The No. 20 Florida baseball team travels to the Bluegrass State to take on the Kentucky Wildcats in a three game series this weekend. The Gators carry a 19-10 record heading into Lexington, coming of a 5-4 loss to FAU Tuesday night.
Florida has been a two faced team as of late, earning five wins over top five ranked teams in the past three weeks, including two over rival FSU and a sweep over SEC West power LSU. These quality wins haven’t come without disappointing defeats. The Gators dropped two games to Texas A&M and Illinois, as well as single losses to FAU and Florida Gulf Coast.
Florida will send former reliever Eric Hanhold to the hill Friday night. Hanhold is 3-2 on the year with a 2.70 ERA. Kentucky will then have to deal with one of the SEC’s best young arms in Logan Shore Saturday afternoon. In seven appearances Shore has earned two wins wracking up a team high 28 strikeouts on a 1.35 ERA.
For the Wildcats, southpaw A.J Reed will get the start Friday. Reed is tied for the third most wins in the SEC thus far, tied with teammate and Saturday starter Chandler Shepherd with five wins. Friday and Saturday’s games have the makings of a low scoring affair with four of the SEC’s best arms facing off.
Florida has won 10 of their last 13 matchups against Kentucky, beating UK two games to one in their last series. Gator coach Kevin O’Sullivan is 10-8 against Kentucky and 5-4 when playing in Lexington.
With a win Friday night, Florida is tied with South Carolina for the top spot in the SEC East with a 6-3 record.
First pitch Friday night is set for 6:30, tune into ESPN 850 WRUF where Jeff Cardozo and Steve Russell will have the call.