Jonathan India leads the SEC in several offensive categories entering this weekend's three-game series at Texas A&M. (Photo: Allison Curry/UAA Communications)
Gators Notebook: O'Sullivan Pushes Starters To Dig Deeper
Friday, May 4, 2018 | Baseball, Scott Carter
Florida opens a three-game series at Texas A&M in search of its 18th consecutive series victory.
There's not much for head coach Kevin O'Sullivan to fret about entering this weekend's three-game series at Texas A&M other than the weather based on reports from College Station.
Still, O'Sullivan has perfectionist tendencies as a pitching coach and is pushing his starters to do better. That might seem harsh considering Florida's starting pitchers are 27-8 with a 3.39 ERA in 244 innings, surrendering just 197 hits while striking out 239.
More specifically, O'Sullivan is waiting for all three weekend starters to pitch deeper into games.
"If we can get ourselves to a point where our starters can go six full innings, obviously it's going to give us a much better chance to win on a weekend,'' he said. "Let's face it, when you are playing a regional, you are going to have to have three quality starts to win. That's out goal and our challenge."
The Gators (36-10, 16-5) have not had all three weekend starters pitch six innings or more in seven SEC series this season. The last time they did it was in early March during a three-game home sweep of Rhode Island.
Brady Singer has gone six or more innings in nine of his 11 starts this season, as has Jackson Kowar. However, after reaching the milestone in each of his first four starts, sophomore right-hander Tyler Dyson went six consecutive starts without recording at least 18 outs.
O'Sullivan inserted freshman right-hander Jack Leftwich into the rotation last weekend against Auburn and Leftwich, after allowing three runs in the first inning, went 6 2/3 innings to pick up his fourth win and first as a weekend starter.
Leftwich's outing spared the bullpen after Kowar's shortest start of the season (eight hits, seven runs in 4 1/3 innings) in an 11-5 loss.
"That's been my goal since I got here,'' Leftwich said. "To be able to get that opportunity as a freshman, so I just really want to take advantage of it and show them I can help the team win on the weekend."
Leftwich is scheduled to follow Singer (Friday) and Kowar (Saturday) on Sunday against the Aggies.
Dyson has made back-to-back appearances out of the bullpen since he allowed four hits and three runs in two innings of a 5-3 loss at Kentucky on April 21. In Saturday's series-clinching victory over Auburn, Dyson replaced Leftwich with two outs in the seventh but was unable to get an out.
He hit Josh Anthony with a pitch and gave up a single to Will Holland before O'Sullivan called on lefty reliever Andrew Baker to retire Steven Williams for the final out.
Dyson (5-3, 3.83 ERA, 49 1/3 IP, 48 H, 23 BB, 51 SO) remains a big part of the pitching plan while he attempts to get back on track. He has walked 13 over his last 10 2/3 innings.
"The bottom line is just keep running him out there. It's that simple,'' O'Sullivan said. "We're going to need him. We'll keep picking our spots … trying to get his confidence level going again. He's part of this team and he's going to be part of our success down the stretch. He's just going to have to keep working through it."
A hush came over McKethan Stadium late Saturday afternoon when Gators third baseman Jonathan India was hit on the left hand by a pitch from Auburn's Calvin Coker to lead off the bottom of the eighth.
India hopped around in pain for a few moments, made his way to first base as O'Sullivan and trainer Jon Michelini tagged along to check on him, and eventually left as a precaution to protect his glove hand.
It was the kind of moment that could have changed the course of the season if India had been seriously injured.
"It's never good to see a player like that get hit,'' shortstop Deacon Liput said.
Fortunately, India did not suffer a serious injury and is expected in the lineup at Texas A&M.
"We've been lucky where we've been injury-free, knock on wood,'' O'Sullivan said. "Certainly don't want to lose him. He says he feels fine."
All one has to do is look at the SEC batting leaders to grasp what kind of impact India is having this season. He leads the conference in hitting (.401), slugging percentage (.810), on-base percentage (.546), walks (39), runs (50, tied with Georgia's Keegan McGovern), total bases (115, tied with Kentucky's Luke Heyer) and is fourth in home runs (14).
India is beginning to gain traction as a top candidate for the Golden Spikes Aware, given annually to the nation's top player.
"It's incredibly hard. It's a really hard league and to get off to this kind of start is really impressive. We're looking to build from it." – Shortstop Deacon Liput on Florida winning its last 13 SEC series going back to last season
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