It's hard to say which causes a bigger swing in momentum: winning a rivalry game or losing a rivalry game with a rematch scheduled just two weeks later.
When UF (18-8) and FSU (16-8) met in McKethan Stadium on March 17 for the first of three games this season, both teams were struggling to earn victories.
The No. 20 Gators came into the matchup after suffering a sweep at the hands of Arkansas that capped off a stretch of seven losses in their last 11 games. Similarly, the Seminoles had just dropped a game to Virginia, making it six losses in their last nine.
With both teams desperate for a win, UF edged out FSU 5-4 in a 3-hour-51-minute St. Patrick's Day marathon.
"This team has been down on itself, and it was a tough weekend at Arkansas," UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan said after the win. "Baseball is a really difficult game because of a lot of mental stuff going on, so we just tried to wipe the slate clean."
Since junior catcher Buddy Munroe laced the walk-off single to right-center field that gave the Gators that 5-4 win, the team has ridden a wave of momentum all the way in to tonight's contest with the Seminoles in Jacksonville at 7.
UF has won nine of its last 10 games, including sweeps of Tennessee and Alabama, and has climbed into Baseball America's Top 25 for the first time since Feb. 23 after starting the season 3-0.
Senior Stephen Locke (0-0, 0.00 ERA), who rejoined the team in the middle of last week, will get the start in his second appearance of the season. The Gators have had trouble finding a consistent starting rotation, and the return of Locke should give them a stabilizing veteran capable of eating up innings.
"He gives us more depth and another quality left-hander that has been there, done that," O'Sullivan said.
FSU, however, has been just as hot since the dramatic defeat at the hands of its in-state rival. The Seminoles have won seven of their last eight and are coming off a road sweep of Maryland in College Park.
If the momentum FSU is riding isn't enough to equal that of UF, perhaps a little history will serve as a boost.
The Gators also took the first game of the series last season in Gainesville before getting shellacked in Jacksonville 10-2 and narrowly dropping the third game 4-2 in Tallahassee.
While Locke and a slew of freshman arms such as Alex Panteliodis (2-2, 4.20 ERA), Anthony DeSclafani (2-0, 3.80 ERA) and Greg Larson (2-1, 1.42 ERA) have provided an unexpected lift for UF, preseason ace Patrick Keating (2-3, 5.72 ERA) has been surprisingly disappointing in the early part of the season.
The senior has all but lost his Friday-night designation and has been relegated to the bullpen at times during the season.
Against FSU, O'Sullivan went to Keating to shut the door on a 4-2 victory in the ninth inning, but the right-hander coughed up the lead and allowed the Seminoles to tie up the game.
Despite Keating's struggles, his catcher is optimistic that he can turn things around.
"Pat's going to be fine," Munroe said. "He's always got good stuff. I got more confidence in him than anyone else."
