Friday, February 15
Gainesville, FL
6:30 PM
Florida Gators
vs
Long Beach State
Gators Host Dirtbags to Start Season
Thursday, February 14, 2019 | Baseball
GAINESVILLE, Fla.--The Florida baseball team opens the season with a three-game series against the Long Beach State Dirtbags beginning Friday night at McKethan Stadium.
The season opener is Friday at 6:30 p.m. All three games this weekend will stream live on SEC Network+ via the WatchESPN app.
The season opener is Friday at 6:30 p.m. All three games this weekend will stream live on SEC Network+ via the WatchESPN app.
PITCHING MATCHUPS
| Friday | 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network+) | Saturday | 4 p.m. (SEC Network+) | Sunday | 12 p.m. (SEC Network+) | |
| UF | RHP Tyler Dyson | RHP Tommy Mace | RHP Jack Leftwich |
| LBSU | LHP Adam Seminaris | LHP Zak Baayoun | LHP Alfredo Ruiz |
SERIES HISTORY (Overall: Florida leads 6-3, In Gainesville: UF leads 4-2)
The Gators and Dirtbags played three-game series in 1991, 1992 and 1993. Florida won all three series 2-1.QUICK HITS
- Preseason Predictions: Florida opens the season ranked No. 3 in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll, behind SEC rivals LSU and Vanderbilt. In addition, the SEC coaches picked UF to finish third in the league behind Vanderbilt and LSU. Junior Tyler Dyson was voted as a preseason All-SEC Second Team selection.
- Winning Tradition: Entering the season, Florida owns the most wins in the country this decade.
- Division I Wins This Decade (2010-18)
- Florida - 421
- Louisville - 419
- LSU - 417
- Opening Strong: The Gators have won on opening night five years in a row. The only loss in 11 opening nights under head coach Kevin O'Sullivan came against Duke (L 3-4) in 2013. UF has won its opening weekend series 11 straight years. The last series loss to open the season came in 2007 against VMI, the year prior to O'Sullivan's arrival.
- Three True Freshmen in the opening night lineup will match the most in 12 seasons under O'Sullivan. Also:
- 2015 (C M.Rivera, 2B D.Guthrie, DH J.Schwarz)
- 2014 (LF R.Larson, CF B.Reed, DH P.Alonso)
- 2012 (2B C.Turgeon, 3B J.Tobias, DH T.Gushue)
- 2010 (C M.Zunino, SS N.Fontana, DH A.Maddox)
- First Freshman: Kendrick Calilao will become the first true freshman to start at first base under O'Sullivan on opening night. Calilao is the first true freshman to start at first base on opening night since Ryan Shealy in 1999.
- Experience Counts: In 11 previous seasons under Coach O'Sullivan, the opening day lineup has averaged 521 career starts. The projected 2019 Gators lineup (right) has a combined 525 career starts. The fewest starts entering a season came in 2013 (311 combined in opening day lineup). The most combined starts came in 2012 (787).
- Coaching Staff Consistency: Florida's full-time coaching staff of head coach Kevin O'Sullivan and assistants Craig Bell and Brad Weitzel enter their 12th season together at Florida. They are the longest tenured trio in the SEC.
- Finishing Strong: Sophomore Tommy Mace ended his freshman year with four scoreless outings, including two at the 2018 CWS. Over those four games, he totaled 8.0 innings with seven strikeouts and one walk. He enters the year with a perfect 5-0 record. Mace posted a 4.16 ERA over 62.2 innings with 45 strikeouts and 12 walks.
- COMPLETE GAME NOTES
PROMOTIONS
Friday, February 15th vs. Long Beach State | Opening Night
- Opening Night T Shirt Giveaway – The first 500 fans receive a commemorative 2019 Opening Night T Shirt!
- Trophy Display – Fans can take their picture with the 2018 SEC Championship and 2017 National Championship trophies on the concourse.
- Ceremonial First Pitch – Be in your seats early as we welcome back 2016 SEC Pitcher of the Year Logan Shore to throw the ceremonial first pitch!
- Food Truck Friday – Local food trucks Cilantro Tacos and Mayflower Cellars. Setup along the left field line by maintenance area.
- Pepsi Family Night – Families can purchase 4 GA tickets, 4 hotdogs and 4 sodas for only $24.
- Gator Booster Night – All Gator Booster members with valid ID receive 2-for-1 reserved bleacher.
Saturday, February 16th vs. Long Beach State
- Schedule Magnet Giveaway – The first 1,000 fans receive 2019 schedule magnets
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
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