Sports | Baseball - The Independent Florida Alligator

Harrison Bader slides into home during Florida’s 14-5 win against South Carolina on April 13, 2013. Bader and the Gators will look to sweep Georgia in their final matchup Sunday at noon.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Covering the bases: Previewing the 2015 baseball season

By IAN COHEN | Jan. 2, 2015

The Florida baseball team exceeded expectations in 2014.

Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan lost five pitchers this offseason to the MLB and is now looking to sophomores Daniel Gibson, Jonathan Crawford and Keenan Kish to lead the Gators’ middle relief.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida boasts No. 3 recruiting class

By JORDAN MCPHERSON | Sep. 23, 2014

Florida baseball continues to bring in talent.

Taylor Gushue runs toward first base during Florida’s 4-0 win against Maryland on Feb. 14 at McKethan Stadium.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida releases 2015 schedule, will face five ranked teams

By JORDAN MCPHERSON | Sep. 16, 2014

Florida baseball had a sour end to its 2014 campaign.

Taylor Gushue bats during Florida’s 3-1 win against FSU on March 18 at McKethan Stadium. Gushue was a second-team All-American in 2014 after batting a career-high .318

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Major League Gators swinging big sticks lately on diamond

By LAWRENCE LAGUNA< | July 9, 2014

If you remember how important Taylor Gushue was for Florida last season, you would say the same thing about him now in the minors.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Shore earns yet another accolade after breakout season

By JORDAN MCPHERSON | July 9, 2014

Logan Shore earned plenty of hardware in his freshman season.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gushue, Turgeon forgo senior season

By JORDAN MCPHERSON | June 18, 2014

Since right-handed pitcher Justin Shafer signed with the Toronto Blue Jays on June 10, two more Gators have decided to go pro.

Justin Shafer bats during Florida’s 4-0 win against Maryland on Feb. 14 at McKethan Stadium.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Six Gators taken in MLB Draft

By JONATHAN CZUPRYN< | June 9, 2014

After a disappointing ending to an otherwise successful season, Florida had six of its 11 eligible players selected in the MLB Draft – two on Friday and four on Saturday.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

MLB Draft begins today, several Gators available

By MORGAN MORIARTY | June 4, 2014

For more than 1,200 high school and college baseball players across the United States, Thursday could potentially mark one of the biggest days of their lives. The 2014 MLB First-Year Draft begins Thursday evening and will continue through Saturday.

UF shortstop Richie Martin is tagged out at home plate by UNC catcher Korey Dunbar during Florida's 5-2 loss on Saturday at McKethan Stadium. The loss eliminated the Gators from the NCAA Tournament.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators eliminated after two games in NCAA Regionals

By RICHARD JOHNSON | May 31, 2014

In the end, Florida (40-22) just couldn’t get timely hits after stranding 13 on base, and its season came to a waterlogged end against North Carolina (35-26) losing 5-3.

Florida fell to College of Charleston 3-2 in the first round of the NCAA Regional on Friday at McKethan Stadium. UF now faces a potential early exit from the tournament if it falls to UNC in Saturday's elimination game.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida falls to College of Charleston in regional opener

By RICHARD JOHNSON | May 30, 2014

In the end, they had nobody to blame but themselves. Not the rain that delayed them three hours and fifteen minutes, not the opposing pitchers that let them twice have the bases loaded in consecutive innings, and not the NCAA selection committee that gave them the hardest regional of any national seed.

Florida coach Kevin O'Sullivan tosses a ball while sitting in the dugout after South Carolina beat Florida 5-2 in Game 2 of the NCAA baseball College World Series best-of-three finals, to win the championship, in Omaha, Neb., Tuesday, June 28, 2011.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gainesville regional historically hard for Gators according to RPI

By RICHARD JOHNSON | May 26, 2014

So you probably think Florida’s NCAA baseball regional is a bit difficult for a two-seed, and if that’s the case, you’re most certainly right.

Karsten Whitson pitches during UF’s 5-0 win against USF on Feb. 20, 2011, at McKethan Stadium.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

UF falls to LSU in SEC Tournament final

By MORGAN MORIARTY | May 25, 2014

The phrase “defense wins championships” proved ever so true on Sunday afternoon as LSU won the Southeastern Conference Tournament in a 2-0 victory over top-seeded Florida.

Outfielder Harrison Bader bats during Florida’s 4-0 win against Ole Miss on March 31, 2013, at McKethan Stadium.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida defeats Kentucky, reaches SEC Tournament final

By RICHARD JOHNSON | May 24, 2014

And on to the championship they go.

Florida celebrates after an inning during it’s 4-0 win against Maryland on Feb. 14 at McKethan Stadium.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida advances to SEC Tournament semifinals

By RICHARD JOHNSON | May 23, 2014

Mississippi State (37-22) entered its Southeastern Conference Tournament fourth-round tilt against No. 1 seed Florida (39-20) with a .981 fielding average, good for seventh in all of Division 1. In the 5-1 loss, the Bulldogs looked anything but stout defensively team behind its pitchers.

Casey Turgeon swings during Florida’s 4-0 win against Maryland on Feb. 14 at McKethan Stadium.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida tops South Carolina, stays alive in SEC Tournament

By JORDAN MCPHERSON | May 22, 2014

UF played with its back against the wall on Thursday.

Braden Mattson dives toward first base during Florida’s 1-0 win against Arkansas on March 15 at McKethan Stadium. Mattson recorded one RBI and one run during UF’s 4-2 loss to Kentucky on Wednesday.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida falls to Kentucky in second round SEC Tournament game

By JORDAN MCPHERSON | May 21, 2014

During a midgame interview with ESPN, coach Kevin O’Sullivan credited UF’s success late in the regular season to its ability to hit in the clutch.

Josh Tobias throws to first base against Georgia Tech on June 3, 2012, at McKethan Stadium.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida earns first-round bye

By RICHARD JOHNSON | May 19, 2014

Florida’s quest for a seventh Southeastern Conference tournament championship begins this week as the top-seeded Gators descend upon Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.

Josh Tobias bats during Florida’s 3-1 win against Florida State on March 18.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida rests starters in regular season finale loss

By RICHARD JOHNSON | May 17, 2014

With the 13th Southeastern Conference championship clinched the day before, Florida (37-19, 21-9 SEC) failed to sweep eastern division foe Tennessee (31-22, 12-18 SEC) losing 7-5 to close out the 2014 regular season.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida baseball clinches share of SEC title with extra-innings win over Tennessee

By RICHARD JOHNSON | May 15, 2014

Florida decided it was as good of a time for a dog pile as any after a 6-5 victory over Tennessee in the 11th inning to open the season’s last weekend series with a win on Thursday.

Richie Martin hits during Florida’s 9-7 loss against Maryland on Feb. 15 at McKethan Stadium. Martin went 3-for-3 at the plate and scored three runs in UF's 8-2 win against USF on Tuesday.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Top of the lineup comes up strong for Gators in home finale

By JONATHAN CZUPRYN< | May 13, 2014

In a season where non-conference midweek matchups have proved to be potential pitfalls for Florida, coach Kevin O’Sullivan needed a strong performance from the top of his lineup to turn the tide Tuesday night against USF.