By Franz Beard
A few thoughts to jump start your Monday morning:
ARE THE GATORS BECOMING THAT TEAM NOBODY WANTS TO PLAY?
Wasn’t it just a couple of weeks ago that folks were lamenting the demise of the Florida baseball program, thinking it would take a miracle for the Gators to even make the NCAA field? D1Baseball had the Gators as their last team when they dropped to 23-17 (6-12 SEC) after getting swept by Tennessee. Just a few days ago D1 had the Gators sitting on a No. 3 seed in the Coral Gables region in its NCAA projections.
Now that they’ve won six of their last seven games including an impressive weekend sweep of Mississippi State in Starkville, the Gators (29-18, 11-13 SEC) are starting to look like a team capable of a rather surprising finish. At this moment, UF is not looking like an NCAA regional host, but there are still eight games to go including an SEC road trip to Missouri next weekend and a regular season ending set with South Carolina so things could change if the Gators can maintain this hot streak.
A break-even SEC record seemed next to impossible after losing three straight to Tennessee, but now that UF is 11-13 a 15-15 mark is very do-able and a 16-14 league record isn’t out of the question. Throw in the possibility of a pair of non-conference wins over Bethune-Cookman (Tuesday) and Florida State (next Tuesday in Gainesville) an 35-37 wins in the regular season doesn’t seem far-fetched.
The key to Florida’s sudden upturn is young pitchers finally starting to grow up and throw strikes. This is one of the younger pitching staffs in the entire country so it has taken awhile for the kids to figure things out. We tend to forget how few freshmen make the jump from high school to the SEC without a few speed bumps along the way. Since Hunter Barco went down with an elbow that will require Tommy John surgery, Kevin O’Sullivan has found his Friday and Saturday starters in redshirt sophomore Brandon Sproat (6-4, 4.96 ERA) and freshman Brandon Neely (2-0, 3.45 ERA). Both have been impressive in their last two starts. O’Sullivan may have found his third weekend starter in the familiar face of redshirt freshman Nick Pogue (2-2, 4.96 ERA), who missed last year because of Tommy John surgery. Pogue got the win against South Florida earlier in the week and that earned the start Sunday against Mississippi State. He gave the Gators five innings of 1-run baseball, finishing the week with nine innings, nine hits allowed and only two earned runs.
Redshirt freshman Ryan Slater (3-3, 5.10 ERA, 3 saves) picked up a save Friday night, then got the win in relief Saturday. Sunday, freshman Fisher Jameson (1-0, 2.70 ERA) went four innings for the win in relief of Pogue. Phil Abner (1-1, 8.35 ERA), got a critical strikeout Friday night and pitched the Gators out of a jam Saturday night.
The pitching is starting to come around and the Florida bats came through with 24 runs in Starkville. Wyatt Langford, moved to leadoff, came through with a 7-14 weekend with a home run and three RBI; Sterlin Thompson, moved to second base from right field, went 4-8 with a homer and three RBI; BT Riopelle went 6-11 with two homers and three RBI; freshman Ty Evans, given a start in right field Saturday and Sunday, went 3-9 with a homer and three RBI.
There are still eight games to play and it’s possible the Gators lay an egg, but don’t count on it. If they can keep up this newfound mojo, they might be that team nobody will want to play in the month of May.
Twelve of the SEC’s 14 teams make the tournament in Hoover. Here is what SEC baseball looks like with two weekends remaining in the regular season.
SEC EAST
Tennessee (42-6, 20-4 SEC): The Vols have clinched the SEC East and need three wins to win the regular season SEC title outright. They host Georgia this weekend and finish up at Mississippi State.
Georgia (32-16, 13-11 SEC): The Bulldogs are just one game ahead of third place Vanderbilt and two ahead of the Gators. They travel to Tennessee this weekend and finish against Missouri.
Vanderbilt (31-15, 12-12 SEC): The Commodores have the toughest finishing stretch of any team in the conference. They’re at Arkansas this weekend and they finish with LSU.
FLORIDA (29-18, 11-13): The Gators travel to Missouri this weekend and finish the regular season at home with South Carolina.
South Carolina (24-22, 10-14 SEC): The Gamecocks could assure themselves of making the SEC Tournament if they can sweep Kentucky this weekend. They travel to Florida to finish up.
Kentucky (26-21, 9-15 SEC): The Wildcats stunned Tennessee by winning the series. Now they have to travel to South Carolina and finish up against Auburn. They need to get to 13 wins somehow to assure that they’ll make the SEC Tournament.
Missouri (25-20, 7-17 SEC): Can the Tigers go 6-0 in their final two series at home against UF this weekend and at Georgia to close it out? That’s what it’s going to take to make the SEC Tournament.
SEC WEST
Arkansas (36-12, 16-8 SEC): The Hogs have a two-game lead over LSU and A&M with six SEC games to play. Four wins should secure the SEC West title and the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament.
LSU (32-15, 14-10 SEC): The Tigers get Ole Miss this weekend and then finish up at Vanderbilt. They need 18-19 SEC wins to secure second place in the division.
Texas A&M (30-16, 14-10 SEC): The Aggies will make the SEC Tournament. They probably need to go 5-1 against Mississippi State and Ole Miss to secure second in the SEC West.
Auburn (32-16, 13-11 SEC): The Tigers could blow by LSU and the Aggies for second place if they could close out 6-0 at home against Alabama then closing out at Kentucky.
Ole Miss (27-19, 10-14 SEC): The Rebels were once ranked No. 1 in the nation. Now they’re fighting just to make the SEC Tournament. They need to win three out of six at LSU and then at home against the Aggies.
Alabama (26-22, 10-14 SEC): The Tide has lost seven of their last nine against SEC teams. They finish at Auburn this weekend before closing out with Arkansas. They need at least three wins to stay ahead of Mississippi State to make the tournament.
Mississippi State (25-23, 9-15 SEC): The Bulldogs are at Texas A&M and then finish out at home with Tennessee. Anything less than a 4-2 finish and there’s no chance they make the SEC Tournament.
UF SOFTBALL: GATORS GET A NO. 5 SEED FOR THE SEC TOURNAMENT
Florida’s 41-15 record (13-11 SEC) may be good enough for the Gators to host an NCAA regional, but to host a super regional as well will take some work at this week’s SEC Softball Tournament which will begin Tuesday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. The 5th-seeded Gators will play their first game Wednesday at 5 p.m. against the winner of 12th-seeded Texas A&M (28-25, 6-18 SEC) and 13th-seeded South Carolina (26-29, 3-21 SEC). Win that and the Gators will face 4th-seeded Kentucky (35-16, 13-11 SEC) Thursday at 5 p.m. The Gators and Aggies didn’t play during the regular season.
The last time the Gators were a No. 5 seed in the SEC Tournament was 2019, when they finished with a 12-12 record in league play. At the SEC Tournament, the Gators went 4-0, disposing of 4th-ranked Alabama in the championship game. That 4-0 run earned the Gators a top eight national seed, which they rode all the way to the Women’s College World Series.
UF TENNIS: NO. 2 MEN, NO. 16 WOMEN ADVANCE TO NCAA SWEET 16
It was just a couple of days at the office for Florida’s men’s and women’s tennis teams in the first two rounds of the NCAA Championships at the Ring Tennis Complex. The 2nd-ranked UF men (25-2) won their 19th and 20th consecutive matches in disposing of New Orleans and Miami by identical 4-0 scores. The Gators face 15th-ranked North Carolina Friday in a Sweet 16 match at the Ring complex.
The 16th-ranked Florida women (21-6) took down South Alabama, 4-0, and Florida State, 4-1, to earn a trip to the Sweet 16 next Friday against No. 1 North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
UF LACROSSE: GATORS EARN NO. 7 SEED FOR NCAA TOURNAMENT
On the heels of their American Athletic Conference Tournament championship win over Vanderbilt, the Gators (15-4) were awarded a No. 7 national seed and host of the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The Gators, who have won 13 in a row will open play with Mercer Friday at 5 p.m. Win and the Gators face the winner of the 7:30 p.m. Jacksonville-Stanford matchup.
Danielle Pavinelli had six goals and an assist and Emily Heller had four goals and an assist to lead the Gators past Vanderbilt, 18-7.
UF WOMEN’S GOLF: GATORS BEGIN NCAA PLAY IN ALBUQUERQUE
The Gators are No. 11 in the Golfweek rankings, but they are the No. 2 seed at the NCAA Albuquerque Regional largely on the strength of their runner-up finish at the Southeastern Conference Championships. No. 2 ranked Oregon is the top seed at the regional which also includes Georgia (5th-seed, 27th nationally).
UF TRACK: ANNA HALL WINS USATF HEPTATHLON
Anna Hall scored 6,458 points to win the USATF heptathlon championship over the weekend, the second highest score in collegiate history. Hall’s victory assures her of a spot in the World Championships this summer.
Hall’s big weekend also bodes well for the 3rd-ranked Florida women, who will be participating in the SEC Championships in Oxford starting Thursday. The UF women won the NCAA Indoor championship earlier this year.
SEC FOOTBALL/BASKETBALL
Alabama: Offensive lineman Dayne Shor, who is in the transfer portal, released a statement that he needs a fresh start, particularly after dealing with serious depression the past couple of years. “The feeling of wanting to take your own life is a feeling like no other, and a feeling I wish no one else to ever feel,” Shor said in a statement. “The voices in my head would often take control of my life.”
Arkansas: Former Razorback KK Robinson, a former 4-star recruit who was considered the 10th-best point guard in the country out of high school, is transferring to Texas A&M.
Kentucky: Running back Chris Rodriguez faces multiple charges including DUI after a traffic stop over the weekend. Rodriguez ran for 1,379 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021 and has 26 career rushing TDs.
LSU: Voicing his concerns about NIL on ESPNU radio, HBC Brian Kelly said, “We’re looking at guys entering the transfer portal because they want to get paid to play but that’s not name, image and likeness was intended to do and so there’s going to have to be corrections. It’s not a sustainable model from that perspective.”
Vanderbilt: Wide receiver Amir Abdur-Rahman is transferring to Ball State for a super senior season.
ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Leave it to The Pirate to offer a new perspective on why the College Football Playoff needs to be expanded. After watching 80-1 longshot Rich Strike run down favorites Epicenter and Messier to win the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby Saturday, Mississippi State HBC Mike Leach offered up this gem:
“That horse winning the Kentucky Derby today is a good example of why an expanded college football playoff is needed. That horse hadn’t won all the races leading up, but it got its chance and that’s what happened.”
The playoff is going to expand and the only questions remaining are whether it will be an 8-team model which is favored by ACC commissioner Jim Phillips or the 12-team model favored by everyone else with a functioning brain. Leach, however, has a different perspective on that as well. He wants college football to adapt the NCAA Basketball Tournament model of 64 teams.
That isn’t going to happen because it would add six games to the schedule of the team that wins the playoff and would be a logistical nightmare. Even the 12-team playoff is going to pose serious logistical questions, but it’s do-able, particularly if games with D1AA opponents are eliminated and those games are played in the spring instead. An 11-game regular season schedule, conference championship game and then a playoff that means any team that isn’t a top four seed would have to play four games makes more sense and has a decent chance of becoming the law of the land.
A few thoughts to jump start your Monday morning:
ARE THE GATORS BECOMING THAT TEAM NOBODY WANTS TO PLAY?
Wasn’t it just a couple of weeks ago that folks were lamenting the demise of the Florida baseball program, thinking it would take a miracle for the Gators to even make the NCAA field? D1Baseball had the Gators as their last team when they dropped to 23-17 (6-12 SEC) after getting swept by Tennessee. Just a few days ago D1 had the Gators sitting on a No. 3 seed in the Coral Gables region in its NCAA projections.
Now that they’ve won six of their last seven games including an impressive weekend sweep of Mississippi State in Starkville, the Gators (29-18, 11-13 SEC) are starting to look like a team capable of a rather surprising finish. At this moment, UF is not looking like an NCAA regional host, but there are still eight games to go including an SEC road trip to Missouri next weekend and a regular season ending set with South Carolina so things could change if the Gators can maintain this hot streak.
A break-even SEC record seemed next to impossible after losing three straight to Tennessee, but now that UF is 11-13 a 15-15 mark is very do-able and a 16-14 league record isn’t out of the question. Throw in the possibility of a pair of non-conference wins over Bethune-Cookman (Tuesday) and Florida State (next Tuesday in Gainesville) an 35-37 wins in the regular season doesn’t seem far-fetched.
The key to Florida’s sudden upturn is young pitchers finally starting to grow up and throw strikes. This is one of the younger pitching staffs in the entire country so it has taken awhile for the kids to figure things out. We tend to forget how few freshmen make the jump from high school to the SEC without a few speed bumps along the way. Since Hunter Barco went down with an elbow that will require Tommy John surgery, Kevin O’Sullivan has found his Friday and Saturday starters in redshirt sophomore Brandon Sproat (6-4, 4.96 ERA) and freshman Brandon Neely (2-0, 3.45 ERA). Both have been impressive in their last two starts. O’Sullivan may have found his third weekend starter in the familiar face of redshirt freshman Nick Pogue (2-2, 4.96 ERA), who missed last year because of Tommy John surgery. Pogue got the win against South Florida earlier in the week and that earned the start Sunday against Mississippi State. He gave the Gators five innings of 1-run baseball, finishing the week with nine innings, nine hits allowed and only two earned runs.
Redshirt freshman Ryan Slater (3-3, 5.10 ERA, 3 saves) picked up a save Friday night, then got the win in relief Saturday. Sunday, freshman Fisher Jameson (1-0, 2.70 ERA) went four innings for the win in relief of Pogue. Phil Abner (1-1, 8.35 ERA), got a critical strikeout Friday night and pitched the Gators out of a jam Saturday night.
The pitching is starting to come around and the Florida bats came through with 24 runs in Starkville. Wyatt Langford, moved to leadoff, came through with a 7-14 weekend with a home run and three RBI; Sterlin Thompson, moved to second base from right field, went 4-8 with a homer and three RBI; BT Riopelle went 6-11 with two homers and three RBI; freshman Ty Evans, given a start in right field Saturday and Sunday, went 3-9 with a homer and three RBI.
There are still eight games to play and it’s possible the Gators lay an egg, but don’t count on it. If they can keep up this newfound mojo, they might be that team nobody will want to play in the month of May.
Twelve of the SEC’s 14 teams make the tournament in Hoover. Here is what SEC baseball looks like with two weekends remaining in the regular season.
SEC EAST
Tennessee (42-6, 20-4 SEC): The Vols have clinched the SEC East and need three wins to win the regular season SEC title outright. They host Georgia this weekend and finish up at Mississippi State.
Georgia (32-16, 13-11 SEC): The Bulldogs are just one game ahead of third place Vanderbilt and two ahead of the Gators. They travel to Tennessee this weekend and finish against Missouri.
Vanderbilt (31-15, 12-12 SEC): The Commodores have the toughest finishing stretch of any team in the conference. They’re at Arkansas this weekend and they finish with LSU.
FLORIDA (29-18, 11-13): The Gators travel to Missouri this weekend and finish the regular season at home with South Carolina.
South Carolina (24-22, 10-14 SEC): The Gamecocks could assure themselves of making the SEC Tournament if they can sweep Kentucky this weekend. They travel to Florida to finish up.
Kentucky (26-21, 9-15 SEC): The Wildcats stunned Tennessee by winning the series. Now they have to travel to South Carolina and finish up against Auburn. They need to get to 13 wins somehow to assure that they’ll make the SEC Tournament.
Missouri (25-20, 7-17 SEC): Can the Tigers go 6-0 in their final two series at home against UF this weekend and at Georgia to close it out? That’s what it’s going to take to make the SEC Tournament.
SEC WEST
Arkansas (36-12, 16-8 SEC): The Hogs have a two-game lead over LSU and A&M with six SEC games to play. Four wins should secure the SEC West title and the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament.
LSU (32-15, 14-10 SEC): The Tigers get Ole Miss this weekend and then finish up at Vanderbilt. They need 18-19 SEC wins to secure second place in the division.
Texas A&M (30-16, 14-10 SEC): The Aggies will make the SEC Tournament. They probably need to go 5-1 against Mississippi State and Ole Miss to secure second in the SEC West.
Auburn (32-16, 13-11 SEC): The Tigers could blow by LSU and the Aggies for second place if they could close out 6-0 at home against Alabama then closing out at Kentucky.
Ole Miss (27-19, 10-14 SEC): The Rebels were once ranked No. 1 in the nation. Now they’re fighting just to make the SEC Tournament. They need to win three out of six at LSU and then at home against the Aggies.
Alabama (26-22, 10-14 SEC): The Tide has lost seven of their last nine against SEC teams. They finish at Auburn this weekend before closing out with Arkansas. They need at least three wins to stay ahead of Mississippi State to make the tournament.
Mississippi State (25-23, 9-15 SEC): The Bulldogs are at Texas A&M and then finish out at home with Tennessee. Anything less than a 4-2 finish and there’s no chance they make the SEC Tournament.
UF SOFTBALL: GATORS GET A NO. 5 SEED FOR THE SEC TOURNAMENT
Florida’s 41-15 record (13-11 SEC) may be good enough for the Gators to host an NCAA regional, but to host a super regional as well will take some work at this week’s SEC Softball Tournament which will begin Tuesday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. The 5th-seeded Gators will play their first game Wednesday at 5 p.m. against the winner of 12th-seeded Texas A&M (28-25, 6-18 SEC) and 13th-seeded South Carolina (26-29, 3-21 SEC). Win that and the Gators will face 4th-seeded Kentucky (35-16, 13-11 SEC) Thursday at 5 p.m. The Gators and Aggies didn’t play during the regular season.
The last time the Gators were a No. 5 seed in the SEC Tournament was 2019, when they finished with a 12-12 record in league play. At the SEC Tournament, the Gators went 4-0, disposing of 4th-ranked Alabama in the championship game. That 4-0 run earned the Gators a top eight national seed, which they rode all the way to the Women’s College World Series.
UF TENNIS: NO. 2 MEN, NO. 16 WOMEN ADVANCE TO NCAA SWEET 16
It was just a couple of days at the office for Florida’s men’s and women’s tennis teams in the first two rounds of the NCAA Championships at the Ring Tennis Complex. The 2nd-ranked UF men (25-2) won their 19th and 20th consecutive matches in disposing of New Orleans and Miami by identical 4-0 scores. The Gators face 15th-ranked North Carolina Friday in a Sweet 16 match at the Ring complex.
The 16th-ranked Florida women (21-6) took down South Alabama, 4-0, and Florida State, 4-1, to earn a trip to the Sweet 16 next Friday against No. 1 North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
UF LACROSSE: GATORS EARN NO. 7 SEED FOR NCAA TOURNAMENT
On the heels of their American Athletic Conference Tournament championship win over Vanderbilt, the Gators (15-4) were awarded a No. 7 national seed and host of the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The Gators, who have won 13 in a row will open play with Mercer Friday at 5 p.m. Win and the Gators face the winner of the 7:30 p.m. Jacksonville-Stanford matchup.
Danielle Pavinelli had six goals and an assist and Emily Heller had four goals and an assist to lead the Gators past Vanderbilt, 18-7.
UF WOMEN’S GOLF: GATORS BEGIN NCAA PLAY IN ALBUQUERQUE
The Gators are No. 11 in the Golfweek rankings, but they are the No. 2 seed at the NCAA Albuquerque Regional largely on the strength of their runner-up finish at the Southeastern Conference Championships. No. 2 ranked Oregon is the top seed at the regional which also includes Georgia (5th-seed, 27th nationally).
UF TRACK: ANNA HALL WINS USATF HEPTATHLON
Anna Hall scored 6,458 points to win the USATF heptathlon championship over the weekend, the second highest score in collegiate history. Hall’s victory assures her of a spot in the World Championships this summer.
Hall’s big weekend also bodes well for the 3rd-ranked Florida women, who will be participating in the SEC Championships in Oxford starting Thursday. The UF women won the NCAA Indoor championship earlier this year.
SEC FOOTBALL/BASKETBALL
Alabama: Offensive lineman Dayne Shor, who is in the transfer portal, released a statement that he needs a fresh start, particularly after dealing with serious depression the past couple of years. “The feeling of wanting to take your own life is a feeling like no other, and a feeling I wish no one else to ever feel,” Shor said in a statement. “The voices in my head would often take control of my life.”
Arkansas: Former Razorback KK Robinson, a former 4-star recruit who was considered the 10th-best point guard in the country out of high school, is transferring to Texas A&M.
Kentucky: Running back Chris Rodriguez faces multiple charges including DUI after a traffic stop over the weekend. Rodriguez ran for 1,379 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021 and has 26 career rushing TDs.
LSU: Voicing his concerns about NIL on ESPNU radio, HBC Brian Kelly said, “We’re looking at guys entering the transfer portal because they want to get paid to play but that’s not name, image and likeness was intended to do and so there’s going to have to be corrections. It’s not a sustainable model from that perspective.”
Vanderbilt: Wide receiver Amir Abdur-Rahman is transferring to Ball State for a super senior season.
ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Leave it to The Pirate to offer a new perspective on why the College Football Playoff needs to be expanded. After watching 80-1 longshot Rich Strike run down favorites Epicenter and Messier to win the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby Saturday, Mississippi State HBC Mike Leach offered up this gem:
“That horse winning the Kentucky Derby today is a good example of why an expanded college football playoff is needed. That horse hadn’t won all the races leading up, but it got its chance and that’s what happened.”
The playoff is going to expand and the only questions remaining are whether it will be an 8-team model which is favored by ACC commissioner Jim Phillips or the 12-team model favored by everyone else with a functioning brain. Leach, however, has a different perspective on that as well. He wants college football to adapt the NCAA Basketball Tournament model of 64 teams.
That isn’t going to happen because it would add six games to the schedule of the team that wins the playoff and would be a logistical nightmare. Even the 12-team playoff is going to pose serious logistical questions, but it’s do-able, particularly if games with D1AA opponents are eliminated and those games are played in the spring instead. An 11-game regular season schedule, conference championship game and then a playoff that means any team that isn’t a top four seed would have to play four games makes more sense and has a decent chance of becoming the law of the land.
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