Florida’s playoff run has reached the do-or-die moment.
After Sunday’s 16-11 loss extended the Gainesville Regional, head coach Kevin O’Sullivan acknowledged that pitching struggles have put the Gators’ backs against the wall. A difficult weekend on the mound, with the Gators struggling to get length from their starters and consistency from the bullpen, has led to an uneasiness heading into Monday’s regional final, but the team has no choice but to be ready and lay it all on the line.
O’Sullivan expressed confidence that his team will be ready while emphasizing the need for one or two guys to step up on the mound. The offense’s continued production puts Florida in a position to win at home, but it’s been an odd weekend at Condron Family Ballpark to say the least.
Here’s what Sully said after Sunday’s loss.
On managing the bullpen in games like this
“Yeah, explaining that to the guys at the end, like, trying to manage the bullpen today was extremely difficult. Because it felt like, obviously, we were chasing runs the entire game, and it felt like if we got within two, then we would turn around and give up another run and fall behind by three. Then we’d get within two again, and then we would fall behind by three or four.
“You’re trying to manage the game, and if we could have just kept it close, we would have probably went after five innings to Caden or something like that. But then you start falling behind by too much, and then obviously the sixth inning was pretty much a disaster.
“So it kind of got away from us, obviously, but bottom line is we got a chance to win a regional tomorrow. We did this in 2017, had to come back on Monday and play. We’ve got a chance to win a regional, bottom line.
“Today’s obviously disappointing. We haven’t pitched well this regional. Our bullpen pretty much fell apart on Friday. We only got three innings out of Aidan or so last night, and then obviously the start today wasn’t what Liam wanted. So we’re just going to have to pitch better if we’re going to want to move on.”
On message to the pitching staff
“I think we’re at a point this season that I don’t know what else to do. There’s nothing else to say. I mean, we’ve been throwing the ball really well. It’s just for whatever reason this weekend we have not been ourselves, and tomorrow, hopefully, we will be.”
On plan for tomorrow/projected starter
“No, not yet. We’ll have to look at it and talk about it, but we’re going to have to be really strategic in how we use our arms. We’re probably going to have to use quite a few.”
On confidence in pitchers available on Monday
“Well, I feel good, but I wish we had Barbs, honestly, but we had to obviously use him last night because we only got three innings out of Aidan. We gave up a lead, and we had a significant lead. So the bottom line is we’re just going to have to have a bunch of guys go out there and give us two innings, and then the next somebody goes out there and hand the ball to Josh at the end.”
On offensive strength
“We’re swinging the bats really well, as well as we have all year long. Hindsight is 20-20, but if you knew you were going to score 11, maybe you’d go to Caden in the fifth inning or six, but it’s hard to predict that. But, we’ll have enough to be competitive tomorrow and have a chance to win. I do know that.
“If we keep scoring runs like we have them, we just need a couple of guys to step up. Just like that sixth inning, like somebody’s got to step up. Hit-by-pitch, the bases loaded, walk the guy in, give up consecutive hit after hit after hit, with the bases loaded. We just couldn’t do much. It’s just kind of like an avalanche, just one mistake after another in one inning.”
On Liam Peterson’s start
“They were on his stuff. There weren’t a whole lot of swings and misses, honestly. So, I know he’s disappointed. I know he was looking forward to his start, but hopefully we win tomorrow, and he’ll have another opportunity next weekend.”
On home run surge at Condron Ballpark
“It seems like every fly ball, you kind of hold your breath, and we don’t have a small ballpark. It’s obviously 380 in the gaps and 330 down the lines and 400 in the center, so it’s not like we have a small ballpark. So, yeah, it’s kind of head-scratching a little bit, honestly.”
On team’s mental readiness for the regional final
“They’ll have no choice. I mean, you win, you move on. You don’t, your season’s over. We played a tough schedule. We’ve been through our ups and downs, and, yeah, I most definitely think they’ll be ready to play. I mean, what else do you have to lose? I mean, the alternative is your season’s over, right?
‘You go out there and give it your best effort and have as much energy as you possibly can, and when your name’s called out of the pen, you do your job and keep swinging the bats the way we’re swinging it and keep playing the defense that we’re playing and let the rest play out for itself.”
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: O’Sullivan breaks down Florida’s Gainesville Regional loss to Troy
Reporting by David Rosenberg, Gators Wire / Gators Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
