Gators Baseball Awaits Weekend Series Against Ole Miss
Florida baseball faces another big test this weekend, as SEC rival Ole Miss comes to town.
Following last week’s win against top-10 Florida State and a weekend sweep against then-No. 4 Arkansas, the Gators lost 4-3 to Jacksonville University. Although the Gators led early in the eighth inning, pitching problems helped the Dolphins secure a late lead and win the game as Florida dropped its first midweek outing of 2026.
The No. 21 Gators will hope to start their three-game series against the Rebels strong on Thursday.
Ole Miss was ranked No. 18 last week, then dropped out of the top-25 following a weekend sweep loss against then-No.6 Mississippi State. On Tuesday, the Rebels bounced back from the disappointing weekend and beat the Little Rock Trojans 7-4. Seniors Judd Utermark and Collin Reuter both went long in the win.
This weekend’s matchup will feature a duel between two of the better pitching staffs in the SEC. The Rebels will be led by Taylor Rabe, Hunter Elliott and Cade Townsend.
Rabe will earn his second start of the season on Thursday. The sophomore has appeared in seven outings, logging 26 strikeouts and just three walks in 20 innings. Elliott, a redshirt junior, will see his eighth weekend start of the year, looking to continue his elite play on the mound.
Townsend has made a big jump in his second season with Ole Miss, recording 40 strikeouts and issuing just seven walks with a 1.90 ERA.
Meanwhile, the Gators will be led by junior Liam Peterson, sophomore Aidan King and junior Russell Sandefer.
Peterson and King have performed well this season as Florida’s consistent weekend starting arms. The two have combined for 88 strikeouts and 31 walks while surrendering a combined 21 earned runs.
Sandefer will see his fourth start of the season, and his second as a weekend starter. Sandefer made his first weekend start on the slab against Arkansas last weekend, striking out a season-high six batters in the team’s win.
First pitch on Thursday is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Condron Family Ballpark.
Category: Gators Baseball
