2023 Florida Gators baseball team

The 2023 Florida Gators baseball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of baseball during the 2023 college baseball season. Florida competes in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Home games will be played at Condron Ballpark on the university's Gainesville, Florida, campus, in the third season at the ballpark. The team is coached by Kevin O'Sullivan in his sixteenth season as Florida's head coach. The Gators enter the season looking to return to the College World Series after a home regional final loss in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

2023 Florida Gators baseball
SEC Eastern Division champions
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEastern Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 2
CBNo. 4
Record41–12 (19–9 SEC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • Chuck Jeroloman
  • Taylor Black
  • David Kopp
Home stadiumCondron Ballpark
2023 Southeastern Conference baseball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L T PCTW L T PCT
Eastern
No. 4 Florida x‍‍‍ 19–9–0 .67941–12–0 .774
No. 12 Vanderbilt  ‍‍‍ 17–11–0 .60736–16–0 .692
No. 13 South Carolina  ‍‍‍ 15–11–0 .57737–15–0 .712
No. 19 Kentucky  ‍‍‍ 15–13–0 .53635–16–0 .686
No. 18 Tennessee  ‍‍‍ 14–13–0 .51935–18–0 .660
Missouri  ‍‍‍ 10–17–0 .37030–20–0 .600
Georgia  ‍‍‍ 10–18–0 .35728–25–0 .528
Western
No. 2 Arkansas  ‍‍‍ 20–8–0 .71439–13–0 .750
No. 5 LSU  ‍‍‍ 18–9–0 .66741–12–0 .774
Auburn  ‍‍‍ 14–13–0 .51930–19–1 .610
Alabama  ‍‍‍ 14–14–0 .50036–17–0 .679
Texas A&M  ‍‍‍ 12–16–0 .42930–23–0 .566
Mississippi State  ‍‍‍ 9–19–0 .32127–24–0 .529
Ole Miss  ‍‍‍ 6–22–0 .21425–27–0 .481
x – Division champion
‡ – Tournament champion
As of May 18, 2023[1]
Rankings from D1Baseball

Previous season
See also: 2022 Florida Gators baseball team

Ranked ninth in the D1 Baseball preseason poll, the Gators dropped their opening series against unranked Liberty, and would not reach the top 10 again until the opening weekend of conference play, which was highlighted by a 2–1 series win at rival Miami. The Gators would go 3–3 against their first two conference opponents in Alabama and LSU, and defeated Florida State in their annual game in Jacksonville. However, Florida got swept at Georgia to drop to 3–6 in conference play. The Gators bounced back by taking the series against No. 2 Arkansas at home to get back to 5–7 against the conference. Traveling to Tallahassee to play the second of three games against Florida State, the Seminoles evened the series at one win apiece. The Gators lost their next two games in Nashville before avoiding the sweep against Vanderbilt. Florida would return home to host the top-ranked Tennessee Volunteers, who had lost only one conference game up to that point. The Volunteers were able to sweep the Gators by mounting a ninth-inning comeback and 11-inning defeat in the series finale,[2] to move the Gators to 6–12 against the conference, featuring a 4–11 stretch against the gauntlet of LSU, Georgia, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee. The Gators moved to an even 15–15 conference record by the end of the season, winning each of their remaining series against Kentucky, defending national champion Mississippi State, Missouri, and South Carolina, and won the season series against Florida State in Gainesville with a 7–5 ten-inning victory.

In a SEC baseball tournament marred by significant weather delays, the Gators were able to overcome a second-round loss to Texas A&M by winning their next three games, including a semifinal win to avenge their earlier second round loss to the Aggies, to set up a Championship Game against the regular season champion Volunteers. Florida was able to stymie the prolific Volunteers offense for the first four innings, but ultimately surrendered the first seven runs of the game in a 5–8 loss.[3]

Florida's run in the SEC Tournament proved to be enough to earn a No. 13 national seed, and host the Gainesville Regional. After a second-round loss to the Oklahoma Sooners, Florida was able to hold off Central Michigan with a 6–5 victory in the elimination game to set up a rematch against Oklahoma in the regional final. Florida was able to take the first game with a 7–2 victory to set up a winner-take-all game for the right to advance to the Super Regional against Virginia Tech. Florida got a 2–1 lead in the seventh inning before a 5-hour, 33-minute rain delay struck Gainesville. Florida was able to add to their lead to obtain a 3–1 advantage over the Sooners in the bottom of the seventh inning, but surrendered four runs in the top of the eighth inning, and was only able to make up one of the runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. As a result, their season came to a close with a late-night, rain delayed, 4–5 home loss to the eventual national runners-up.[4]

Schedule
Legend
 Florida win
 Florida loss
 Postponement
BoldFlorida team member
2023 Florida Gators Baseball Game Log
Regular Season
May (6–2)
Date Opponent Rank Stadium
Site		 Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall
Record		 SEC
Record
May 2vs. Florida State
Rivalry		No. 4121 Financial ParkW 7–5B. Purnell (1–0)A. Armstrong (1–3)P. Abner (2)8,21036–10–
May 5at Texas A&MNo. 4Olsen Field
College Station, TX		W 6–5R. Slater (7–0)B. Garcia (1–2)B. Neely (9)5,88437–1015–7
May 6at Texas A&MNo. 4Olsen FieldL 2–157C. Cortez (2–0)H. Waldrep (6–3)None6,98737–1115–8
May 7at Texas A&MNo. 4Olsen FieldL 2–3B. Garcia (2–2)B. Neely (1–1)None5,56537–1215–9
May 12No. 5 VanderbiltNo. 7Condron BallparkW 10–07B. Sproat (7–2)P. Reilly (3–2)None6,97038–1216–9
May 13No. 5 VanderbiltNo. 7Condron BallparkW 6–2R. Slater (8–0)D. Futrell (6–3)None7,50839–1217–9
May 14No. 5 VanderbiltNo. 7Condron BallparkW 6–2J. Caglianone (5–2)G. Carter (2–1)None5,71240–1218–9
May 18at No. 19 KentuckyNo. 4Kentucky Proud Park
Lexington, KY		W 10–3H. Waldrep (7–3)T. Smith (4–3)R. Slater (3)3,02141–1219–9
May 19at No. 19 KentuckyNo. 4Kentucky Proud ParkTime: 6:30 p.m. TV: SECN+––
May 20at No. 19 KentuckyNo. 4Kentucky Proud ParkTime: 2:00 p.m. TV: SECN+––
Postseason
Schedule Source:[8]

*Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the D1Baseball poll.

Record vs. conference opponents


Date m/dd is for last scheduled game of series. Blank are not scheduled. Blue are home games, otherwise away.

2023 SEC baseball records

Source: 2023 SEC baseball game results, 2023 SEC baseball schedule

TeamW–LALAARKAUBFLAUGAKENLSUMSUMIZZMISSSCARTENNTAMUVANTeamDivSRSW
ALA14–141–22–11–2.1–20–31–23–01–0..2–12–1ALAW44–51–1
ARK20–82–13–0.0–3.1–23–0.2–12–13–03–01–0ARKW17–24–1
AUB14–131–20–31–22–1.2–12–10–03–02–1.1–2.AUBW35–41–1
FLA19–92–1.2–12–11–0..3–03–00–32–11–23–0FLAE17–23–1
UGA10–18.3–01–21–22–10–1.0–31–20–32–1.0–3UGAE73–61–3
KEN15–132–1..0–11–21–23–03–0.3–01–21–20–3KENE44–53–1
LSU18–93–02–11–2.1–02–11–2.3–01–12–12–1.LSUW26–22–0
MSU9–192–10–31–2..0–32–1.2–11–20–31–00–3MSUW63–60–4
MIZZ10–170–3.0–00–33–00–3..2–10–33–01–21–2MIZZE63–62–4
MISS6–220–11–20–30–32–1.0–31–21–2..1–20–3MISSW71–80–4
SCAR15–11.1–21–23–03–00–31–12–13–0.0–0.1–2SCARE34–43–1
TENN14–13.0–3.1–21–22–11–23–00–3.0–03–03–0TENNE54–53–2
TAMU12–161–20–32–12–1.2–11–20–12–12–1.0–3.TAMUW55–40–2
VAN17–111–20–1.0–33–03–0.3–02–13–02–10–3.VANE26–34–2
TeamW–LALAARKAUBFLAUGAKENLSUMSUMIZZMISSSCARTENNTAMUVANTeamDivSRSW

Updated for all games through 18 May 2023. Tiebreakers: AUB–LSU 2–1 > TENN–LSU 1–2.

Rankings
Main article: 2023 NCAA Division I baseball rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
т = Tied with team above or below. ( ) = First place votes.
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314151617Final
Coaches'[9]55*6643333 (2)3 (2)4352 (1)
Baseball America[10]32222222224573
Collegiate Baseball^[11]22376756658684
NCBWA†[12]432632232т34363
D1Baseball[13]77665333334474

^ Collegiate Baseball ranks 40 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranks 30 teams weekly during the season.
 † NCBWA ranks 35 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranks 30 teams weekly during the season.
 * New poll was not released for this week so for comparison purposes the previous week's ranking is inserted in this week's slot.

References
  1. "2023 SEC Baseball Standings". secsports.com. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  2. Bortner, Sullivan (April 24, 2022). "Florida Falls to No. 1 Tennessee in Extras". floridagators.com. University Athletic Assoc., Inc., Fox Sports Sun & IMG College. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  3. Bortner, Sullivan (May 29, 2022). "Gators Fall to No. 1 Tennessee in SEC Tournament Championship". floridagators.com. University Athletic Assoc., Inc., Fox Sports Sun & IMG College. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  4. Carter, Scott (June 6, 2022). "Gators Lose Late Lead, Fall to Oklahoma in Gainesville Regional". floridagators.com. University Athletic Assoc., Inc., Fox Sports Sun & IMG College. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  5. Bortner, Sullivan (March 24, 2023). "Schedule Change Announced for Florida-Ole Miss Series". floridagators.com. University Athletic Assoc., Inc., Fox Sports Sun, IMG College. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  6. Bortner, Sullivan (March 28, 2023). "Tuesday Night's Sunshine Showdown in Jacksonville Postponed". floridagators.com. University Athletic Assoc., Inc., Fox Sports Sun, IMG College. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  7. Bortner, Sullivan (March 17, 2023). "Florida to Play Friday Doubleheader vs. Alabama". floridagators.com. University Athletic Assoc., Inc., Fox Sports Sun, IMG College. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  8. "2023 Baseball Schedule". Florida Gators. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  9. "Baseball Coaches Poll". sportspolls.usatoday.com. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  10. "College Baseball Top 25 Rankings". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  11. "NCAA DIV I Baseball Polls-Collegiate Baseball Newspaper". baseballnews.com. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  12. "NCBWA Division I Poll". sportswriters.net. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  13. "College Baseball Rankings News & Analysis". D1 Baseball. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
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