GAINESVILLE, Fla. – As winners of 10 of their last 12 games, the Florida Gators carry a three-series winning streak into this weekend’s SEC road set at South Carolina from May 2-4.
 
SEC Network+ will air all three games of the series beginning with Friday night’s 7 p.m. opener. Game two is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Saturday followed by Sunday’s 1:30 p.m. finale.
 
Having gone 7-2 across its last three SEC series, Florida (30-16, 8-13 SEC) is in search of its first victory at Founders Park since taking two out of three against the Gamecocks (26-20, 5-16 SEC) in 2018. Even so, the Gators have won three of the last five in the series highlighted by a 2023 Super Regionals sweep.
 
Across 110 all-time meetings, South Carolina holds a two-game edge in the series at 54-56, meaning the Gators have an opportunity to take the all-time series lead with a sweep this weekend. The Gators are 18-31 in Columbia overall and 10-13 at Founders Park under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan, but have dominated the series during O’Sullivan’s tenure via a 32-24 record.

Pitching Matchups

RED HOT REPTILES
The Gators enter the weekend having won 10 of their last 12 games overall, featuring a 7-2 record in their last nine SEC tilts. During the 12-game turnaround, Florida has claimed six comeback victories and outscored its opponents by a 97-to-54 tally, equating to a margin of victory of 3.6 runs per game. UF hitters have slashed .311/.423/.545 while the pitching staff has worked to a 4.13 ERA, .249 batting average against and 124-to-46 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The stretch has significantly improved Florida’s postseason positioning with a current RPI of 19 and No. 5 strength of schedule.
 
HOGWASH
Now sitting at 8-13 in the SEC after a 1-11 start, Florida claimed two of three games against No. 5 Arkansas over the weekend for a signature series win (W 6-4, L 7-0, W 9-5). The Gators pitched to a 3.67 ERA, .204 batting average against and 31-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 27 innings against the Hogs. Florida came from behind for both of its victories in the series, erasing a four-run deficit in the finale to post its 13th comeback wom including its sixth in the last 12 games. The Gators scored in seven of eight offensive innings and every UF starter had a hit in game three.
 
GET TO KNOW THE GAMECOCKS
In year one with Hall of Famer Paul Mainieri in the dugout, South Carolina has struggled to a 26-20 record and 5-16 mark in SEC action. In 21 conference games, the Gamecocks have batted .261/.341/.393 backed by 20 home runs and nine stolen bases. Much of the troubles have been on the mound, where South Carolina has pitched to a 7.98 ERA and .294 batting average against across 176.0 SEC innings. The Gamecocks defend well, as they hold a .978 fielding percentage in conference play this season.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Through 46 games, Florida remains ranked inside the top-50 teams nationally across 11 statistical categories. Led by the fifth-most strikeouts per nine innings (11.7) in the country, the Gators also rank 16th in fielding percentage (.980), 19th in shutouts thrown (four), 25th in home runs (71), 26th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.61), 29th in doubles (94), 30th in slugging percentage (.515), 34th in hits (449), 45th in runs scored (350), 47th in batting average (.302) and 50th in hits allowed per nine innings (8.5). Florida’s four shutouts thrown sit third in the SEC behind Arkansas (six) and Vanderbilt (five).
 
CLEMENTIME
With the Gators going 10-2 over the last 12 contests, one of the major keys has been the emergence of redshirt sophomore righty Jake Clemente in the closer role. Each of Clemente’s five saves this season have come in the last 12 games, during which he has dominated to the tune of a team-low 0.75 ERA, .146 batting average against and 19-to-three strikeout-to-walk ratio across 12 innings. All five of Clemente’s saves have been more than one inning in length highlighted by four saves of six-plus outs and three of eight outs or more.
 
BOBBY BASEBALL BITS
Riding a 26-game on-base streak and an eight-game hit streak, infielder Bobby Boser went 5-for-12 (.417/.462/.500) in the series win over Arkansas. As the lone Gator to start all 46 games, Boser leads Florida in at bats (179), runs (56), homers (14) and stolen bases (13). Looking to become the second 20-homer/20-steal player in program history (Brad Wilkerson, 1998), Boser’s 15 multi-RBI performances equate to nearly one-third of UF’s games. With multiple hits in 17 of UF’s last 18 SEC tilts, Boser has raised his conference batting line to .333/.411/.440. Having made just two errors all year on defense, the UF third baseman ranks top-10 in the SEC in runs, at bats, plate appearances, steals, total bases, home runs and hits.
 
SAY LUKE HEY
Catching all 21 of Florida’s SEC contests, backstop Luke Heyman boasts a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage across 424 chances. As one of the sport’s premier defensive backstops, the Longwood, Fla. native leads the SEC in chances (424) and putouts (393) while ranking second with 11 runners caught stealing. In SEC play alone, Heyman has batted .325 with a team-high .675 slugging percentage, seven home runs and 22 RBI. Recently named to the Buster Posey Award Midseason Watch List, the UF catcher owns a .303/.406/.563 slash line on the season backed by 10 homers, one triple, five doubles, 38 RBI and 31 runs scored.
 
MURDERER’S ROW
Florida’s restructured lineup features five hitters with an OPS above .960 including four over 1.000 in catcher/designated hitter Brody Donay (1.119), infielder Colby Shelton (1.064), Boser (1.042), infielder Brendan Lawson (1.008) and Heyman (.969). All five Gators are batting at least .300 and slugging over .560.
 
THE PETERSON FILE
Ranked as Baseball America’s top college pitcher for the 2026 MLB Draft at No. 3 overall, ace right-hander Liam Peterson fanned a career-high 13 batters against No. 5 Arkansas last Friday to rise to 7-2 on the season. In becoming the first Gator to strike out 13 in a contest since Hurston Waldrep vs. South Carolina in 2023 Super Regionals, Peterson earned his team-best fourth quality start including his second in as many outings. With 80 strikeouts in 51 2/3 innings, Peterson’s 13.9 strikeouts per nine ranks third in the SEC behind Tennessee’s Liam Doyle (15.3) and LSU’s Kade Anderson (14.2). He has four-straight starts of at least five innings with three runs or less.
 
LAYING DOWN THE LAW
Already with a pair of SEC Freshman of the Week nods under his belt, Lawson has collected multiple hits in seven of the last eight games to increase his batting average from .303 to .331. Lawson now sits second on the roster with 18 multi-hit performances while also ranking second on the Gators with 12 multi-RBI contests. Even more impressively, the Canadian rookie is tied for 12th in the SEC with a team-best 48 RBI.
 
BELTIN’ SHELTON

Starting all but one game at shortstop for the Orange & Blue, Shelton ranks first in the SEC in doubles (19), second in batting average (.377) and third in hits (66). Recently named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List for the nation’s top shortstop, Shelton has reached base in 44 of 45 contests while producing an astounding 23 multi-hit games. Across a team-high 175 at bats, Shelton has hit .377/.458/.606 with seven home runs, 19 doubles, 40 runs, 35 RBI and six stolen bases. The Lexington, S.C. native has also been an elite defender, as evidenced by a .984 fielding percentage, 20 double plays turned and just two errors across 124 chances.
 
KING OF THE CASTLE
Although he earned his second-career loss last Saturday vs. Arkansas, rookie right-hander Aidan King allowed just one earned run in 4 2/3 innings against the No. 5 team in the country. The freshman lowed his ERA to 3.47 to go with a .231 batting average against, 1.18 WHIP and 3.5 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
 
STEALING THE SHOW
The Gators have stolen 66 bases in 80 attempts (82.5%) for 1.4 steals per game. For reference, Florida averaged 0.7 steals per game last season. After 46 contests, the Gators have already surpassed their 2024 steals total (43) by 23. Boser paces the team with 13 steals in 15 attempts, which is tied for seventh in the SEC.
 
RELENTLESS REPTILES
By coming back to win twice in the series over No. 5 Arkansas, Florida has secured 13 come-from-behind victories in 2025. Last season, the Gators delivered 21 wins in comeback fashion, featuring 12 of the team’s 13 SEC wins. Going back two seasons, 22 of the 2023 Gators’ program-record 54 victories came via comebacks.
 
ON DECK
The Gators return home to host South Florida at Condron Family Ballpark on Tuesday, May 6. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+.

Follow the Gators

#GoGators

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook