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BSB: Five headlines from the weekend sweep

February 24, 2025

(Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

After a series sweep against Dayton this weekend — for the first time with 10+ runs in each game since 2005 — the No. 8 Florida Gators are 7-0 with the more challenging portion of the schedule coming up fast. But before the Gators move on to the midweek and beyond, here’s five headlines from the weekend:

Trending upwards among the rest

You read that right: it’s the No. 8 Florida Gators. D1Baseball upped Florida’s ranking from tenth in the nation Monday morning. The Gators are now the sixth-ranked SEC squad and the second best team in the state, sitting one spot behind No. 7 Florida State, who will serve as Florida’s first ranked opponent of year on March 11.

So until then, how is Florida supposed to move up? Staying undefeated. Only three teams ranked above UF (Tennessee, North Carolina and FSU) are without a loss. If the Gators can outlast any of these teams, there’s a chance to leapfrog them.

Stolen base standard headed towards reset

Here’s a not so fun stat: the Gators stole only 43 bases last year on 54 attempts.

Now here’s one to make you feel better: Florida has already stolen 25 bases this year on just 28 attempts — tied for second in the country. Unless something seriously drastic happens, the Gators will easily eclipse last season’s figure this year. Even more fun, they’re well on pace as of right now to break the program record of 148 set by the 2001 Gators.

Coach Kevin O’Sullivan and his staff’s approach towards speed this offseason — both in recruiting and game planning — is paying off dividends so far.

The depth is deep

One of the most impressive things about Florida so far is just how deep its bats are. Multiple Florida players have remarked that the Gators could field two competitive teams this year, and they pretty much are. O’Sullivan has brought out new lineups every night and will likely continue experimenting until at least conference play begins.

This is a welcome change for UF, which has been quick in seasons past to figure out its lineup early and stick to it, only making adjustments when things go south. This depth provides Florida with an extremely helpful advantage.

“Personally, I’ve never played on a team with this much depth,” Florida third baseman Bobby Boser said after Friday’s win versus Dayton. “I love having everyone behind us, and it kinda takes some of the pressure off of other guys.”

Bullpen holding it down after shallow starts

Florida’s starting rotation certainly has been effective this year. The trio of Liam Peterson, Jake Clemente and Pierce Coppola have allowed just four earned runs in 30 combined innings. However, O’Sullivan did comment after Saturday’s win that he’d like to see all of his guys go deeper. He also noted that short-start situations led to a lot of Florida losses last season.

“Last year, when we had games like this, a lot of the time it got away from us,” O’Sullivan said.

That’s not the case this year. Florida’s deep and young bullpen has done well to keep the Gators ahead through the end of games so far. UF’s staff as a whole has tossed 57 innings, including just four without recording a strikeout.

Still O’Sullivan already announced he’d be shaking up the rotation a bit, splitting his righties by moving Coppola to Saturdays ahead of this weekend against Miami. Time will tell if that’s the fix.

Love for Lawson all around

Freshman infielder Brendan Lawson has drawn support from all over this season. The Canadian was hyped up by O’Sullivan for his hand speed and zone control all Fall and early Spring, and it’s showing on the field. He put up six hits, nine RBIs and a home run this week to earn SEC Freshman of the Week honors.

“He’s the most mature hitter I’ve ever seen,” said senior outfielder Ty Evans.

Florida’s next matchup will come this Tuesday on the road against Stetson. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will stream on ESPN+.
BSB: Gators sweep Dayton in third consecutive run-rule finish

February 23, 2025

Photo via Gainesville Sports Commission

Gators second baseman Cade Kurland dug in for the bottom eighth. After not hitting a home run all season, he already had one on the day. With a chance to walk it off on a run-rule, Kurland put a ball over the outfield wall once again to secure the win.

“Obviously I didn’t start, and it’s important in that position to stay in the game,” said Kurland. “Nothing left to do but simplify and try to smash the ball.”

No. 10 Florida (7-0) defeated Dayton (2-5) 12-2 Sunday to secure its second series sweep of the year. Starting pitcher Pierce Coppola finished with 3 hits, 2 earned runs, 8 strikeouts and 1 walk in 5.0 innings pitched.

“I thought Pierce was really good again,” Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said.

Coppola got out to a hot start, sitting the side in order through the first three innings. The Gators’ bats couldn’t provide any insurance through the opening third, remaining scoreless with a 1-2-3 second inning to boot.

Dayton outfielder Michael DiMartini broke Coppola’s short-lived bid for a no-hitter with a triple to lead off the fourth inning. He’d score on a sacrifice fly to give Dayton its first lead of the weekend.

Things began to unravel quickly for the Flyers, however. They pulled their starter after giving up the tying run on a Ty Evans RBI single for righty reliver Ben Dean, who immediately let up three more runs on a pair of singles. He was pulled for lefty Bennett LaPalm, who finally made the third out.

After four innings, the Gators led 4-1.

Dayton responded quickly in the top fifth inning with a single-shot homer to right field. The Flyers couldn’t add any more runs, however, still trailing 4-2 at the end of the frame.

Florida tacked on another run in the fifth with Evans’ second RBI single of the day. A questionable double play call would end the inning with the Gators leading 5-2.

“I was just trying to stack good at bats,” Evans said. “Nothing too crazy.”

McNeillie took over for Coppola in the sixth. He’d toss two hitless innings with three strikeouts before being pulled for Aidan King.

Kurland homered for the first time this season to score two runs and make it a 8-2 ballgame in the bottom seventh. Florida tacked on another thanks to a fielding error to make it 9-2 with the potential run-ruling score at the plate. Donay added another RBI on a ground out to make it 10-2 after eight.

The junior homered again in the eighth to walk off the game and secure the sweep.

“Overall, it was a really good day,” said O’Sullivan. “Sometime Sundays can be difficult, but I thought they had a lot of energy.”

The Gators will travel to DeLand for their Tuesday matchup against Stetson. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. and will stream on ESPN+.
BSB: Florida rolls Flyers in series win

February 22, 2025

Photo via Gainesville Sports Commission

Brendan Lawson is now among a select company. In a Florida Gators lineup that has changed it’s offensive approach to be so small-ball oriented that it’s almost anti-power hitting, he was one of five Florida starters Saturday without a home run this season.

Lawson, deciding to rebel from the status quo, can now call himself the only Gator with a grand slam.

Florida (6-0) run-ruled Dayton (2-4) 11-1 to secure a series win and set up for a sweep tomorrow. The small-ball Gators plated its 11 runs on nine hits and stole four bases in the contest.

Florida starting pitcher Jake Clemente found himself with runners in scoring position early. Despite the jam, he struck out three batters to get through a scoreless first frame. The sophomore right-hander finished with seven strikeouts, two walks and zero earned runs in 4.0 innings pitched.

“I don’t know, he seemed a little off tonight,” said Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan. “Overall, a good night. We just gotta figure out the starting pitching thing.”

The Gators got on the board early thanks to the help of Blake Cyr, who’s been in solid form since Tuesday’s tilt against Jacksonville. The left fielder doubled up the foul line in the bottom of the first inning before advancing to third on a passed ball. He would eventually tag up and score thanks to a sacrifice fly out from Bobby Boser.

UF expanded the gap in the third. After loading up the bases, Lawson hit one into the home bullpen for a grand slam — the first long ball of his career — and put the Gators up 5-0.

“It feels good to get it out of the way,” said Lawson.

Clemente, in his fourth and final inning, found himself in another jam — this time with the bases loaded. He was able to come away without a run and logged his seventh strikeout of the night before being pulled for Frank Menendez ahead of the fifth.

The Gators added on some insurance in the bottom sixth on a two-run double from Shelton. Headed into the last third of the night, UF led 7-0.

Menendez would strikeout five batters and walk none through a scoreless three innings of work. Sophomore Matthew Jenkins took over for the lefty to start the eighth. He’d let up one run before getting out of the frame with a strikeout to boot.

“It’s definitely a huge confidence booster, to go in there after not pitching for a while and kind of dominate,” said Menendez.

UF cruised through the final frames, adding enough runs to enact the run-rule in the bottom eighth as Stripling walked it off on a two-run single.

Florida will seek the sweep tomorrow at noon. The game will stream on SEC ESPN+
BSB: Gators fight off cold, run rule Dayton

February 21, 2025

Photo by Samuel Lewis • Getty Images

The Florida Gators continued its winning ways Friday night and showed off the full potential of their small-ball approach against the Dayton Flyers.

No. 10 Florida (5-0) defeated Dayton (2-3) 13-1 in the first game of the weekend series. The Gators only left the yard once and scored on walks, wild pitches and sacrifice hits eight times. Six Gators have multi-stolen base games already this season.

“It was a good night for us,” head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “You’ve gotta have the skillset to do this obviously, and push the issue offensively.”

Florida got on the board early with a two-run homer from Bobby Boser. It marked his third of the season and put the Gators up 2-0 in the bottom of the first. Junior infielder Cade Kurland tacked on another run on a groundout to third which scored Colby Shelton. By the time Luke Heyman struck out looking to end the first frame, the Gators led 3-0.

The Gators continued to play small ball, adding another run with a Yost groundout to third, scoring Blake Cyr, in the bottom second. Dayton starting pitcher Chris Peguero then caused some self-inflicted wounds, advancing Boser to third on a failed pickoff and scoring him on a wild pitch.

Kurland would knock in an RBI single to take a 6-0 lead before Dayton finally made the inning’s third out.

Florida ace Liam Peterson had a solid start, working three scoreless innings and allowing just one hit in the process. It was a different approach than his 12-strikeout performance last week, fanning just two batters headed into the fourth.

The righty would load the bases before striking out to more to close the frame and end his evening. Peterson finished with five strikeouts, two hits, two walks and the win in his second-straight scoreless performance.

“That was my first time pitching in that cold of weather,” Peterson said. “It wasn’t fun, but it was something to learn for the future… glad I grew up in Florida.”

A Brendan Lawson RBI single in the bottom of the fourth made it 7-0, but Dayton left Peguero on the hill to get the final out. He got the job done and finished his night with eight hits, seven earned runs, seven strikeouts and two walks.

Freshman righty Jackson Barberi pitched one inning of relief in the fifth, allowing two hits and striking out one before being replaced by Caden McDonald in the sixth. He’d let up an RBI single for Dayton’s first run of the game and was replaced by Christian Rodriguez

“We got some other guys we need to get out there, but they’ll get their opportunity,” O’Sullivan said.

UF would expand its lead to 13-1 and enter run rule territory in the bottom sixth with help from a Cyr two-run double and some more small-ball scoring.

Rodriguez entered with a chance to close the game in his UF debut. He struck out two to secure the win.

Florida and Dayton are set for game two at 4 p.m. tomorrow. The game will stream on SEC ESPN+.
WGYM Liveblog: No. 5 Florida at No. 1 Oklahoma

February 21, 2025

Hoo boy. It’s the Gators’ first time facing Oklahoma since the Sooners joined the SEC, and let’s just say it’s a good preview of postseason.

It’s not exactly a 1:1 comparison – the Sooners have been in their usual rare form, while the Gators have had some hiccups. They haven’t been their usual improve-every-week selves; there’s been a lot of up and down so far this season. However, also worth considering is that Florida is also likely out of contention for the regular season SEC title, so it doesn’t go into this with much to lose. Can the team take that attitude and go all out to beat the Sooners in their own house?

Personally, I doubt that, but I do expect a strong showing. I think we may see some more play with lineups – this team has not found its final six on… really any event, in my opinion, so Rowland will likely take tonight as an opportunity to try another iteration. Athletes also need resting and rotating out, so don’t be surprised if we see new faces pop up here and there.

Some key things to look for – keeping it close after rotation one would be huge. Don’t expect Florida to lead, given that bars is where the Gators have had the most trouble this season, but a close meet after one is a good sign. After two, if Florida has closed any of the distance, that’s even better: that demonstrates that the vault team is ON, because Oklahoma’s bars team is ridiculously good, ranked No. 1.

After the half, Florida needs a clean floor set and then to go lights out on beam, and if they want to win, the Gators may need some help from a little Sooner beam meltdown. Crazier things have happened.

It all starts at ESPN2 at 9pm ET, but if you can’t tune in, we’ll have the action right here for you, and scores will also be right here.

9:01pm: Broadcast is live – Bart Conner and Bridget Sloan are commentating, I love this song.

Pederson, OU VT: Y1.5, big step forward, some knees in the air for sure.

Pilgrim, UF UB: Good opening handstand. Pak is clean, low bar handstand work is solid. van Leeuwen – oh no! She can’t quite get her hand over the bar right and slams down on the ground. Looks like maybe she hyperextended her shoulder or elbow? Hard to tell.

She stays on the ground for quite some time, but decides to get up and rechalk! Gets back up, just does her dismount – full in is stuck cold! That’s a tough start but glad she seems okay.

Torrez, VT: Y1.5, just a little scoot forward. Legs come apart a little early in the air but toe point is gorgeous as she flies, not the biggest distance but overall an excellent vault.

McCusker, UB: She’ll need to reset this lineup and start over for the team. Good opening handstand. Maloney to pak, clean. Great low bar handstand there, Chow 1/2 is gorgeous. Stalder to double tuck, little slide forward. Good reset!!

Wells, VT: Y1.5, a little off to one side but stuck?? Wow. Maybe a small adjustment in the slow-mo? Hard to say from here.

Draser, UB: Good low bar handstands to start. Maloney to pak, leg form actually pretty clean. DLO, a little low on her landing, step forward, but another hit, they need that.

Bowers, VT: Y1.5, little step forward – better dynamics than the other vaults so far.

Blakely, Jr., UB: Ricna to pak, some leg sep there but gets through it. Final handstand is over 180, double front half out is stuck cold!

Mueller, VT: Y1.5, step forward. Also off to one side, lands on the white line on the right.

Wong, UB: Maloney to pak, pretty clean. van Leeuwen, also excellent. Maybe shy on final handstand? DLO stuck!

Davis, VT: Y1.5, great distance, sizable step forward.

Harris-Miranda, UB: Great opening handstand. Ray is good, not the most dynamic she’s done. Bail is dead on. Great final handstand work. DLO is stuck cold! That’s clutch.

AFTER ONE: OU 49.475, UF 49.275

Two tenths is not as close as we’d maybe like to see, but given what happened with Pilgrim, I’m not upset. Some of the scoring feels a little suspect to me… a 9.875 for Harris-Miranda at the end is a crime, frankly.

Looks like Pilgrim is out for vault at the least, and unlikely to return tonight. Being monitored closely.

9:26pm: Lazzari, VT: Y1.5, big bounce forward but very clean twisting form. Would much rather do that than undercook it.

Sievers, OU UB: Maloney to pak, some leg sep it looked like in the Maloney? Short on last handstand. Full in, little step back.

Bui, VT: Y1.5, didn’t quite get the block she’d want, has to take a step back on her landing. Underdone for sure.

Pederson, UB: Maloney to pak, leg form pretty clean. Short on last handstand again, maybe it’s my angle here? DLO, little step back.

Ferris, VT: Y1.5, BIG amplitude, but big hop forward.

Fatta, UB: piked Tkachev, gorgeous. Pak floats nicely too, although catches oddly. DLO, little bounce on the landing.

9:30pm: Wong, VT: Yhalf on, pike half off – little slide back, good height but not the most distance she’s gotten

Torrez, UB: Good opening handstand. Ray is great, pak is good – maybe a little leg sep? DLO, a little whippy, but stuck!

Disidore, VT: Y1.5, twists very quickly, just a single step forward, pretty controlled honestly. Good for her!

Davis, UB: Piked Jaeger is gooorgeous. Pak is so floaty. Great final handstand. Blind change is good, double front half out is stuck – that should be an EXCELLENT score.

Harris-Miranda, VT: Y1.5, STUCK COLD YES MA’AM! Some knees in the air but still an excellent, excellent vault. Best one of the night imo.

Bowers, UB: Piked Jaeger is strong. Great handstand to follow. Pak is clean. Solid final handstand. Full in, has to swim for it a little but doesn’t move!

AFTER TWO: OU 98.775, UF 98.65

The lead is closer! That’s what we wanted to see! Just over a tenth behind, this Gator team could catch up with a stellar back half – but they may need some help from the Sooners, especially given how home floor can go in Norman.

9:46pm: Davis, OU BB: Full turn is clean. Bhs loso, pretty solid. Front aerial to scale choreo, that’s fun! Really showcasing her flexibility here in the low beam section. Beat jump to ring jump, maybe a little shy of true ring position? Roundoff double full is stuck! Wow, a great start for the Sooners on beam.

Nguyen, UF FX: Front double full to sissone, one of her good ones! Some crossing over in her twisting form, but helps her get around I think. Dance series is lovely, gorgeous extension as always. 1.5 to front lay, straight into her arabesque, excellent.

Fatta, BB: Bhs loso, solid. Side aerial, very crooked but somehow keeps the wobble small. Hitchkick to switch side, clean. Switch to split, I think hits 180 but it’s close, she’s tight here. Bhs gainer full off the side, stuck.

Ferris, FX: Gorgeous full in to open, well controlled. Dance series looks very clean and pretty accurately rotated. 1.5 to front lay, super under control. Closes with Gator chomp, yeah that’ll be a good score.

Pederson, BB: Full turn, looked like she was going to check but doesn’t? Bhs loso, little break there. Hitchkick to switch side, fine. Side somi, super squatty, hate that. Roundoff double full is stuck though!

Clark, FX: DLO to start, let’s see – control is better this week but she’s still shuffling that front foot. At least she kept it in bounds this week! Super sharp in this choreo section, obsessed. Leap series is FABULOUS, so high and such great straddle positions. Front through to double tuck, MUCH better controlled. She’s getting better dialed in now, hoping next week will see a better landing on the DLO.

Bowers, BB: Opening low beam choreo is nice. Full turn is clean. Bhs loso, lean to the side, that’s a check. Split leap to switch half, great extension through her toes. Roundoff double full is stuck!

10pm: Blakely Sr., FX: Goes for her opening pass and lands short, OH NO. Oh god. Stays down for a second, Adrian Burde cuts the music off, and Blakely gets up on her own, hops off on one foot as fast as she can go… I can’t. This was her year.

Wells, BB: Side aerial, looked liked a switch leg, that’s fun. Switch leap to switch leap, a little shy on the second it looked like. Lean on the bhs loso but keeps it small. Dismount fine – I’m still shaken, sorry.

Wong, FX: I’m so glad it’s her after that, she’s got ice in her veins. She’s got this. DLO to open, overdoes it almost but covers with choreo. Dance series is great, not as sharp as maybe it is sometimes but plenty clean. Whip half to front full, excellent. A true power move from the CEO.

Torrez, BB: Wolf jump is nice and tight, love that. Side aerial to loso series, really attacks the beam. Full turn, clean. Switch to straddle, great positions in the air. Bhs gainer full – so efficient, stuck cold.

Harris-Miranda, FX: Front through to double tuck, looked like the landing surprised her but she doesn’t move those feet. Dance series is nice and sharp. Really hitting these musical cues, love it. 1.5 to front half to stag jump, great connection and quick twisting.

AFTER THREE: OU 148.3, UF 148.0

I am so gutted for Sloane Blakely. This was her year, she was doing so well, she had finally found her groove on floor and was slaying beam as usual. She’s been confirmed out with a lower body injury now – my guess is Achilles but could also be ACL – and that will likely be her season. Sister Skye was also clearly shaken – probably pretty triggered, given the same thing happened to her a year ago – but HC Rowland is right, no one is better equipped to help Sloane through this tough time.

10:19pm: Last one – let’s see what the Gators can do in the face of adversity.

Draser, UF BB: Series is solid. Switch to switch half, some flexed feet but good positions. Full turn is clean. Roundoff 1.5 – stuck! A great start.

Bui and McCusker will be subbing in for Blakely and Pilgrim. Oh boy.

Davis, OU FX: Front double full, legs a little wild. Does a kick instead of an arabesque in the corner, interesting tactic to mask momentum issues. Dance series is clean. 1.5 to front full, better control there. Not a huge fan of this choreo, to be honest.

Nguyen, BB: Onodi to bhs, very crooked in the air but self-corrects well. Full turn is clean. Switch to split, a little hesitation but I think she’ll be fine to get connection credit. Bhs 1.5 dismount, little adjustment to bring her heels together.

Pederson, FX: 1.5 through to 2.5, pretty clean and well controlled. Front double full, runnnns out of it into another kick in the corner. Dance series at the end, good positions in the air, some flexed feet.

Wong, BB: Switch to split leap, gorgeous extension. Front aerial to sissone, quick connection. Bhs loso, VERY solid. Gainer tuck full, little hop back. She needs to figure out that dismount or switch back to the double full, it is not working for her.

Mueller, FX: Front tuck through to double tuck, very well controlled. Really bringing the drama in this choreography, or attempting at least – not sure she’s really bringing the performance on this yet. Front lay to Rudi, twisting is clean, maybe a little wild on her step back. Dance series is clean. Ending choreo… I’m so confused. Oklahoma choreo is not for me.

Harris-Miranda, BB: Bhs loso bhs, looked like she was going to lean but locks those arms down, doesn’t move a muscle. Dance series lovely, full turn is clean. Front toss – big lean, thought she was going to come off but she didn’t! Good fight! Roundoff 1.5 stuck! Floated that thing so well.

Fatta, FX: Front double full to stag jump, VERY precise in that landing, wow. Front tuck through to 2.5, also well controlled. Dance series doesn’t have as much amplitude as maybe I expected? Choreo is fine – Fatta has always given me Dance Moms energy, so this routine makes sense for her, ha.

Bui, BB: Wolf turn, fine. But falls getting up out of it? Oof. She needs more time to settle into college I think. Bhs loso, some flexed feet but very solid. Split 1/2 from side stand, bobble, but holds on. Bhs 1.5, little hop forward.

Bowers, FX: Why does so much of this choreography lead with her rear end? Like they’re in leotards, that’s not necessary. Front double full to front tuck, super floaty. Double pike is also well controlled. Really hitting all her musical moments and serving the appropriate amount of creepy for her character. Dance series has great amplitude.

McCusker, BB: Double wolf turn, so clean. Bhs loso, she’s off from the start and has to hop down, oof. Remounts – switch leap to split jump, gorgeous extension. Beat to front aerial, very clean. Gator chomp in her routine, love that she still gets to do one. Gainer full off the side – she’s upset, that’s tough.

Torrez, FX: DLO, super high. Leap series is excellent, great amplitude. Front through to double tuck, really well controlled. Hop L turn is fine, probably there to push her difficulty just up to a 10.

FINAL: OU 198.075, UF 196.625

I’m at a loss tonight… I’m mourning what this season could have been, had all these athletes not gotten injured. Kayla, Skye, Lily all coming in injured, Morgan medically retiring, Kayla getting reinjured, Kaylee’s back, Sloane getting a concussion and now this? I’m just… not our year, I guess.

I think I’ll be here for next Friday against Mizzou, but will keep y’all posted on Twitter. Stay sane out there, Gator fans. G’night.
BSB: Three things to watch against Dayton

February 20, 2025

Photo by James Gilbert • Getty Images

Florida baseball fans missed out on the second midweek game of the year after the Gators won in Jacksonville 10-4 Tuesday night and had their Wednesday matchup against Florida A&M cancelled. Not to fear, the Gators are back this weekend for a three-game stint against the Dayton Flyers.

Here’s three things to watch out for this weekend:

Dayton’s leading slugger just getting started

Martin Howell leads the Flyers in batting average, slugging percentage and OPS through the team’s first four games and is one of just two players to record a home run for Dayton. However, Howell has only appeared in two games this season.

Expect the sophomore catcher to play in all three games this weekend, either behind the dish or somewhere else in the order. He’ll look to make an impact against a tough Florida rotation.

Donay’s streak on the line

After one series it may have been overzealous, but now that Brody Donay has homered in four-straight games through the midweek, the streak must be acknowledged. He may not get out in every game of the series, but look for Donay to go yard at least once against a Dayton staff that’s given up 19 earned runs this year already.

Relief rotation still taking shape

Florida’s starting order last weekend of Liam Peterson, Jake Clemente and Pierce Coppola will certainly get the call again after an impressive showing against Air Force. However, coach Kevin O’Sullivan may opt to call upon some different arms out of the Gators’ bullpen.

Luke McNeillie and Aidan King both pitched Tuesday against Jacksonville after appearing in the prior weekend series. It’s unclear whether the pair will get more run this coming weekend. Alex Philpott threw just one inning Tuesday, making him a possibility.

Florida has also yet to field the likes of Jacob Gomberg, Christian Rodriguez and others. There’s also Jackson Barberi and Caden McDonald, who both made relief appearances last weekend. Expect O’Sullivan to continue exploring the depth of his staff against Dayton.

First pitch for game one Friday is set for 6:30 p.m. and will stream on ESPN SEC+.
MBB: No. 2 Gators Top Oklahoma; Improve to 23-3 on Season

February 18, 2025

Photo by James Gilbert • Getty Images

Thanks to a big first half and a balanced effort offensively, the Florida Gators defeated Oklahoma 85-63 in front of 10,513 fans at Exactech Arena Tuesday. Florida improved to 23-3 on the season and 10-3 in SEC play.

The Gators dominated the first half of play and did so on the heels of shooting 9-20 from three-point range. Walter Clayton and Will Richard each knocked down three triples and paced Florida in scoring during the first half with eleven points. The Gators took their biggest lead of the first half at the buzzer as Urban Klavzar’s layup made it 46-24.

Florida was on cruise control for much of the second half, possessing a large lead that never got below 17 (3:22 into the second half). The Gators would extend the lead to as much as 29 when Micah Handlogten made a layup with 4:12 remaining in just his second game back with the team.

The Gators were led by Clayton in the scoring column as he finished with 18 points on just 6-9 from the floor. Richard and Alijah Martin each finished with 14 while Rueben Chinyelu (11) and Klavzar (10) each reached double figures.

For the game, the Gators shot at a 45% clip while limiting the Sooners to just 39% from the field. The Gators knocked down five more shots from deep and outrebounded Oklahoma by one, 36-35.

Florida will travel to Baton Rouge to face SEC rival LSU at the Pete Maravich Arena Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 PM and the game will air live on SEC Network.
BSB: Five notables from the Gators’ opening weekend

February 17, 2025

Photo by Wesley Hitt • Getty Images

Florida baseball got off to a strong start in it’s opening weekend series against Air Force, sweeping the Falcons on the way to a 3-0 record. According to D1Baseball, the Gators remain the No. 10 squad in the nation. There’s a plethora of takeaways to unpack from opening weekend, but here’s the top five:

Donay’s power puts SEC on notice

Florida catcher/designated hitter got off to a blazing start in the opening series. He hit home runs in all three games, posting a .700 batting average to boot. Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan made note of of Donay’s raw power potential before the season began.

“Brody Donay swings the bat really good,” O’Sullivan said.

For his efforts, Donay earned SEC Player of the Week honors. It’s safe to say he’s leading the pack among Florida’s potential DH suitors so far.

Pitching staff off to encouraging start

UF lost the services of aces Brandon Sproat and Hurston Waldrep before the 2023 season, and the starting rotation took a dive in production as a result. Florida produced just five quality starts all of last season.

In the opening weekend of 2025, the Gators put up two, with potential for a third had Sunday starter Pierce Coppola gone a sixth scoreless inning. Beyond the starting rotation, Florida’s pitching staff combined for 47 strikeouts and just three walks across the first three games of the year.

It’s certainly a confidence booster for a UF program that felt almost handcuffed by its pitching woes at times during last season.

Coppola posts career-high in return to opening series order

The highlight of Florida’s pitching performances over the weekend was from the big lefty himself. Coppola, a redshirt junior, has been with the team since 2022 but has missed significant time due to multiple injuries. His start in game two of Saturday’s doubleheader was his first in an opening weekend since his freshman campaign.

It was a near-storybook return to the opening rotation, as Coppola struck out a career-high 12 batters in five scoreless innings. The performance was an impressive cap to a weekend where Florida seemed to figure out it’s starting order faster than it anticipated.

“I wanna stay healthy for the whole thing this time, but I’ll take the win today,” he said.

Jones, Evans injuries insignifigant

It didn’t take long for the Gators to face their first injury scares of the season, either. Kyle Jones didn’t reappear in the series after seemingly injuring his leg in game one. Ty Evans also was also unavailable after game one, a concern for fans who remember the senior slugger being sidelined indefinitely late last season.

Fortunately for UF, O’Sullivan said that neither injury was significant and more a matter of precaution this early on in a long season. Expect Jones and Evans to return to the Gators lineup by the weekend.

Small ball approach welcome change from 2024

One major gripe O’Sullivan had with his team last season was its over-reliance on the long ball.

“Hopefully, as a collective group, our offense will look differently,” he said.

If this weekend was any indicator, the Gators do look much different. They had no problem going yard, sure, but Florida was also the most aggressive it had been on the base paths in some time. UF recorded 14-straight stolen bases before finally being thrown out for the first time in game three. It also stole nine bases in one game — the most for the program since 2010. Florida might not reach historic base running figures each time out there, but the approach to the offense is assuredly different.

The Gators continues its campaign on the road against the Jacksonville Dolphins tomorrow at 6 p.m. The game will stream on ESPN+.
WBB: Gators Upset Mississippi State at the Buzzer, 69-66

February 16, 2025

Photo by Matt Kelley • Getty Images

On a night celebrating 50 years of Florida women’s basketball, the Gators didn’t disappoint. A sea of alumni in the O’Dome fired up Kelly Rae Finley’s squad, leading to a 69-66 win thanks to a Jeriah Warren buzzer-beater.

“Only thing I was thinking [on the final shot] was get in, get in, get in,” said Warren.

Mississippi State began the game attacking the paint and enforced a full-court press looking to force turnovers, however, Liv McGill had other plans.

The true freshman helped Florida orchestrate a 6-0 run minutes into the first and totaled nine points in the quarter.

The Gator’s defense forced eight Bulldog turnovers, as Mississippi State shot 35.3% from the field.

Florida led after one, 17-14.

Jerkaila Jordan took over in the second, helping the Bulldogs form a run of its own, scoring seven points.

The Gator’s offense lulled, leading to a four-minute field goal drought, which was broken by a Ra Shaya Kyle basket. Kyle grabbed four boards for Florida in the first half, leading the team. The senior is No. 5 in the SEC for rebounds per game (9.1).

Both teams enforced defensive pressure as the quarter continued, however, Florida benefitted the most. The Gators forced 17 mistakes for Mississippi State in half-one and scored 19 points off of them.

An 11-0 run in the final three minutes put Florida up 37-31. McGill entered halftime with 17 points, leading all scorers.

Florida’s offense slowed down in the third, as Mississippi State outscored the Gators by ten.

Diamond Desheilds had an 11-point quarter, hitting 3-of-3 from deep and 4-of-5 from the field, as the Bulldogs put together a 9-0 run after the halfway point.

Electric blocks from Alexia Gassett and Laila Reynolds late in the third slowed the momentum for Mississippi State, keeping the game close heading into the final ten.

The Bulldogs caught fire from deep in the final quarter, starting with two triples from Debreasha Powe.

Ra Shaya Kyle hit back-to-back buckets with under two minutes to go, forcing Sam Purcell to call a timeout, as Florida looked to complete a near double-digit comeback late in the game.

Gassett drained two free throws to tie it up at 66 with 1:20 left. At this point, the energy in the building was infectious with thousands of fans on their feet.

Florida secured a defensive stop with a Big Shay steal, allowing the Gators to take the final shot with 11 seconds left.

“I’m not sure we get those [defensive] stops without the crowd,” said Finley. “We don’t execute the way we need to [in the fourth quarter] if Gator nation isn’t there to support us.”

Warren didn’t shy away from the heroic moment and pulled the trigger as time expired. The ball took a bounce off the back iron, lingering in the air, before finding the bottom of the net.

The O’Dome erupted and the team swallowed Warren as Florida pulled off a 69-66 victory over the Bulldogs. This was Florida’s first home win in February and a morale booster for the team.

“As a coach, I know we’re getting better, but when the result isn’t what you want it’s hard to believe that’s the truth,” said Finley. “I thought all along if we could get one we won’t look back and to me, this might be that turning point that we really needed.”

The Gators improve to 13-13 on the season and 4-8 in conference play.

Florida will travel to College Station for a Thursday matchup against Texas A&M. The Aggies have lost five straight games and are coming off a week’s hiatus. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. and the game can be streamed on SECN+.
BSB: Coppola’s career day headlines Gators sweep against Air Force

February 15, 2025

Photo by John Byrum • Getty Images

After a solid performance in game one Friday night, Florida baseball fans were pleased to see an even more complete effort from the Gators in a Saturday doubleheader which saw another career day from a UF starting pitcher.

No. 10 Florida (3-0) secured a series sweep in a doubleheader against Air Force (0-3), winning game one 10-4 and game two 1-0. Gators left-hander Pierce Coppola threw a career-high 12 strikeouts in the second leg.

“I was a little nervous, I guess, just excitement being back here,” said Coppola. “Everything was working out, and I just kept rolling with it. I’m just trying to let it eat again.”

Like Friday’s opener, neither team could get much going in the initial inning of game one. This time, however, Florida was quicker to break the stalemate and get its bats rolling. It started with designated hitter Landon Stripling. The sophomore sent a ball careening off his bat at 102 mph into the right field grove to make it a 1-0 lead for the Gators.

Hayden Yost would add another run, scoring catcher Brody Donay on an RBI single, to make a 2-0 Gators lead. He’d make it all the way around to third on a stolen base and a wild pitch as Ashton Wilson walked to first and stole second. Blake Cyr then struck out to close the frame without adding any more runs.

“It was great day for me, but it was a really great day for the team,” Yost said.

Air Force was quick to respond, scoring for the first time this series albeit under odd circumstances. Cam Anstey was hit by Clemente’s pitch to reach first. A single from T.J. Oster put two runners on. A sacrifice hit and a throwing error from Donay scored Anstey and advanced Oster to third while putting Christian Taylor at second.

A sacrifice fly out and a fielder’s choice scored Oster and Taylor before Clemente could force a fly out to end the inning. The damage was done already and the Gators faced a 3-2 deficit headed into their third frame.

The Gators wouldn’t take long to respond, adding two more runs in the fourth inning. A double steal allowed Hayden Yost to score from third. Colby Shelton added a two-run shot into the right bullpen to make it a 5-3 Gators lead.

“Did I think [Yost] was gonna swing the bat good? Yeah, I had a feeling,” Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said.

The Gators would add four more runs in the fifth. Donay sent his second home run in as many games this season off the batter’s eye for two runs. A sacrifice fly from Shelton and an RBI single from Boser made it a 9-3 Florida lead heading into the back half of the game.

Florida starting pitcher Jake Clemente was replaced by fellow righty Luke McNeillie before the seventh inning. Clemente finished with eight strikeouts, no walks and just two earned runs on the day. Boser added another homer in the bottom seventh to make it a 10-3 Florida lead.

McNeillie would bring the Gators across the finish line in game one, tossing six strikeouts and allowing just one run on a two-out solo homer to help secure a 10-4 victory for Florida.

“I think we only walked one today in 16 innings,” O’Sullivan said. “It’s definitely a step in the right direction.”

The second leg of the doubleheader got off to the slowest start of the series. Neither team could log a run through the opening third of the game.

Then Donay happened. In the bottom of the fourth, he sent another tank into the outfield for his third home run of the weekend.

Brendan Lawson joined in on the fun, rounding the bases on a single, stolen base, ground out and passed ball. Florida led 2-0 after four frames.

Donay added some more insurance in the fifth with an RBI double. Blake Cyr would add an RBI himself on a single. Justin Nadeau, making his debut for Florida, tacked on two more. Then it was Yost with two, then Boser with one. Florida responded quickly in the bottom sixth with an RBI double from Lawson.

“There are a lot of guys who deserve the opportunity to get in the game,” O’Sullivan said.

An RBI double from Nadeau put the Gators in run-rule territory needing just three outs. Matthew Jenkins took over for King and got the job done, handing Florida the series sweep.

“Obviously looking forward to getting back on the field Tuesday,” O’Sullivan said.

Up next, the Gators will head to Jacksonville for a midweek matchup against the Jacksonville Dolphins. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game can be streamed on ESPN+.

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