The Florida Gators are the #1 seed for the NCAA Baseball Tournament for the third third time in program history (2012,2016), something no other program has accomplished.
Florida has been atop the rankings all year, but a rough stretch had put the top seed into question.
The Gators (42-17) will begin regional play in the friendly confines of McKethan Stadium against Ivy League champion, Columbia (20-28). This will be the early game on Friday with a start time of 1:00 PM.
Regional #2 seed Jacksonville (39-19) will face #3 seed Florida Atlantic (40-17). First pitch is set for 6:30 on Friday.
Florida has faces Jacksonville twice this year in midweek contest, splitting the pair. The Gators won 10-3 on March 21 while the Dolphins took a 8-4 decision on April 17.
The Gators have lost six of their last seven, including being swept by Mississippi State in the final weekend of the regular season. However, the resume Florida built over the season was enough to overcome the recent struggles.
The Gators will look to get back on track with the SEC Coach of the Year (Kevin O’Sullivan), SEC Player of the Year (Jonathan India), and the SEC Pitcher of the Year (Brady Singer).
The Gainesville Regional has been paired with the Raleigh Regional featuring NC State (40-16), Auburn (39-21), Northeastern (36-19), and Army (36-22).
Stay with The Gator Chomp Blog as Florida embarks on a journey toward a second consecutive National Championship.