At a time of the season when the Gators' pitching staff was looking tired and thin, a hurler with a familiar name will join the team.
UF basketball player Adam Allen has signed up to play with the baseball team, adding a fresh arm to a depleted roster.
The 6-foot-8-inch right-hander instantly becomes the tallest member of the team, 2 inches taller than fellow pitcher Billy Bullock.
The news could not have come at a better time for a team that has lost five of its last six and allowed 7.67 runs per game in that time span.
UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan realized that shortening Sunday's game against Tennessee to only seven innings was a blessing in disguise for the bullpen.
"Playing seven innings was certainly to our advantage," O'Sullivan said Sunday. "It shortened the game up and our pen was a little light. … We're able to save a couple of guys anyway, and we're in a little better shape than we would be possibly if we played nine."
If two innings make that much of a difference on the pitchers, Allen could add an even bigger boost.
The freshman has not pitched since he threw for Milton High last year, but he should be in good shape after tallying 4 points per game and averaging 10.4 minutes on the Gators' basketball team this season.
Adams was working in the bullpen on Monday and will be available to pitch in UF's games against North Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday.
If he does a good enough job in those games, he could make the team's 25-man roster for Southeastern Conference games.
It wasn't all good news for No. 25 UF (21-10, 8-4 SEC) on Monday, however.
The team learned that first baseman Brandon McArthur would be out indefinitely after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
McArthur hurt his knee trying to beat out a throw at first base against UNF on Wednesday and did not travel with the team to Knoxville last weekend.
Though he is out indefinitely, UF sports information director John Hines said he could be playing in a couple of weeks with a brace.
McArthur was in the middle of a nine-game hitting streak and was fourth on the team in batting average and RBIs.
With one player out and a new one in, the Gators will face the Ospreys for the second time this year on Tuesday.
UF lost a heartbreaker last time, falling 11-10 in 10 innings on Wednesday after leading 10-9 heading into the top of the ninth inning.
The Gators will start Kyle Mullaney (0-2, 8.27 ERA), who began the year as the Friday-night starter and has since been moved to the bullpen. This will be his first start since Feb. 29 in Miami.
UF will play five games for the third week in a row, which continues to strain the pitchers.
"It's a gut-check for us," O'Sullivan said. "But they're in the same position. … They're going to be in tough shape, too, pitching-wise, so it's going to be the same for everybody. We're going to have to gut it out, and we're going to have to play well. It's as simple as that."
After this series, UF will not play five games in a week until April 29-30 against Florida Gulf Coast.
A radio broadcast contributed to this report.
