Russell Sandefer Set to Start in Gainesville Regional Opener vs. Rider

Florida baseball opens the NCAA Gainesville Regional Friday against Rider, and coach Kevin O’Sullivan trusts the typical Sunday starter to do the job. 

Right-handed pitcher Russell Sandefer will take the mound against the Broncs. Through 51 1/3 innings pitched the junior carries a 4.38 ERA. 

The righty found his groove early against Georgia in the SEC tournament on May 23, quickly retiring three batters after allowing a base-hit single. However, the momentum was shortlived with the second inning leadoff hitter Kenny Ishikawa lining a ball right back to Sandefer, forcing the pitcher out of the game with an arm injury.  

“My heart dropped,” coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “I was like, here we go. I go back to when JJ Schwartz broke his finger in the last series against Mississippi State before we went to the World Series in 2018.” 

Sandefer’s X-rays came back negative, and his brief shut-out performance gave O’Sullivan confidence to give him the nod on Friday.

“When I watched him pitch on Saturday, that was as good an inning and a half that he’s thrown all year long command wise,” O’Sullivan said. “I don’t think there’s anything that’s hindering him from pitching tomorrow.”

While Sandefer has plenty of experience on the mound, he gets the start in his first NCAA tournament appearance. The pitcher started his college career in 2024 at Division II St. Louis, where he notched a 5-2 record and 3.38 ERA. Sandefer maintained the same ERA in 2025 at UCF, pitching 50 2/3 innings and sitting 49 batters. 

Sandefer took over the Game 3 starter role midway through the season, making his first Sunday start in the Gators’ 7-6 win over Arkansas on March 29. 

“He’s super excited,” Sandefer’s roommate and catcher Karson Bowen said. “This is his first postseason, so he’s super pumped.”

The junior needed to find some composure on the slab after allowing 11 hits and 8 runs through eight innings pitched in his last two starts of the regular season against Kentucky and LSU. 

He settled into a rhythm against Georgia, pitching up to 98 mph.

“His stuff has just ticked up so much throughout the year,” Bowen said. “When the fall started, he was 92, 94, and then obviously, the other day he was 96 to 98. Overall, he’s way more polished.”

O’Sullivan won’t make a decision on the Saturday starter until Friday’s games play out. SEC Pitcher of the Year Aidan King and Liam Peterson are still available for Florida.

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