Wednesday, March 2
Gainesville, FL
7:00 PM
Florida Gators
vs
UCF
Jackson Kowar will make his starting debut on Wednesday night.
No. 1 Florida Hosts UCF Wednesday Night
Wednesday, March 2, 2016 | Baseball
The Gators notched a 9-5 victory over the Knights on Tuesday night.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – After a five-game road trip, No. 1 Florida (8-1) returns to the friendly confines of McKethan Stadium on Wednesday at 7 p.m. for the back end of its home-and-home series with UCF (6-3). The Gators picked up a 9-5 victory over the Knights at Jay Bergman Field on Tuesday night.
The game can be heard through FloridaGators.com on the Gator IMG Sports Network with Steve Russell and will be streamed on SEC Network+ with Jeff Cardozo and Nick Belmonte.
QUICK HITS ABOUT THE GATORS
DRAWING THE START
Right-hander Jackson Kowar (0-0, 6.00) will make his collegiate starting debut and will oppose UCF junior RHP Trent Thompson (0-0, 2.45). Kowar has made two relief appearances spanning three innings and has five strikeouts and one walk. He made his debut in the finale against FGCU on Feb. 21 (1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 K) and then pitched last Wednesday night in Lakeland versus Eastern Michigan (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 K, 1 BB).
LAST TIME OUT
No. 1 Florida claimed a 9-5 victory over UCF on Tuesday night. The crowd of 3,831 at the UCF Baseball Complex was the third-highest in school history. Sophomore Jeremy Vasquez drove in a career-high three runs for the Gators, sophomore left-hander Nick Horvath (1-0) earned his first win with a career-long stint of 2.2 innings in which he yielded one hit and one run and junior Frank Rubio worked three effective innings to collect the save. UF totaled 14 hits against six UCF pitchers, with sophomore Dalton Guthrie, freshman Jonathan India and junior Buddy Reed chipping in with three apiece. India (3-for-5) scored twice and connected on his first homer in the seventh inning.
FAST STARTERS
Florida has out-scored opponents by a 13-2 margin in the first inning this season, is 5-0 when scoring in the opening frame and 6-0 when scoring first.
LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER ENCOUNTER
In three career games against UCF, sophomore shortstop Dalton Guthrie is 6-for-16 (.375) and he went 3-for-6 with a pair of runs and a double out of the leadoff spot on Tuesday.
SERIES NUGGETS
Florida holds a 26-16 (.619) advantage in its series with UCF, including a 17-10 (.630) edge in Gainesville.
The Gators have taken 11 of the past 16 meetings against the Knights, and each team emerged victorious on its own field last season. No. 9 UCF posted a 4-3 victory over No. 2 Florida on March 3 at Jay Bergman Field before the Gators rebounded with a 10-2 win the following night at McKethan Stadium.
Kevin O'Sullivan is 9-3 (.750) against UCF, 6-1 (.857) in Gainesville and 3-2 (.600) in Orlando.
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The game can be heard through FloridaGators.com on the Gator IMG Sports Network with Steve Russell and will be streamed on SEC Network+ with Jeff Cardozo and Nick Belmonte.
QUICK HITS ABOUT THE GATORS
- Florida has captured eight of nine contests on the season and is 4-0 on its home turf after sweeping FGCU and defeating Eastern Michigan.
- The Orange and Blue will play 13 of its next 14 outings at home, the exception being a trip to Jacksonville next Tuesday to meet UNF.
- Offensively, freshman second baseman Deacon Liput batted .500 (4-for-8) with five RBI and five walks against No. 6 Miami and has at least one hit in all nine of his collegiate games on his way to a team-best .448 (13-for-29) average. Liput paces the squad with 12 RBI, has drawn seven walks, roped five doubles and has a couple of triples.
- Junior first baseman Peter Alonso (.429, 11 RBI) went 5-for-11 (.455) last weekend and sophomore catcher JJ Schwarz (.321, 14 R, 9 RBI) hit .417 (5-for-12) with five RBI and five runs. The duo drew a combined five free passes from the Knights on Tuesday.
- Florida is 12-for-14 on the basepaths, led by junior Buddy Reed (5-for-5) and Liput (3-for-3).
- Sophomore Jeremy Vasquez (.357) drove in a career-high three runs on Tuesday night on a two-run double (1st) and a sacrifice fly (3rd).
- The Gators are 6-1 (.857) against in-state foes this season, sweeping the opening weekend set against FGCU, taking a 2-1 series from No. 6 Miami and downing UCF on Tuesday night.
- UF's pitching staff has racked up 98 strikeouts in 80 innings and is holding foes to a .200 performance at the plate.
- Thirty-four of the team's 95 hits have gone for extra bases: 23 doubles, six homers and five triples. The club's seven two-baggers at UCF was its highest total since March 31, 2012, against Ole Miss.
DRAWING THE START
Right-hander Jackson Kowar (0-0, 6.00) will make his collegiate starting debut and will oppose UCF junior RHP Trent Thompson (0-0, 2.45). Kowar has made two relief appearances spanning three innings and has five strikeouts and one walk. He made his debut in the finale against FGCU on Feb. 21 (1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 K) and then pitched last Wednesday night in Lakeland versus Eastern Michigan (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 K, 1 BB).
LAST TIME OUT
No. 1 Florida claimed a 9-5 victory over UCF on Tuesday night. The crowd of 3,831 at the UCF Baseball Complex was the third-highest in school history. Sophomore Jeremy Vasquez drove in a career-high three runs for the Gators, sophomore left-hander Nick Horvath (1-0) earned his first win with a career-long stint of 2.2 innings in which he yielded one hit and one run and junior Frank Rubio worked three effective innings to collect the save. UF totaled 14 hits against six UCF pitchers, with sophomore Dalton Guthrie, freshman Jonathan India and junior Buddy Reed chipping in with three apiece. India (3-for-5) scored twice and connected on his first homer in the seventh inning.
FAST STARTERS
Florida has out-scored opponents by a 13-2 margin in the first inning this season, is 5-0 when scoring in the opening frame and 6-0 when scoring first.
LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER ENCOUNTER
In three career games against UCF, sophomore shortstop Dalton Guthrie is 6-for-16 (.375) and he went 3-for-6 with a pair of runs and a double out of the leadoff spot on Tuesday.
SERIES NUGGETS
Florida holds a 26-16 (.619) advantage in its series with UCF, including a 17-10 (.630) edge in Gainesville.
The Gators have taken 11 of the past 16 meetings against the Knights, and each team emerged victorious on its own field last season. No. 9 UCF posted a 4-3 victory over No. 2 Florida on March 3 at Jay Bergman Field before the Gators rebounded with a 10-2 win the following night at McKethan Stadium.
Kevin O'Sullivan is 9-3 (.750) against UCF, 6-1 (.857) in Gainesville and 3-2 (.600) in Orlando.
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