Gators Set to Host Tennessee in SEC Opener
Thursday, March 12, 2015 | Baseball
Florida vs. Tennessee Series Notes
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – With conference play beginning around the country this weekend, No. 3 Florida (16-2) plays host to Tennessee (7-6) in a Southeastern Conference series at McKethan Stadium. The Gators are in the midst of a 10-game home stand, which ends on Tuesday night with Florida State coming to town for a 7 p.m. game.
For the Gators, sophomore right-hander Logan Shore (3-0, 0.00)will start Friday's conference opener at 7 p.m., sophomore left-hander A.J. Puk (3-1, 3.72) will get the nod on Saturday at 7 p.m. and sophomore righty Dane Dunning (4-0, 1.29) will draw the start in Sunday's finale at 1 p.m.
All three games of the weekend series can be heard through GatorZone.com and on the Gator IMG Sports Network with Jeff Cardozo and Steve Russell. The entire series will also be carried on SEC Network+ through participating TV providers only through WatchESPN. Live stats for each game will be available on GatorZone.com and fans can also follow updates of each game on @GatorZoneBB, the official Twitter account of the Gator baseball team.
PARKING SHUTTLE 
A FREE shuttle service is provided from the Commuter Lot on Gale Lemerand Drive (across from the UF Physics building) to McKethan Stadium. Shuttle services will begin 2 hours prior to the start of the earliest scheduled event, and will end approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the last event.
QUICK HITS ABOUT THE GATORS
- Florida is off to one of its best starts in school history with a 16-2 (.889) record heading into conference play. UF's 16 wins are tied for the second-most in school history entering conference play. The Gators were 18-4 (.818) before SEC play in 2004 and Florida was 16-1 (.941) before league play in 2012. The 2004 team (43-22 overall) lost in the Super Regionals and the 2012 team (47-20 overall) advanced to the College World Series in Omaha.
- UF continues its 10-game home stand this weekend and is 14-1 (.933) on its home turf. The Gators have won all four weekend series so far.
- The Gators are hitting .306 as a team (26th in NCAA), have a staff earned run average of 2.24 (14th in NCAA) and boast a fielding percentage of .985 (5th in NCAA). The pitching staff also ranks fourth nationall in WHIP (0.98) and fifth nationally allowing just 6.26 hits per nine innings.
- UF's trio of sophomore weekend starters, RHP Logan Shore (3-0, 0.00), LHP A.J. Puk (3-1, 3.72) and RHP Dane Dunning (4-0, 1.29), is 10-1 with a 1.66 ERA in 59.2 innings, with 47 strikeouts and an opponent batting average of .176.
- Shore is tied for first nationally in ERA while Dunning's four wins is tied for the national lead.
- Junior RHP Taylor Lewis (1-0, 1.50) earned a five-out save on Tuesday night, his fifth save of the season (t-12th in NCAA).
- The Orange and Blue rank sixth nationally in doubles (42) and are tied for 11th in runs (132), home runs (16) and slugging percentage (.474).
- Florida has 16 homers in 17 games. It didn't reach this total last season until the 40th game (4/20, UGA) and had 26 the entire year.
- The Gators have outscored their opponents, 132-50, including a 15-4 disparity in the first inning. Florida is 12-0 when scoring first.
- Junior LF Harrison Bader ranks among the nation's leaders in several major hitting categories: tied for 1st in home runs (6), seventh in slugging percentage (.898), tied for 12th in RBI (21) and 16th in on base percentage (.569).
- Freshman 2B Dalton Guthrie has batted .358 (29-for-81) out of the leadoff spot with 17 runs and has hit safely in 15 of the Gators' 18 outings. He leads the team with 10 multi-hit games, is tied for seventh in the country in doubles (9-most among freshmen nationally) and tied for 10th nationally with 29 hits -- second-most among freshman in the country.
- Freshman C/DH JJ Schwarz is tied for third among freshman nationally with four home runs and ranks 35th among all players with 41 total bases. He's hitting .358 (22-for-62) on the year and has a six-game hitting streak entering the weekend.
- The Gators are 13th in the country with 31 stolen bases, led by sophomore CF Buddy Reed, who ranks 19th with nine steals.
- Reed enters the weekend with a six-game hit streak and is batting .280 on the year.
- Senior 3B Josh Tobias had a career-long nine-game hitting streak end Wednesday night. After a slow start to the season, he has hit .457 (16-for-35) over the past nine games entering the weekend series. Over that span, he has totaled eight RBI, three doubles, two triples and a home run.
SERIES NUGGETS
Head coach Kevin O'Sullivan is 15-6 (.714) against Tennessee, 8-1 (.889) at McKethan Stadium and 7-5 (.583) at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville. UF has captured the last six regular-season series against the Vols, who had previously reeled of five-straight series wins. Dating back to 1986, the winner of the opening game of the series between the Gators and Vols has won the series 26 of 29 times (exceptions: 2000, UF wins last two; 1995, UT wins last two; 1990, UF wins last two).
TICKETS
Single-game tickets, season tickets and the Complete Game Mini-Plans can be purchased online through GatorZone or by calling the Gator Ticket Office at 1-800-34-GATOR from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For all of the latest information on Florida baseball, log on to GatorZone or follow the team's Twitter account @GatorZoneBB.
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Friday, March 13 – 7 p.m.
Presented by WRUF 850
- Pepsi Family Night
Families can purchase 4 GA tickets, 4 hot dogs and 4 sodas for only $20. - Gator Booster Night
Gator Boosters can purchase 2-for-1 reserved bleacher seats online using the promo code SWAMP. - Student Hot Dog Giveaway
1st 200 UF students receive a coupon for a free hotdog to be redeemed during the 3rd & 4th inning (Given away on Dizney Plaza).
Saturday, March 14 – 7 p.m.
Presented by Pepsi
- Ultimate Pi Night
Celebrate Ultimate Pi Night at McKethan Stadium with a free slice of pie and a pie eating contest.
First 100 fans receive Apple Pie on concourse - Pie eating promotion
Fan who eats the most pie in 30 seconds wins a gift card to the Gator SportShop. - Senior Voice of the Gators
One fan, 55 and older, can announce the Gators lineup in the bottom of the 5th inning. - Youth League Night
All youth league players & coaches in the surrounding communities are encouraged to come in uniform or team t-shirt to receive free general admission seating. - Seniors Night
Fans, 55 and older, can purchase 2-for-1 reserved bleacher seats online with the promo code JUKEBOX. - Military & First Responder Appreciation Night
Military members, veterans and first responders can purchase 2-for-1 reserved bleacher seating online using the promo code SALUTE.
Sunday, March 15 – 1 p.m.
Presented by UF Health
- Hat Giveaway
The first 750 fans receive hats courtesy of UF Health - Family Sunday
All general admission tickets, popcorn, and 12oz. sodas are just $1. - Community National Anthem
Prior to the game, all kids 12 and under can run onto the field and stand with the Gator players during the National Anthem. - Kids Korner
Magic Mike, balloon artist/magician, will be on-site from 12-2 PM - Job Well Done Day
Elementary and Middle School students completing a Job Well Done this year will receive free general admission passes from their teachers to the game, presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors. - The 10th Inning
Immediately following the game, Gator players will be available to sign autographs in Autograph Alley.
