Swampcast breaks down Florida softball at WCWS, Florida basketball
The Sun’s Kevin Brockway and Noah Ram and Kevin Brockway are joined by Nathan Geise of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal to break down Florida softball, Texas Tech in WCWS.
Florida baseball faces a win or go-home game against Fairfield at the NCAA Conway, S.C. Regional.
The Florida Gators (38-21) put themselves in a hole with an 11-6 loss to East Carolina on May 30. Now, UF needs to win four games to advance to a Super Regional for the fourth straight year.
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The number two seed Gators will send freshman righty Aidan King (6-2, 2.76 ERA) to the mound with its season on the line. King has been magnificent in his last two starts for UF, allowing just one earned run over 13 1/3 innings. During that span, King has posted 17 strikeouts to just five walks.
“He’s arguably been our best pitcher for the last month,” Florida baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan said.
Florida will need to shore up its defense behind King as the Gators have committed eight errors over their last three games, including two in its regional opening loss to ECU.
No, 4 seed Fairfield (39-18) is coming off a 10-2 loss to top-seed Coastal Carolina that didn’t end until the pre-dawn hours due to weather delays that pushed the start time to 10:30 p.m. ET.
Florida scored eight runs in the 8th inning to take a 15-1 lead on Farfield. Brendan Lawson and Blake Cyr belted two-RBI singles in the inning, and the Gators also scored runs on a Landron Stripling sac fly, bases loaded walks by Bobby Boser and Brody Donay and an RBI single by Hayden Yost.
Starter Aidian King has turned in another gem in a big spot so far for Florida, allowing just a run on four hits through six innings. King has walked two and struck out four. Florida 7, Fairfield 1 end 6th
Brody Donay belts UF’s third home run of the game, a two-run shot to extend UF’s lead to 7-1 in the top of the sixth inning. The Gators leave the bases loaded for the second straight inning, though. Florida 7, Fairfield 1 mid 6th.
Florida baseball has extended its lead to 5-1 on a Blake Cyr RBI single and fielder’s choice, with Ty Evans scoring from third with the infield in on a terrific break and slide. UF has knocked starter Bowen Baker out of the game. Righty Matthew Grabmann on in relief for the Stags. Florida 5, Fairfield 1 top 5th.
Justin Nadeau leads off the inning with a single, then Bobby Boser blasts a two-run homer to left to put Florida up 3-1. Florida 3, Fairfield 1 Top 5.
Farfield answers with a solo home run as Matt Bucciero blats an Aidian King fastball over the center field fence. Florida 1, Fairfield 1 end 4th.
Blake Cyr gets Florida on the board first with a solo home run, a 364-foot blast to left field. Ninth home run of the season for Cyr and second in last two days. Gators 1, Fairfield 0 top 4th.
Florida baseball and Fairfield remain scoreless through three innings. Florida starter Aidan King works out of a first and second jam by getting third baseman Dean Ferrera to ground into a double play to end the inning. Gators 0, Fairfield 0 end 3.
Despite being the higher seed, Florida will be the visiting team and bat first against Fairfield. The Stags will be the home team.
HP: Alan Gorewitz, 1B: Eddie Newsom, 2B: Billy Van Raaphorst, 3B: Jeff Head
3B Ferrera, SS Nomura, 1B Bucclero, C Kuczik, CF Schmalzle, DH Kipp, LF McIlroy, 2B Colby, RF Lussier
SS Boser, 1B Lawson, DH Evans, C Donay, LF Cyr, CF Yost, RF Wilson, 3B Stripling, 2B Nadeau
For the second straight game, Florida will face a lefty starter as Fairfield will send lefty Bowen Baker (8-1, 3,20 ERA) to the mound against the Gators.
What TV channel is Florida baseball vs Fairfield on today?Florida baseball vs Fairfield start timeDate: Saturday, May 31Time: 3 p.m. ET
First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Spring Brooks Stadium.
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators’ national championship basketball season in “CHOMP-IONS!” — a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com