Florida plays Stetson at Condron Family Ballpark on April 23, 2024. [Lee Ann Anderson/WRUF]

Florida Baseball Hosts Kentucky In Home Finale

With two SEC baseball series remaining in the regular season, Florida is in need of as many wins as possible in its six remaining games.

The Gators (25-23, 10-14 SEC) couldn’t have picked a better place to start that mission this weekend against No. 4 Kentucky (35-10, 18-6) – Condron Family Ballpark.

UF is 54-18 at home since the start of last season despite an 18-11 record at Condron Family Ballpark in 2024. The Gators have claimed 15 of their last 17 three-game, regular-season series at CFB dating to the 2022 season.

Florida has won six straight series against Kentucky and last dropped a home series to the Wildcats in 2015. UF is 148-72-1 all-time vs. the Wildcats featuring a 79-30 record at home. The Gators are 27-21 in the series under coach Kevin O’Sullivan, highlighted by a 12-9 mark in Gainesville. Florida and Kentucky most recently faced off in Gainesville in 2022, when Florida posted victories in the first two games for a series win (W 9-2, W 9-1, L 8-1).

The series was scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. today due to inclement weather in the forecast in the evening. Weather conditions forced a delay until the 3:30 p.m. start. The game will air on SEC Network+, ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF. Games 2-3 will air on the SEC Network at noon on Saturday and Sunday.

Florida will start left-hander Pierce Coppola (0-2, 10.50 ERA), while Kentucky will start righty Trey Pooser (3-1, 3.88). Liam Peterson (1-4, 6.54) and Jac Caglianone (5-1, 4.39) are scheduled to start for UF on the weekend.

Caglianone looks to extend his on-base streak now at 34 games and his 27-game hitting streak, which is three games shy of tying Jacob Young’s program record of 30 straight set from 2019-2021.

Florida closes the regular season at No. 15 Georgia starting May 16. The Gators would have to remain above .500 overall to qualify for an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament.

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