Sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

Catcher JJ Schwarz is 8-for-19 from the plate with a pair of home runs over the last five games.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Over/Under: Examining the Gators’ over- and underachievers April 10-17

By Morgan McMullen | Apr. 18, 2018

The No. 1 Gators (32-7, 12-3 SEC) dropped a midweek matchup to Jacksonville on Tuesday to snap a nine-game home winning streak. With Florida’s next series starting tonight against Kentucky rather than the normal Friday start due to television scheduling, coach Kevin O’Sullivan had to work around using certain bullpen players, including closer Michael Byrne and freshmen Tommy Mace and Jordan Butler.

Shooting guard Dwyane Wade's return to Miami was one of many different storylines that highlighted the 2017-18 NBA season.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

What this NBA Season Taught Me: We Were All Wrong

By Skyler Lebron | Apr. 18, 2018

At the beginning of every NBA season, fans believe that they have it all figured out.

First baseman Kayli Kvistad drove in a pair of runs in Florida's 19-3 win over Florida A&M on Wednesday.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Gators softball team thrashes Rattlers in 16-run victory

By Mark Stine | Apr. 18, 2018

UF first baseman Kayli Kvistad jogged up the first-base line.

Sophomore Sierra Brooks performed admirably, but the Gators struggled as a team on Day 1 of the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Gators women’s golf team sits in fourth place after Day 1 of SEC Tournament

By Chris O'Brien | Apr. 18, 2018

Compared to the rest of the SEC, the Florida women’s golf team played fairly well on Day 1 of the SEC tournament on Wednesday. For its own standards, however, UF left some to be desired as it finished with a score of 10 over, 12 strokes behind first-place Alabama.

Junior attacker Lindsey Ronbeck scored four goals in Florida's 20-4 win over Cincinnati on Wednesday.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Rout of Cincinnati puts Gators lacrosse team one win away from conference title

By Tyler Nettuno | Apr. 18, 2018

Florida dominates a conference opponent.

Florida pitcher Kelly Barnhill is 19-1 this season and was recently selected as SEC Pitcher of the Week.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

UF takes on Florida A&M tonight as regular season winds down

By Mari Faiello | Apr. 17, 2018

After sweeping South Carolina at home this past weekend, Florida’s softball team will hit the diamond again tonight at 6 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium to take on Florida A&M.

The then-Florida Marlins won the 2003 World Series over Cleveland.

SPORTS | COLUMNS

Seriously, why do sports matter?

By Ethan Bauer | Apr. 17, 2018

It was nearly dusk when I arrived, stepped out of my dad’s Nissan Sentra and inhaled the scent of high expectations.

Junior midfielder Sydney Pirreca scored four goals on five shots Saturday against Marquette.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Florida’s two-game road trip begins with Cincinnati

By Tyler Nettuno | Apr. 17, 2018

With the Gators’ 18-6 victory over Marquette on Saturday, UF lacrosse coach Amanda O’Leary said that her players are still focused heading into its longest road stretch of the season.

Coach Kevin O'Sullivan and the Gators dropped their first home game since March 23 in an 8-4 loss against Jacksonville Tuesday night. “We’ve gotta clean up some mistakes,” O'Sullivan said.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators falter against Jacksonville in midweek matchup

By Justin Ahlum | Apr. 17, 2018

No. 1 Florida (32-7, 12-3 SEC) fell to Jacksonville 8-4, ending UF’s nine-game home winning streak and snapping a four-game winning streak overall.

Kelly Barnhill has gained an appreciation for other cultures through traveling for softball tournaments.

SPORTS | FEATURES

FROM GEORGIA TO JAPAN: Kelly Barnhill is pursuing gems beyond the softball diamond

By Mari Faiello | Apr. 17, 2018

It’s a quiet morning in the summer of 2016 as Kelly Barnhill walks the streets of Takasaki, Japan.

Cleveland-Golden State IV is set to begin Thursday night at 9 p.m. LeBron James broke the record for most playoff points ever recorded in a career in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

The Cavaliers are in trouble? B---- please

By Andrew Huang | Apr. 17, 2018

Victor Oladipo — a rising star in the NBA — is really, really good. But Oladipo and the Indiana Pacers aren’t getting out of the first round of this year’s NBA Playoffs.

Redshirt junior AJ McFarland placed sixth in the hammer throw at the SEC Outdoor Championship. His teammates, freshman Thomas Mardal and redshirt sophomore Anders Eriksson, finished fifth and second, respectively.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

Gators’ throwers have contributed to much of teams’ outdoor success

By Alanis Thames | Apr. 15, 2018

The events at the Tom Jones Memorial unfolded like many of the Gators’ previous meets have this season.

Sophomore Andy Zhang is tied for first heading into the final day of the NCAA Kissimmee Regional. He's at 8 under with freshman John Axelsen just behind him at 7 under.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Florida finishes fourth at the Mason Rudolph Championship

By Sam Campisano | Apr. 15, 2018

From start to finish, the Mason Rudolph Championship did not go the way the No. 11 Florida men’s golf team wanted it to.

Senior Anna Danilina beat the No. 6 women's tennis player in the NCAA 6-2, 6-0 on Saturday in Florida's regular-season finale against Vanderbilt.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Gators women’s tennis can focus on positives heading into SEC Tournament

By River Wells | Apr. 15, 2018

The Florida Gators women’s tennis team is feeling major déjà vu.

Senior Chase Perez-Blanco played the last regular-season match of his Gators career in UF's 7-0 victory over Alabama on Friday. “I wouldn’t change a thing,” he said. “It’s just been the best four years.”

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

UF tennis player Chase Perez-Blanco reflects on his Gators career

By Dylan Rudolph | Apr. 15, 2018

As fans filed out of the Ring Tennis Complex on Friday for the last time this season, senior Chase Perez-Blanco, along with fellow seniors Jordan Belga and Josh Wardell, stayed on the court.

The Gators softball team will face Georgia at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Gators and Gamecocks unite in “Yellow Game”

By Mark Stine | Apr. 15, 2018

The Gators softball team will face Georgia at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

Rookie of the Year candidate Ben Simmons led Philadelphia to its first playoff appearance since 2012.

SPORTS | COLUMNS

NBA Playoffs are here and Ben Simmons is ready to rock the nation

By Benjamin Brandt | Apr. 15, 2018

Philadelphia has seen enough sports success in the past four months to last a decade.

Florida lacrosse coach Amanda O’Leary (left) was pleased with the way her bench performed in its 18-6 victory over Marquette on Saturday. "It is... good to see some players who typically don't get in and see what they can do,” O'Leary said.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Florida’s bench shining during conference play

By Tyler Nettuno | Apr. 15, 2018

There’s a reason that the Gators lacrosse team was a unanimous pick to win the Big East during the preseason: it hasn’t lost a conference game since 2015.

Uf quarterback Feleipe Franks went 8 of 12 for 117 yards and two rushing touchdowns during Florida's Orange and Blue game on Saturday. Franks is fighting to retain the starting role for 2018.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Orange and Blue game leaves quarterback situation unclear

By Jake Dreilinger | Apr. 15, 2018

The uncertainty surrounding the Florida football team’s quarterback situation is almost as murky as Jim McElwain’s prospects of ever landing another head coaching job.

Michael Byrne earned his 10th save of the season Saturday against Missouri.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

UF’s top performers halfway through SEC play

By Ethan Bauer | Apr. 15, 2018

It’s so hard to choose.