Florida baseball enters the SEC tournament having won eight of its last nine games.
UF is 78-70 all-time at the SEC Tournament, including 31-25 under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan. The Gators have won seven SEC Tournament titles while finishing as a runner-up seven times, most recently being crowned champions in 2015 and 2011 under O’Sullivan’s watch.
The No. 5 seeded Gators (37-18, 18-12 SEC) will open the the conference tournament against No. 13 Vanderbilt (33-24). The Commodores defeated No. 13 Kentucky 8-5 to advance to the second round.
The two squads met last season in Gainesville, which ended in a sweep for Vanderbilt. Since O’Sullivan took over in 2008, the Gators are 35-27 overall and 6-5 vs. Vanderbilt in neutral games.
In the Gators’ last nine games, UF has batted .315/.435/.618 for a 1.053 OPS with 25 homers and 19 doubles, while outscoring opponents 89-44. Florida’s pitching staff has worked to a .254 batting average against and an 84-to-22 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 76 innings.
As an offense, the Gators have recorded a .273 batting average, 95 doubles and 83 home runs.
The Vandy pitching staff has recorded 5.17 ERA in 485.1 innings, while opposing hitters have batted .237 while totaling 544 strikeouts and 263 walks.
Yost homers
Hayden Yost hits a solo home run in the second inning to extend Florida’s lead to 3-0. That’s Yost’s 10th homer of the season.
Florida baseball is on the board
The Gators take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after Brendan Lawson hit an RBI double and Ethan Surowiec drove in a run from a fielder’s choice.
Florida baseball vs Vanderbilt starting lineup
Florida baseball vs Vanderbilt projected starting pitchers
RHP Aidan King (8-2, 2.50 ERA) vs RHP Tyler Baird (0-5, 4.81 ERA)
How to watch Florida baseball vs Vanderbilt
Florida vs Vanderbilt will be televised on the SEC Network. The game is scheduled for 2 p.m. E.T. Tom Hart and Chris Burke will on the call.
However, the game will take place 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Mississippi State vs Missouri game, which begins at 10:30 a.m. ET.
Stream Florida baseball vs Vanderbilt
Florida baseball schedule
Reach Florida Gators writer Andrew Abadie at AAbadie@usatodayco.com or on X (formerly Twitter) at @AndrewAbadie. You can also find him on Facebook at Andrew Abadie Sports Reporter or on Instagram @andrewabadie_sports.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida baseball vs Vanderbilt live updates, TV channel, live stream for SEC Tournament
Reporting by Andrew Abadie, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
