Fall Ball-Gator Baseball Back on the Diamond

A year ago, Florida baseball’s season came to a screeching halt as COVID-19 forced the world to pump the breaks, just as the Gators were laying on the gas. The No.1 ranked team in the country set a record for the best start in program history and set the program’s third-longest winning streak with a 16-0 start. However, in the final game of the season, unbeknown at the time, came a loss to in-state rival Florida State.

Ease off the ⛽️, hit the breaks 😮#GoGators pic.twitter.com/yJXI4dxC6X

— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) November 13, 2020

The 16-1 Gators from a year ago are ready to start a fresh page, but ready to emulate the same success, just hopefully with a full season.

Florida will get a chance to show their talent tonight, with an intrasquad 9-inning scrimmage at Florida’s new ballpark tonight on SEC Network Plus with the first pitch coming at 6 p.m.

Tonight's starting pitchers:

🟠 @Jacklefty21

🔵@MaceTommy

Tune in live to @SECNetwork + at 6 PM!
📱💻👀: https://t.co/59DLWsRBiD pic.twitter.com/Hub44jn6R9

— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) November 17, 2020

Fall Ball Update:

The Gators have made it halfway through their fall ball season and are approaching the Orange and Blue World Series which will carry the Gators into the holiday break.

Tonight’s scrimmage will feature Florida’s two aces from a year ago. Right-hander Jack Leftwich will get the bump for the Orange squad and right-hander Tommy Mace will lead the Blue team.

Florida brings back most all of their starters from the top-ranked squad minus fifth-year senior Austin Langworthy. The team touts a nation-leading eight of D1Baseball.com’s top 150 college prospects for the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft. At the top of the list include sophomore Jud Fabian at No.4, Mace at No. 19, and Leftwich at No. 30. The only other top programs in the country come in on the list with five prospects.

Slated for the Orange team to also see action on the mound tonight include LHP Ryan Carbacas, RHP Nick Pogue, RHP Brandon Sproat, and RHP Ben Specht who all saw game action a year ago. On the other side for the Blue team are  RHP Christian Scott and LHP Hunter Barco who both contributed solid innings a season ago, along with newcomers Franco Aleman and Timmy Manning.

Sign No.1 Class for 2021:

The standard of excellence for Head Coach  Kevin O’Sullivan’s program and his recruiting abilities have continued to deliver as the Gators have signed the No.1 recruiting class for the 2021 early signing period. Among the star signees, including shortstop Deric Fabian, Jud Fabian’s younger brother as well as outfielder Jay Allen who is also currently a three-star quarterback out of Fort Pierce, Florida.

Florida’s 2021  signing class marks the eight consecutive top-five classes. This is the first time the Gators have landed the No.1 recruiting class since 2013.

Catch the Gators back on the diamond tonight at 6 p.m. on SEC Network Plus.