GAINESVILLE, Fla. – This is the time of year the NCAA Tournament is coiled like a rattlesnake in the road ahead, waiting to strike down teams one by one until the last one is standing.
The Florida Gators were that team a year ago, winning the first national championship in school history. The Gators (41-15) have played all season like a team very capable of winning again in Omaha.
However, they enter this week's Southeastern Conference Tournament on a four-game losing streak during which they have been outscored 35-14.
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While that is not the way Florida head coach
Kevin O'Sullivan would have preferred his club to enter the postseason, the Gators remain the likely No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and a favorite to claim a second consecutive national title.
First, they could use a win Wednesday night against LSU, an 8-5 winner over Mississippi State on Tuesday. The Gators last faced LSU in the CWS final 11 months ago, beating the Tigers on back-to-back nights in the best-of-three series.
The Gators' slip to end the regular season has caused some angst among a fan base that had very little to be concerned about as UF breezed through the regular season, losing back-to-back games only twice prior to their recent skid.
What the Gators do this week at the SEC Tournament has no bearing on the Road to Omaha, but a win or two certainly can't hurt the team's outlook.
Here is a glance at five things to watch as the Gators open postseason play:
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1. JJ SCHWARZ'S HAND
In the bottom of the fifth inning in Friday's loss at Mississippi State, senior catcher
JJ Schwarz was hit on the right hand when
Elijah MacNamee fouled off a 95-mph fastball from Gators reliever
Hunter McMullen. Schwarz immediately hopped up from behind the plate in obvious pain, coming out of the game. He did not play Saturday and is officially listed as
day to day with a small break in his hand. A first-team All-SEC selection, Schwarz is second on the team in hitting (.325) with 12 homers and 46 RBIs. His presence in the lineup and behind the plate is one the Gators will miss if Schwarz is unable to return to the lineup soon. In the meantime, freshman
Cal Greenfeid could see extended action after starting in place of Schwarz on Saturday and hitting his first career home run.
2. BRADY SINGER'S HAMSTRING
The SEC Pitcher of the Year was scratched from his Thursday start at Mississippi State due to a hamstring concern. Singer (10-1, 2.25 ERA) is the tone setter on the mound for the Gators and was dominant in last season's CWS. Singer's status remains uncertain for the SEC Tournament should the Gators make a run at the title. Regardless of whether he pitches in Hoover, the Gators will need Singer to be ready when the NCAA Tournament starts. If that means skipping another turn, so be it.
3. THIRD STARTER
If there is a question mark about this team other than the injuries to Schwarz and Singer, it's the third spot in the starting rotation.
Tyler Dyson (5-3, 4.47),
Jack Leftwich (4-4, 4.80) and
Tommy Mace (3-0, 4.93) have all taken turns with mixed results. A sophomore who proved invaluable in the postseason last year, Dyson opened as the No. 3 starter before giving way to Leftwich, a freshman. Dyson recently had a cortisone shot in his right shoulder in hopes or returning to full strength. Meanwhile, Leftwich had a couple of solid starts before Mace took a turn against the Bulldogs. Also a freshman, Mace looked sharp in his first SEC start, limiting Mississippi State to one run and three hits in 6 1/3 innings. The best-case scenario is that one of the three can get lock down the spot behind Singer and
Jackson Kowar the way. Mace gets the start tonight against LSU.
4. BYRNE BOUNCEBACK
Closer
Michael Byrne (2-1, 12 saves, 2.06) turned in a strong regular season, but like the Gators, Byrne struggled at Mississippi State. In two outings, Byrne allowed six hits and five runs (four earned) in 1 2/3 innings. A closer's psyche can make or break a team when the pressure starts to mount. Byrne shined for the Gators during their climb toward a national title a season ago and could use a good outing for his confidence.
5. STEADY DOES IT
The alarmists among us are probably looking at Florida's first game in the SEC Tournament as a make-or-break game. If you are in that group, step back from the ledge, take a deep breath and walk the dog. The important games start the following weekend at McKethan Stadium. Still, there's no doubt O'Sullivan and the Gators want to return home in a better mood than the bus ride from Starkville to Hoover earlier this week. Does that mean they must win the tournament? No. But it does mean sharpening their play and taking advantage of some of the opportunities they have squandered during their four-game losing streak.
