Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla.—No. 1 Florida (38-7/14-6 SEC) heads to Knoxville for a three-game series against the Tennessee Vols at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
 
Florida beat Bethune-Cookman 7-1 on Tuesday night and split a pair of games at No. 5 South Carolina (W 5-4, L 2-1) last weekend (game three rained out).
 
The Vols enter the series on a four-game losing skid, having been swept at Missouri last weekend (L 5-4, L 6-5, L 8-3) and losing to Alabama State (3-0) the previous Wednesday.
 

No. 1 Florida Gators (38-7, 14-6 SEC) at Tennessee Volunteers (24-21, 6-15 SEC)

Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday: RHP Logan Shore, Jr. (8-0, 2.39) vs. LHP Aaron Soto, So. (4-2, 4.08)
Saturday: LHP A.J. Puk, Jr. (2-2, 2.87) vs. LHP Zach Warren, So. (5-4, 3.14)
Sunday: RHP Alex Faedo, So. (8-1, 3.32) vs. TBA

SERIES NUGGETS

Florida has captured the last seven regular-season series against the Vols, who had previously reeled of five-straight series wins. The Gators won the past four series 2-1. Tennessee's last series win came in 2008 in Knoxville when the Vols won the first two games of the weekend before dropping the finale.
 
Head coach Kevin O'Sullivan is 17-7 (.708) against Tennessee, 7-5 (.583) at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville and 10-2 (.833) at McKethan Stadium.
 
Dating back to 1986, the winner of the opening game of the series between the Gators and Vols has won the series 26 of 30 times (exceptions: 2015, UF wins last two; 2000, UF wins last two; 1995, UT wins last two; 1990, UF wins last two).

QUICK HITS ABOUT THE GATORS

• Florida remains No. 1 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll after splitting a pair of games at No. 5 South Carolina last weekend. They remain No. 1 in the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index (RPI). Florida leads the nation with 38 victories and is off to the best start in school history.
• The Gators lead the nation in strikeouts (477) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.5). UF is second in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.46) and fielding percentage (.985).
• UF's weekend starters, junior LHP A.J. Puk (2-2, 2.87), junior RHP Logan Shore (8-0, 2.39) and sophomore RHP Alex Faedo (8-1, 3.32) continue to lead the way for the top-ranked Gators.
• Florida has won Shore's last 15 starts dating back to last season. He had a no decision at South Carolina (4.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R/ER) as UF came from behind to win 5-4 with a pair of solo home runs in the ninth inning.
• Puk also had a no decision at South Carolina, but pitched six innings and allowed only one run while striking out 10 batters.
• Faedo started game three at USC but was rained out and did not record any official stats.
• Junior first baseman Peter Alonso leads the Gators offense with a .342 average, 43 RBI and nine home runs.
• In conference play, freshman third baseman Jonathan India leads the team with a .333 average, 18 RBI and five doubles.
• With 29 appearances this year, junior LHP Kirby Snead (3-1, 1.44) is now tied for seventh in on Florida's career list with 89 appearances.
• Junior RHP Shaun Anderson (3-0, 1.14) picked up his 10th save with a scoreless ninth last Friday at South Carolina.
• Junior CF Buddy Reed is 21-for-23 (.909) on the basepaths after swiping a base on Tuesday night against Bethune-Cookman. His 21 steals on the season are the most by a Florida player since Matt den Dekker had 23 stolen bases in 2010.

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