Will sweep of FSU propel Florida on another winning streak?

Florida’s baseball program could use a little recent history to repeat itself this week.

Following a three-game sweep by Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn., last month, the Gators returned to the state to drop Florida State 4-2 in Jacksonville. The series-clinching victory in the Fresh from Florida Sunshine Showdown ignited the Gators’ longest winning streak of the season at five games, including a SEC series sweep of Alabama at McKethan Stadium.

The Gators returned to the state Tuesday following a three-game sweep by Ole Miss in Oxford. They then completed another season sweep of Florida State in Tallahassee, 3-1. Will the 11th-consecutive win over the Seminoles spark another Gators’ run?

“We needed to play a little bit better,” UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan said Tuesday. “I don’t ever remember playing as poorly as we did at Ole Miss. We needed to play better and we did tonight.”

The Gators (22-13, 4-8 in the SEC) host South Carolina (20-13, 3-9) for a three-game series starting at 7:30 p.m. today (ESPNU). Friday’s game is at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday’s finale starts at 3:30 p.m.

Who: South Carolina (20-13, 3-9 SEC) vs. Florida (22-13, 4-8)

When: 7:30 p.m. today

Where: McKethan Stadium

TV: ESPNU

Radio: AM-850, 98.1-FM

Pitching matchup: USC righty Reid Morgan (3-1, 2.60 ERA) vs. UF righty Tommy Mace (5-3, 4.26 ERA)

Series: Friday’s game is at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday’s finale starts at 3:30 p.m.

SERIES HISTORY | Overall: Tied, 46-46. In Gainesville: Florida leads, 25-14. Notable: Florida has not lost a series to South Carolina since 2011 (6-0-1, tied series in 2016). Coach O’Sullivan is 24-14 overall against the Gamecocks.

Super Soph: SS Brady McConnell leads the offense this season with a .385 average. On the year, he leads UF with 17 multi-hit games, 52 hits and 33 runs scored. Impressively, he has a .381 average at home and a .382 average on the road. He ranks fifth in the SEC in batting average (.385) and second in total hits (52) entering the week. Last weekend at Ole Miss, he went 7-12 (.583) with a home run and three RBI.

Calilao Producing: Freshman first baseman Kendrick Calilao has a team-high 36 RBI, tied for fourth overall in the SEC and fourth among all freshman nationally entering the weekend.

Langworthy Rebounding: Junior Austin Langworthy started the season in a slump but has picked up the pace. In the first 16 games, he went 11-62 (.177) with seven RBI and four extra-base hits. In the last 17 games, he is 19-63 (.301) with 11 RBI and eight extra-base hits. In addition, he has been clutch driving in runs. He has a team-high 11 two-out RBI (18 total RBI).

PARKING

Saturday is the annual Orange & Blue Debut at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Fans should be aware that parking will be very full this weekend.

• First-come, first-serve in O’Connell Center Garage
• A FREE shuttle service is provided from Garage IX at the Intersection of Gale Lemerand Drive and Archer Road. The shuttle begins 2 hours prior to the start of the earliest scheduled event, and will end approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the last event. (map)
• Flavet Field
• James G. Pressly Stadium
• Law School
• Frat Row, along Fraternity Drive
• Please DO NOT park along any roads or in the grass and only use parking lots or garages.

PROMOTIONS | #WeChompWeekend

Thursday | “The Office” Theme Night

• Come out to the Dunder Mifflin Gainesville branch for a night full of fun put on by the Gators Party Planning Committee.
• Mug Giveaway – The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a free Michael Scott themed mug!
• FREE paper – The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a FREE piece of paper to use in our paper airplane contest for Albert Bucks. One lucky fan will walk away with a prize.
• Jello-in-Stapler Contest: Two students will race to free the stapler by eating the Jello.
• Bobbing for Beets: Two students will race against each other to bob for beets. The person that pulls the most beets out in 30 seconds will win Beats by Dre headphones.
• Guess how many M&M’s are in the jar from Kevin’s desk
• Photo Booth – Take a photo before the game at our Dunder Miflin inspired photo booth on the concourse.
• UF Alumni Association Nights – All UFAA members receive 2-for-1 reserved bleacher seating.
• UF and Santa Fe Faculty and Staff Nights – All UF and Santa Fe Faculty and Staff receive 2-for 1 reserved bleacher seating.
• Kids Korner – Fun and games set up on the concourse for kids 12 and under!

Friday vs. South Carolina

• Food Truck Friday – Local food trucks Cilantro Tacos and Monsta Lobsta will be set up along the left field line by maintenance area.
• Pepsi Family Night – Families can purchase 4 GA tickets, 4 hotdogs and 4 sodas for only $24.
• Gator Booster Night – All Gator Booster members with valid ID receive 2-for-1 reserved bleacher.

Saturday vs. South Carolina

• Seniors Nights—Senior citizens, ages 55 and older, can purchase 2-for-1 reserved bleacher seating
• Military/First Responders Nights—All military members and first responders, active and retired, can purchase 2-for-1 reserved bleacher seating