The Gators face Marist on Friday night at 7 in their first game of the Gainesville Regional. (File photo)
Gainesville Regional Primer: No. 3-seed Gators open vs. Marist
Thursday, June 1, 2017 | Baseball, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gators practiced Wednesday morning in preparation for the start of the NCAA Tournament and what they hope is a third consecutive trip to Omaha for the College World Series.
Florida, the No. 3 national seed and host of this weekend's Gainesville Regional, opens the tournament against Marist on Friday night. Marist earned a berth by winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title.
Gators head coach Kevin O'Sullivan said prior to practice Wednesday that he hasn't taken a deep look at the Red Foxes yet. Marist is the No. 4 seed in the regional. No. 2-seed USF and No. 3 Bethune-Cookman play in Friday's first game.
"We're still putting that together right now,'' O'Sullivan said. "Really what we're trying to do is focus on ourselves and try to get healthy and see what our roster's going to look like here this weekend."
O'Sullivan delivered good and bad news in his injury report.
First, shortstop Dalton Guthrie, who missed the SEC Tournament due to a sprained ankle he suffered against Kentucky in the regular-season finale, is scheduled to return to the lineup. Guthrie practiced Wednesday and his return provides a much-needed boost.
Meanwhile, O'Sullivan said senior outfielder Ryan Larson will not play. Larson was hit on the left side of the head by a pitch that also caught a portion of his helmet in the SEC Tournament. The best-case scenario appears for Larson to return should the Gators advance to a Super Regional.
Outfielder/pitcher Nick Horvath, who replaced Larson in the victory against Mississippi State at the SEC Tournament, is cleared to play. Horvath was hit in the face by a ball as he lunged to make a play in center field. Horvath left the game and needed stitches in his lip, but O'Sullivan said he will be available to fill in for Larson in the regional.
Here is a Gainesville Regional Primer to get you ready for this weekend's action at McKethan Stadium:
*****
1. FLORIDA
Record: 42-16, 21-9 in Southeastern Conference
NCAA tournament: 33rd appearance (10th consecutive)
Tournament record: 98-69 (10 trips to College World Series)
Season highlight: The Gators went 15-3 in the SEC down the stretch to win the league's regular-season title despite an 0-3 start in conference play.
Player to watch: Junior JJ Schwarz offers versatility – he has played first, catcher and served as the designated hitter – but his most important contribution is in the batter's box. Schwarz started slow but swung a hot bat the final month of the season to spark the Gators' run to the SEC title. In 18 career postseason games, Schwarz is batting .362 (25-for-69) with five home runs and 22 RBIs.
Buzz: The Gators' strength is their starting pitching staff. Starters Alex Faedo (7-2, 2.80), Brady Singer (7-4, 3.37) and Jackson Kowar (11-0, 3.74) give Florida a chance in every series and Michael Byrne (2-4, 1.84, 14 saves) has developed into a late-game stopper. The Gators are the clear favorites and have ample experience in close games. UF has 17 one-run wins, four more than any other team in the country.
*****
2. SOUTH FLORIDA
Record: 41-17, 14-10 in American Athletic Conference
NCAA tournament: 12th appearance (first since 2015)
Tournament record: 11-22
Season highlight: The Bulls won 19 consecutive games – the second-longest win streak in program history – from mid-February to mid-March.
Player to watch: Shortstop Kevin Merrell is batting .368 with six homers, 35 RBIs and 18 stolen bases. Merrell has an on-base percentage of .468, so keeping him off the bases is often the way to shut down USF's offense.
Buzz: The Bulls improved by 17 wins this season and are back in the NCAA Tournament for the second time under head coach Mark Kingston. Starters Phoenix Sanders, Shane McClanahan and Peter Strzelecki form a solid trio and will need to pitch well for the Bulls to advance.
*****
3. BETHUNE-COOKMAN
Record: 33-23, 15-8 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
NCAA tournament: 16th (second consecutive)
Tournament record: 2-30
Season highlight: The Eagles made history when they opened the season with a sweep of Boston College, their first sweep against an Atlantic Coast Conference team.
Player to watch: The 2016 MEAC Freshman of the Year, sophomore first baseman Danny Rodriguez is hitting .343 and leads the conference with 11 home runs.
Buzz: The Wildcats celebrated on Monday when they learned they were not a No. 4 seed for the first time in program history. No. 3-seed Bethune-Cookman, a regular in the Gainesville Regional, doesn't have to play the Gators in the first round.
*****
4. MARIST
Record: 32-21, 16-8 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
NCAA tournament: Seventh appearance (first since 2009)
Tournament record: 3-12
Season highlight: The Red Foxes traveled to Mississippi State in late February for a tournament and split a pair of games each against Indiana State and Mississippi State, a sign of things to come.
Player to watch: Marist ace Charlie Jerla was named MAAC Pitcher of the Year after going 9-1 with a 3.92 ERA. A lefty, Jerla struck out 65 in 64 1/3 innings. The Red Foxes have won Jerla's last eight starts.
Buzz: Marist has not played in the tournament in eight years and faces a difficult task to hang around long with Florida and South Florida in the field. Marist last won a regional game in 2002 and has never faced the Gators.
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