Florida baseball was ranked 21st in the last D1 Baseball Top 25 of the year.
The Gators campaigned up and down and slipped to 6-12 in SEC play after being wiped out at home by then-no. 1 Tennessee.However The sensational run to end their regular season and the push to the championship game in the SEC tournament was enough for Florida to gain regional host status in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The Gators have been nominated as hosts for the 18th time in the history of the program, the second time since the team hosted in the first round of last year, but did not move forward and lost to South Florida and South Alabama. Florida was previously 1989, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018. In 2021, he hosted the area.
The Gators seemed to get hot at the right time, but failed to play in the Gainesville Regional for the second year in a row and lost to No. 2 seed Oklahoma in a decisive match. Sooners finished as a national runner-up while Florida’s Super Regional drought was extended to three years. This is the longest under Kevin O’Sullivan, who has just finished 15 seasons under the direction of the program.
“It hurts now,” O’Sullivan said shortly after his defeat shortly after the end of the Florida season. “They all hurt, don’t get me wrong. I’m not a good loser at all, but I feel for the players. I think that’s what I’m feeling right now. The raw emotions of the players. I just feel. “
Florida’s defeat would not have happened without ample opportunity to achieve different results, but O’Sullivan said he was proud of his team’s efforts, even shortly after the disappointing results.
He picked out players such as second-year starting pitcher Brandon Sproat. He threw seven innings in the Florida regional opener on Friday and was eager to sit in the team’s bullpen and play in the match on Monday night. I accept it for fear of hurting the players who have grown into staff ace this year.
“He didn’t mean to throw this ball game,” O’Sullivan said. “In the long run, when a man has a chance to become a draft high pick in the near future, I think goodness is graceful. If anything happens, I’ll have a hard time living with him. Has a future beyond Florida. “
O’Sullivan also praised left fielder Wyattrangford, a sophomore. His nine home runs set a record for the best single-season program home run ever with Matt LaPorta (26). Langford’s solo shots made no difference in the outcome of the game, but it was the perfect personal culmination of a spectacular season from Trenton, Florida.
“Think about it,” O’Sullivan said. “Last year he had only five or six at-bats. Tonight he is linking school records with one of the greatest gators of all time, Matt LaPorta. He has a chance to play with Team USA this year. It would be crazy if he said he had a chance to hit more than 20 home runs and play for the USA team after last summer. “What a wonderful story.”
After the Florida season, pitcher Timmy Manning, Nick Pogue, Carl Hartmann, first baseman Chris Armstrong, outfielder Corey Robinson, Nakafielder Jorge de Goti, and catcher Mac Gushette Entered the NCAA Transfer Portal. It is relatively equivalent to the rest of the SEC. The Gator’s also added two players, Mercer outfielder Colbeat Thomas and Coastal Carolina infielder Dale Thomas.
It’s not yet known if Colby Thomas will arrive at the Florida campus as he was selected in the first three rounds and is considered a top candidate for the MLB draft that could sign a pro team.
