GAINESVILLE, Fla. \u2013\u00a0The\u00a0No. 12\/21 Florida Gators welcome the No. 8\/7 Texas A&M Aggies to town for a top-25 series this weekend in the first action between the two teams since the 2024 season, when they faced off five times.<\/p>\n
The three-game set begins on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+ while game two airs on SEC Network on Saturday at 5 p.m. Sunday’s series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. on SEC Network+.<\/p>\n
Florida (28-14, 10-8 SEC) last hosted Texas A&M (31-7, 12-5 SEC) for SEC Opening Weekend\u00a0two years ago, taking two of three games for a series win (W 8-6, L 10-6, W 8-6) before dropping a pair of battles to the Aggies in Omaha (L 3-2, L 6-0). The Gators have dominated the head-to-head series in Gainesville, owning an 8-1 record in nine home games vs. Texas A&M under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan<\/a> – all since 2016. Despite that success, Florida is 14-18 all-time and 9-4 at home against the Aggies dating back to 1992, and 13-12 overall under O’Sullivan’s watch.<\/p>\n Pitching Matchups
\nSERIES PROMOTIONS & GIVEAWAYS Additionally, fans will be treated to a live national anthem for all three games. Mic man will join The Dazzlers on site Friday, followed by a Live DJ on Saturday. After the conclusion of the series on Sunday, kids can run the bases on the Condron Family Ballpark diamond.<\/p>\n FOOD TRUCKS Friday: Rollin’ Sliders, Kona Ice WEEKEND IN REVIEW AGGIE ANALYSIS DESTINATION OMAHA MOBILE TICKETING & FLORIDA GATORS APP PARKING\/SHUTTLES Click\u00a0HERE<\/a>\u00a0for a Parking map.
\u00a0 BALLPARK PURCHASES ON DECK Follow the Gators
\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nFans in attendance at Condron Family Ballpark this weekend will have the opportunity to get their hands on a pair of exclusive giveaways. For Friday night’s series opener, Florida baseball hats will be distributed to the first 500 UF students, with the first 100 eligible to customize their caps in Dizney Grove. An even bigger giveaway is on hand for Sunday’s finale, as the first 1,000 fans will receive Wyatt Langford Bobbleheads as the Single-Season Sluggers Series concludes.<\/p>\n
\nThere will be two food trucks located in Dizney Grove beyond the outfield wall for each game of the weekend series.<\/p>\n
\nSaturday: Rollin’ Sliders, Mi Apa
\nSunday: B’z Gelati, Smoked Biscuit
\n\u00a0
\nCHECKING OUR POLLS
\nFollowing a 1-3 week on the diamond, the Gators dropped from No. 7 to No. 12 in the Baseball America Top 25. Remaining ranked in every major poll, Florida fell just one spot at D1Baseball to No. 21 while coming in at No. 20 and No. 22 according to Perfect Game and the USA Today Coaches poll, respectively.<\/p>\n
\nIn the three-game series against No. 13 Auburn, the UF pitching staff worked to a 2.33 ERA, .241 batting average against and 26-to-eight strikeout-to-walk ratio in 27.0 innings pitched. Unfortunately, the Florida defense committed five errors resulting in nine unearned runs to allow the Tigers to steal games two and three. Florida hurlers did not throw a wild pitch all weekend and plunked just one batter.
\n\u00a0
\nGIANT SLAYERS
\nAlthough Florida has played to a 17-11 record against unranked teams this season, it boasts an 11-3 mark against ranked foes featuring the most top-25 wins in the nation. Florida has won road series against top-five teams by toppling No. 4 Georgia and sweeping No. 4 Arkansas, in addition to sweeps of No. 20\/10\/5 Florida State and No. 17 Miami (two games). The Gators’ series loss to No. 13 Auburn was their first against a ranked foe this season.
\n\u00a0
\nEARLY CASE FOR A TOP-EIGHT
\nBy taking two of three at No. 4 Georgia and winning game one vs. No. 13 Auburn, the Gators boast the nation’s best record against ranked opponents at 11-3 on top of being tied for the most Quad 1 wins in the country (12). Backed by a No. 11 RPI and No. 3 strength of schedule, Florida has gone a dominant 7-1 vs. top-10 foes featuring a 6-1 mark against the top five. Interestingly, all seven of UF’s top-10 victories have come away from home. The Gators have also handled business against lesser foes, going a combined 13-3 against Quads 3 and 4.
\n\u00a0
\nHOLD ON SEC
\nDespite the series loss to Auburn, the Gators have won nine of their last 12 SEC series dating back to last season. In that span, Florida has gone 24-12 across 36 SEC contests for a .667 win percentage.<\/p>\n
\nSitting in sole possession of second place in the SEC standings, Texas A&M is 12-5 in conference play behind a 31-7 overall record. Although they have played just 38 games, the Aggies have popped 80 homers and 83 doubles while slashing .312\/.444\/.581 as a unit. That has been plenty of production for the A&M pitching staff, which has logged a 4.50 ERA, .256 batting average against and 327-to-100 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 318.0 innings. The Aggies can pick it at a high level, as evidenced by a .983 fielding percentage.
\n\u00a0
\nSHUTTY BUDDIES\/NCAA RANKS
\nFlorida comes into the series repping a nation-high seven shutouts thrown \u2013 four shy of the program record of 11 set in 2011. The Gators have produced a shutout in 16.7% their games (42) for 25.0% of their victories (28). In addition to pacing the country in shutouts, Florida ranks 11th nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.11), 12th in strikeouts per nine (11.0), 16th with an SEC-leading 25 sacrifice flies, 18th in WHIP (1.28), 19th in ERA (3.91), 27th in walks allowed per nine (3.52), 32nd in hits allowed per nine (7.97), 37th in win percentage (.667) and 50th in home runs (54).
\n\u00a0
\nCYRIOUSLY STEAKING
\nSenior outfielder Blake Cyr<\/a> has homered in four-straight games entering the series, launching five total home runs over the last four contests to more than double his season total (nine). He has hit safely in six-straight games with four multi-hit efforts in that span. In the last five games alone, Cyr is batting .476\/.500\/1.190, leading UF in every slash category as well as OPS (1.690), total bases (25), hits (10), RBI (11), and runs (seven). Cyr is the only Gator with double-digit total bases in the last five contests, as he now paces the Gators in batting average (.336) and RBI (40) on the season.
\n\u00a0
\nTHE ONE TRUE KING
\nToting an SEC-best 1.71 ERA and 10 games started, Friday night starter Aidan King<\/a> has emerged as a frontrunner for SEC Pitcher of the Year. In line to finish with the s lowest ERA in back-to-back seasons, King ranks fourth in the SEC with six victories and a 0.93 WHIP on top of a team-high six quality starts, .188 batting average against and 55-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 52 2\/3 innings – making him one of 43 semifinalists for National Pitcher of the Year honors. Having started four of Florida’s nation-leading seven shutouts, King has surrendered three runs or less in eight of his 10 starts. During his three-start win streak, the righty has gone at least six innings every time out for a total of 20 2\/3 frames with just three runs allowed for a 1.31 ERA. Across his last 15 starts dating back to last season, King is 10-3 with a 1.28 ERA and 84-to-23 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 91 1\/3 innings pitched (13 earned runs allowed).
\n\u00a0
\nLIMITING THE LONG BALL
\nIn game two against Auburn, right-handed pitcher Liam Peterson<\/a> surrendered his first home run of the season in the second inning, snapping his streak of 46.0 frames without giving up a long ball in his 10th start of the campaign. As the lone big fly coughed up by UF starting pitching in the series, Florida starters have now allowed just four homers in 172 2\/3 innings all season, equating to 0.21 HR\/9. Across 93 2\/3 SEC frames, UF starters have surrendered just two home runs (0.19 HR\/9).
\n\u00a0
\nNEW LP DROPPED
\nHolding a 3.42 ERA and .230 BAA on the season, Peterson has thrived in two starts as the game two starter. Over his last two outings, the junior righty has thrown 12.0 innings with two earned runs allowed for a 1.50 ERA while striking out nine batters against two walks. In his first Saturday start at Georgia on April 11, Peterson pitched a career-high 7.0 frames with just one run allowed and did not issue a free pass. Going into his 11th start this weekend vs. Texas A&M, he ranks seventh in the SEC with 71 strikeouts and 12.8 strikeouts per nine.
\n\u00a0
\nGOLDEN SPIKES WATCH
\nAs one of 45 players on the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List and a Brooks Wallace Award Semifinalist, shortstop Brendan Lawson<\/a> leads the Gators in OPS (1.264), on-base percentage (.533), slugging (.696) and homers (11). In 37 games, the Canadian sophomore is hitting .322 while totaling 41 runs, 34 RBI, 43 walks and 10 stolen bases. Lawson leads the SEC in walks and on-base percentage while sitting third and ninth in the county in those categories, respectively. He also ranks eighth in the SEC in runs per game (1.11) and 11th in slugging. If the season ended today, Lawson’s .533 OBP would be the fifth-best in program history behind only Matt LaPorta (.582, 2007), Brad Wilkerson (.547, 1996; .538 in 1998) and Jac Caglianone (.544, 2024).
\n\u00a0
\nFEARSOME FOURSOME
\nNavigating through the top of the UF order has proven to be a difficult task, as each of the first four hitters in the Gators lineup are batting over .310 with an OPS above .885. The fearsome foursome is headlined by Lawson’s 1.229 OPS, followed by Cyr (1.005), corner infielder Ethan Surowiec<\/a> (.940) and center fielder Kyle Jones<\/a> (.888). Collectively, the quartet is hitting .322 on the season while accounting for 81.0% of the team’s stolen bases (34 of 42), 57.4% of home runs (31 of 54) and 54.8% of run production (143 of 261 RBI). The remainder of the Florida roster has combined for a .222 batting average.
\n\u00a0
\nWIEC IS LIT
\nFollowing an 0-for-4 night in Florida’s SEC opener vs. South Carolina on March 13, Surowiec has been red hot in the 23 games since with a .344\/.425\/.548 batting line. During that time, he has led Florida in batting average, hits (32) and runs (19). Surowiec has also been the Gators’ best hitter in SEC play by a wide margin, wielding a .356\/.427\/.575 slash line over 18 conference contests. His .356 batting average in SEC action is the highest on the team by .87 points (Jones: .269).
\n\u00a0
\nWHRITES OUT!
\nHonored as one of 61 relief pitchers on the Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List, redshirt freshman closer Joshua Whritenour<\/a> is tied for the SEC lead with seven saves in nine opportunities. Grabbing hold of the closer role out of the gate, Whritenour has worked to a 36-to-12 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 23 1\/3 innings pitched while ranking second on the team in appearances (17). The Tampa, Fla. native totes a 4.24 ERA. 1.29 WHIP and .207 batting average against.
\n\u00a0
\nRELENTLESS REPTILES
\nFlorida boasts 10 come-from-behind victories through 42 games, having erased a one-run deficit to take the series opener against No. 13 Auburn last Thursday night. In particular, the Gators’ five-run comeback on March 8 vs. High Point marked their largest since May 15 of last season against Alabama (five runs).<\/p>\n
\nComing off the program’s 17th-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, O’Sullivan is in his 19th campaign at the helm of the Gators. Since O’Sullivan’s 2008 arrival, Florida leads the nation with 315 SEC wins, 41 MLB debuts, 10 top-eight seeds, nine College World Series trips, nine Super Regionals hosted and six SEC titles. The Gators have advanced to nine of the last 15 College World Series overall \u2013 by far the most in the country.
\n\u00a0
\nTICKET INFORMATION
\nSeason tickets<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0SEC Five-Pack Mini-Plans<\/a>\u00a0are currently on sale now in addition to\u00a0single-game tickets<\/a>. Tickets can be purchased\u00a0online<\/a>\u00a0or by contacting the Gator Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683.<\/p>\n
\nAs a reminder, mobile ticketing is required. There will be two ways to access your tickets:
\n1) through the\u00a0Florida Gators app<\/a>\u00a0from your mobile device or
\n2) through\u00a0FloridaGators.com\/myaccount<\/a>. Fans will also be able to transfer or donate their tickets easily within the app or online.<\/p>\n
\nFans are encouraged to park at the Fifield and IFAS lots during the weekend. An increased number of shuttles will be available for transportation to the ballpark each day.<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/p>\n
\n\tGeneral Parking\u00a0is available in the west Condron Family\u00a0Ballpark baseball lot and the Fifield parking lot located directly across Hull Road.
\n\tDisabled parking\u00a0is available on a first-come, first-serve basis in the Condron Family\u00a0Ballpark west lot with a valid Disabled Placard.
\n\tFans can follow\u00a0this link<\/a>\u00a0to an interactive parking map.
\n\tRV Parking\u00a0is available in the Fifield Flat lot. \u00a0Reserved RV parking is not available for Florida baseball games. All motor home parking is on a first come, first-served basis.
\n\t
\n\t\tOn-board generators are permitted, however exterior or pull-along generators are prohibited at all times. For safety reasons, all motor homes\/RVs are required to utilize exhaust extensions or “smoke stacks” to channel exhaust fumes to the top of the motor home\/RV.
\n\t\tOvernight stays are only allowed on weekend series in the\u00a0Fifield\u00a0Flat\u00a0lot.\u00a0
\n\t
\n\t
\n\tDo Not Park Illegally
\n\t
\n\t\tPark in designated parking spots (Do not park on\u00a0grass or in No Parking Zones).
\n\t\tVehicles are subject to towing if they block streets, sidewalks, service drives, or fire lanes, or if illegally parked in a disabled space.
\n\t
\n\t
<\/p>\n
\nTRAFFIC PATTERNS ON GAME DAY
\nThose visiting Condron Family Ballpark on game day should be aware of updated traffic patterns surrounding the ballpark. Fans are advised to utilize Ballpark Way, which will serve as a connecting route to the ballpark from Archer Road. For departures, a postgame traffic flow pattern guide can be found\u00a0here.<\/a><\/p>\n
\nCondron Family Ballpark food and beverage sales are fully cashless. For convenience and to improve speed of service, all concession stands will only accept credit cards, debit cards, or touchless payment with smartphones. Fans with cash can stop at the first\u00a0base Concession Stand to exchange cash for a Gift Card. Gift Cards can be used at any concession stand within Condron Family Ballpark.<\/p>\n
\nThe Gators hit the road to visit Oklahoma in Norman for the first time in program history. The series runs from Friday, May 1 through Sunday, May 3.<\/p>\n
\n#GoGators
\nTwitter<\/a>
\nInstagram<\/a>
\nFacebook<\/a>
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n