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Friday, March 29, 2024
<p dir="ltr">Coach Kevin O'Sullivan successfully dialed-up a gimmick steal play in the Gators' win over the USA 18-U team.</p>

Coach Kevin O'Sullivan successfully dialed-up a gimmick steal play in the Gators' win over the USA 18-U team.

Florida baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan felt the need to pump the breaks.

After Sunday’s win against then-No. 8 Vanderbilt secured the Gators’ first conference sweep of the season, he reminded reporters that the regular season was only a shade over halfway done.

“It’s only the beginning of April right now,” he said. “The goal is to stay healthy and play like this at the end. If we play like this at the end, we’ve got as good a chance as anybody.”

Staying healthy has been a lucky break for the No. 1 Gators (26-5, 7-2 SEC) so far this season. Through their first 31 games, there haven’t been any serious injuries to contend with, allowing O’Sullivan the freedom to juggle his lineup with a full arsenal of players.

That versatility could come in handy this weekend when Florida hits the road to take on Tennessee (18-12, 4-5 SEC) in Knoxville starting tonight at 6:30. While the Volunteers’ record may be less than impressive, their home record of 13-7 is nothing to scoff at.

In fact, the Gators could have their work cut out for them taking on an underrated roster. Here are the three players that fans should be on the lookout for in the three-game weekend series:

Garrett Stallings, RHP: While freshman lefty Garrett Crochet will take the mound on Friday, Stallings may be the best of Tennessee's three weekend starters. The Chesapeake, Virginia, native is 4-2 in seven starts and has accumulated a 2.98 ERA, rivaling both of Florida’s top two starters in Brady Singer (2.74) and Jackson Kowar (2.68). He has only issued four walks this season, the second lowest mark among SEC starters. Though his fastball has consistently been clocked in the high 80s/low 90s, Stallings does most of his damage with well-placed sliders and curveballs.

Benito Santiago, C: The Volunteers have developed a reputation this season for lacking power at the plate. As a whole, Tennessee has three fewer home runs (19) than UF third baseman Jonathan India and right fielder Wil Dalton combined (22). But Santiago is trying to single-handedly fix the Volunteers’ lack of hard-hit balls. The senior from Pembroke Pines, Florida, is tied for third in the SEC with 10 doubles and has added three homers to the Volunteers’ cause.

Jay Charleston, 2B: The sophomore from Longwood, Florida, is one of just two UT starters currently batting over .300, sitting at .302 for the season. He has hit safely in 20 of his 29 starts. He is 8-for-20 (.400) from the plate in his previous five games, scoring six runs and knocking three doubles.

Follow Morgan McMullen on Twitter @MorganMcMuffin and contact him at mmcmullen@alligator.org.

Coach Kevin O'Sullivan successfully dialed-up a gimmick steal play in the Gators' win over the USA 18-U team.

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