advanced now than it was."
O’Sullivan added that he is pleased with how sophomore starting pitchers Logan Shore and A.J. Puk have played as of late — the two have a combined 29 strikeouts and just 11 walks over their last two appearances.
However, O’Sullivan said that right-hander Dane Dunning (5-2, 3.54 ERA) will start on Wednesday as UF attempts to win the SEC tournament for the first time since 2011.
"The league is as deep as it’s ever been," O’Sullivan said.
"…If you don’t play clean you’re gonna end up back on the bus going home."
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UF shortstop Richie Martin (12) throws to first base for an out during Florida's 12-5 win against South Carolina on April 11 at McKethan Stadium.
