Gators Ready for Regional Opener

Gators catcher Mike Rivera plays an integral role in the team's success. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)

Gators Ready for Regional Opener

Friday, June 2, 2017 | Baseball, Scott Carter

Florida enters the NCAA Tournament (almost) healthy and coming off worst loss of season.

By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer

Tournament Central for Gainesville Regional

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In a season largely defined by overcoming obstacles, the Gators face more on Friday night when they host Marist in the Gainesville Regional.

Florida will be without starting senior outfielder Ryan Larson, who suffered a head injury when he was hit by a pitch during last week's Southeastern Conference Tournament. If the No. 3-national seed Gators advance from the regional, Larson is expected to rejoin them for next weekend's super regional.

Meanwhile, the Gators enter the NCAA Tournament coming off their worst loss of the season, a 16-0 defeat to Arkansas that capped their stay at the SEC Tournament. Starting pitcher Brady Singer lasted just an inning, and with preserving arms an emphasis for head coach Kevin O'Sullivan, Arkansas worked over a steady stream of young UF pitchers sent to the mound to eat up innings.

But after what the Gators have been through, don't expect the inconsequential lopsided loss to linger after Jackson Kowar delivers the first pitch at McKethan Stadium on Friday against Marist, making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2009.

"I don't think there is much to worry about,'' said catcher Mike Rivera. "That's already over with. We've got more things to worry about now."

The Road to Omaha is officially open, and to return to the College World Series for the third consecutive year, the Gators need five more wins. The quest starts on Friday against Marist and continues on Saturday when the winner faces the winner of the South Florida/Bethune-Cookman game.

While O'Sullivan would prefer to have Larson in the lineup – he is the team's second-leading hitter (.318, 5 HRs, 23 RBIs) – having Rivera (hand surgery), shortstop Dalton Guthrie (ankle injury), Jonathan India (elbow) and Austin Langworthy (broken hand) healthy and available is a good start.

The Gators have been hampered by key injuries all season, including the loss of Guthrie for the SEC Tournament when he injured his ankle in the regular-season finale against Kentucky.

"It's been a weird season, going back to all the personnel we lost from last year's club, I think we lost close to $11 million worth of signing bonuses and we've had a lot of shoes to fill," O'Sullivan said. "We've had a balancing act with the injuries and all of those types of things. We've won 17 one-run games.

"Our recipe for success has been our starting pitching on the weekend. We've gotten some timely hitting here the last five or six weeks."

The Gators are in the NCAA Tournament for a school-record 10th consecutive season and won the SEC regular-season title. The Gators played their best late in the season, winning 20 of their final 24 regular-season games.

Junior JJ Schwarz, who helped fill the void behind the play along with teammate Mark Kolozsvary during Rivera's 22-game absence, heated up to help the Gators bat .299 in May after UF dipped as low as a .235 team average in March.

"We have more injuries than I've ever seen,'' Schwarz said. "I feel that speaks a lot about our team and how deep we are, how we've overcome obstacles."