Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In his season of discontent, one marked by too many lazy fly balls, soft grounders to shortstop and not enough big hits, Gators slugger JJ Schwarz sometimes turned to others for support.

Friends, family and teammates helped Schwarz maneuver his way through the darkest hours of doubt and frustration.

It was Gators head coach Kevin O'Sullivan's turn prior to Florida's three-game series against South Carolina, which concluded on a sunny Saturday afternoon with a 7-5 Gators victory. O'Sullivan met with Schwarz on Thursday morning in his McKethan Stadium office to reinforce what everyone who's watched Schwarz swing a bat in his three seasons at Florida knows.

"He's always hit,'' O'Sullivan told him. "He's going to hit."

Later that night, Schwarz went 0-for-3, didn't hit a ball out of the infield and saw his batting average dip to .227 as Florida relied on ace Alex Faedo for a 1-0 win. Schwarz responded with a pair of singles in four at-bats on Friday night when the Gamecocks evened the series with a 4-2 win.

As the Gamecocks and Gators battled for second place in the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division behind Kentucky, Schwarz's bat was relatively quiet.

Been that way most of the season.

"It's been a rough season for myself,'' he said. "I've been frustrated. My attitude hasn't been great."



Schwarz has put in extra work in the batting cage. He watched extra tape of his at-bats. He tried to sort out the struggles in his head. Ever since Schwarz arrived at Florida and was named National Freshman of the Year in 2015 (.332, 18 home runs, 73 RBI, .629 slugging percentage), much has been expected of the 21-year-old from South Florida.

"He's got unreal expectations on him,'' Florida starter Jackson Kowar said. "They're almost impossible to live up to."

Sometimes Schwarz has surpassed them. Who can forget the school-record four home runs against Stetson two years ago? Or the grand slam against Florida State in the 2016 Super Regional?

Those moments stamped Schwarz's place as the most feared hitter in the Gators' lineup and as one of college baseball's top sluggers.

But when Schwarz stepped to the plate Saturday afternoon with the bases loaded, nobody out in the bottom of the eighth inning against South Carolina reliever Colie Bowers, getting a run home seemed anything but a certainty. The Gators have struggled with the bases loaded this season and Schwarz, with runners on base in the series, was 1-for-4 and grounded into two double plays.

But on Bowers' sixth pitch since coming into the game and after he threw five consecutive balls -- four straight to put on Nelson Maldonado and load the bases -- Schwarz waited for a fastball he could work with. When Bowers offered a room-service delivery across the plate, Schwarz attacked like a tiger on the loose in a petting zoo.

Seconds later, the ball bounced into the left-field bleachers and back onto the field. Grand slam. A two-run deficit turned into a two-run lead on one swing.

"Oh, that has to feel so good for JJ Schwarz,'' said ESPN play-by-play man Karl Ravech as Schwarz rounded third and headed home.

"It was good to see a smile on his face again,'' O'Sullivan said.

For a Florida team that has been much like Schwarz – waiting to hit its stride – perhaps Saturday's blast will prove to be a turning point for both.

"We know how much he has been working and waiting on a big moment like that," said Kowar, who avoided his first career loss Saturday thanks to Schwarz's homer. "We all know what kind of hitter JJ is. A lot of people might be down on him, but I tell you, we have a ton of confidence in him. He's probably got the best swing that I've ever faced.

"Everyone knows how important he is to our lineup. Seeing him going could give some other guys more confidence."

The Gators (27-13, 10-8) took two of three against the Gamecocks to gain sole possession of second in the division, two games back of Kentucky. And one swing by Schwarz (.243, 5 HR, 30 RBI) reminded everyone of what he is capable of doing every time he steps into the batter's box.

No one expects more from No. 22 than No. 22.

"Every time I go up to the plate I expect myself to hit one hard,'' he said. "I know what I'm capable of and I know my ability. When I don't come through, I know I didn't do something right. I'm pretty hard on myself."

Schwarz beat himself up mentally after Thursday's disappointing game. He was better on Friday, but the Gators lost. They finally got it right together on Saturday.

"It kind of reminded us a little bit of Florida State," Kowar said.

What will Schwarz's dramatic home run on Saturday mean down the final stretch of the regular season? Maybe nothing. Maybe a defining moment.

For now, it stands as a reminder of why Schwarz is so important to the Gators.

"I say this all the time, 'hitting is about confidence.' That's something I've been lacking,'' he said. "Hopefully a hit like that will boost my self-esteem a little bit."

Florida fans everywhere are hoping for the same.