Head UF baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan met with the media for the first time on Thursday before practices begin Friday afternoon. After a disappointing end to last season against South Alabama at Florida Ballpark, O’Sullivan discussed the motivation levels for the team entering the season as well as the highly touted freshman class and how those players will fit into the lineup.
The Gators failed to advance out of their own NCAA Regional last season, the program’s second-consecutive postseason without a Super-regional appearance. After being placed as the preseason No. 1 team in the nation before the 2021 season began, O’Sullivan said that the underwhelming result still stings.
“I think the way it ended has stuck in the side of our team,” O’Sullivan said. “It’s not how we are expected to end the season, certainly. It was somewhat embarrassing”
Despite last year’s finish and the youth of the team, the skipper is still optimistic about his team entering the season.
”If you’re going to be young, hopefully you’re talented,” O’Sullivan said. “And we are talented.”
He will need them to be, as multiple freshmen will be included in the starting lineup. One such freshman is Deric Fabian, who will likely occupy the third-base position.
“Deric Fabian has really come on,” O’Sullivan said. “He’s gotten an opportunity to show what he can do. He had a good fall.”
Freshmen will also occupy the mound plenty this season. The departures of Tommy Mace and other stalwart arms open up space for underclassmen to take on larger roles. Sophomore Hunter Barco will serve as the undisputed ace, but first-year pitchers could rack up plenty of innings for Florida.
“There’s a reason why this [freshman] class ws ranked where it was,” O’Sullivan said. “It was considered one of the top two classes, if not the top class in the country. But that does not put wins on the board.”
The Gators will open practice Friday afternoon at 2:30 at Florida Ballpark, and the action will be open to the public.
Contact Carson Cashion at ccashion@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @carsoncashion.
Carson Cashion is a third-year sports journalism major at UF, and the sports editor at The Alligator for the 2022 summer semester. A native of Altamonte Springs, Carson spends his free time walking his dog, Baxter, and listening to good music. He is an avid Tennessee sports fan, and eagerly awaits watching one of his teams win a championship for the first time.
