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The Gators have just one more non-conference weekend series left on their schedule, as the University of South Florida travels to Gainesville this weekend for a three-game series.
Florida is off to a terrific start to its 2020 season. Not only are the Gators tabbed as the top-ranked team in the country, but they are also 13-0 for the first time in program history. They hold a 64-26 series advantage heading into Friday's matchup.
As for the Bulls, they are 5-7 but hot following last weekend's sweep of the Northwestern Wildcats.
With that said, below is the series preview between the Gators and Bulls.
What we know about South Florida:
The South Florida pitching staff is off to a difficult start, but hopes to turn the corner following an impressive weekend against Northwestern.
The USF pitching staff will be led by their senior ace, Collin Sullivan. The Massachusetts native boasts a 1-1 record with a 5.02 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 14.1 innings pitched.
The other two weekend pitchers for the Bulls, Carsen Ragsdale and Jack Jasiak, have been very productive to start the 2020 season.
Jack Jasiak checks in with a 1-1 record, as well as a 1.33 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 27 strikeouts in 20.1 innings pitched. Carsen Ragsdale has a 1-0 record, 3.00 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 27 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched.
The Bulls' lineup has a difficult task ahead of them with Florida’s pitching staff. Their offense has't put forth the greatest of starts either. The Bulls' offense is batting .193 as a team, which ranks 282nd out of 293 teams.
The Bulls' leading hitter is redshirt-senior JD Dutka, a native of Suwannee, Georgia. Dutka is batting .271 with three doubles, one home run and a .736 OPS.
The second-leading hitter on the roster is Carmine Lane. The freshman out of Delray Beach (Fla.) American Heritage is batting .269 with seven hits, one home run and a team-high .756 OPS.
Other South Florida hitters to watch for this series are Nick Gonzalez, Riley Hogan and Jordan Santos.
The Bulls are led by head coach Billy Mohl.
What we know about top-ranked Florida:
The Gators are one of four programs that is currently undefeated and will look to continue that trend in this series. Much of that can be credited to the stellar start from the Gators' pitching staff. Their bullpen has been excellent, but they also have one of the nation's top pitching rotations.
Right-handed pitcher Tommy Mace will be on the mound for the Gators in Friday's series-opener. Mace has been solid in his first three starts with a 2-0 record, 2.25 ERA and 20 strikeouts.
Junior pitcher Jack Leftwich will get the nod from the Gators on Saturday, and will look to rebound following his rough outing against Troy. Leftwich boasts a 1-0 record and 4.20 ERA, and has registered 18 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched.
Pitching in the series finale for the Gators will be highly-touted freshman, Hunter Barco. The lefty has been outstanding since earning his spot in Florida’s rotation. Barco has a 2-0 record, 1.35 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 13.1 innings pitched.
The Gators' lineup has also had a very nice start to the season. As a team, the Gators are batting .291, which ranks 42nd nationally. Florida's slugging percentage of .451 is tied for 37th nationally with the Memphis Tigers.
One of the leaders in Florida’s offense has been centerfielder, Jud Fabian. He is batting .321 with team-highs in home runs (5), RBIs (13), slugging percentage (.679) and OPS (1.066).
Jacob Young is another outfielder that is producing for the Gators. Young leads Florida in batting with a .447 batting average. He also has four doubles, five stolen bases and a 1.041 OPS. Young is currently riding a 14-game hitting streak that dates back to last season.
One of Florida’s freshmen is also producing at the dish. Shortstop Josh Rivera has been exciting to watch with his stellar defensive plays and offensive production. Rivera is fourth on the team in hitting with a .310 batting average. He also has two home runs, eight RBIs and a .920 OPS.
Other Florida hitters to watch for in this series are Austin Langworthy, Jordan Butler and Kirby McMullen.
