Defending champion Gators top seed in the NCAA tourney
The Florida baseball team’s stumbles down the stretch did nothing to diminish its national standing in the eyes of the NCAA selection committee. Despite losing six of their last seven games, the Gators still earned the No. 1-overall seed for the NCAA Regionals and will host Florida Atlantic, Jacksonville and Columbia in Gainesville this week.
Florida State also earned an NCAA berth and an overall No. 7 seed, so it will host its regional and super regional (if it advances) in Tallahassee. The Seminoles will be joined by No. 2 seed Mississippi State, No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 4 Samford.
Defending national champion Florida became the first program to earn the No. 1 overall seed three times, previously doing so in 2012 and 2016.
“At the beginning of the year, our goal is always to earn a national seed for the NCAA Tournament, and now we’ve done it nine times in the last 10 years. That’s incredible,” UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “We always have a difficult schedule and this year was no different. Being a top seed allows us the chance to play in front of our fans for both the regionals and super regionals and that’s a huge advantage in the postseason.”
Florida (42-17) opens with Columbia (20-28) on Friday at noon at McKethan Stadium. Jacksonville (39-19), the No. 2 seed, and Florida Atlantic (40-17-1), the No. 3 seed, follow at 6:30 p.m.
The Gators earned the SEC regular-season title and won each of their first nine conference series before ending on a four-game losing streak, including a sweep by Mississippi State. After winning their first game in the SEC Tournament last week, they then took two lopsided losses (8-2 to Arkansas and 11-0 to LSU) for an unceremonious elimination.
Florida has been without ace pitcher Brady Singer the last two weeks as he rests an injured hamstring. And senior catcher JJ Schwarz, a Palm Beach Gardens graduate, also sat out the conference tournament with a broken bone in his right hand.
FAU is making its 13th overall appearance in the NCAA tournament and fifth under coach John McCormack. Even after missing out last season, the Owls have now made four tournament appearances in the past six seasons.
Despite a recent slew of injuries, the Owls made it to the Conference USA championship game before losing 12-3 to Southern Miss on Sunday.
McCormack said he was hopeful the Owls would receive a No. 2 seed for nearly winning their conference.
FAU played in Gainesville on Feb. 20, losing 6-2. Junior shortstop Tyler Frank, who could potentially be a second-round pick in Monday’s draft, said he’s ready for a potential rematch with the No. 1 team in the country. “It’s always fun playing them, and we couldn’t be more excited,” Frank said.
The Seminoles’ players and coaches erupted in a rousing round of applause Monday afternoon when they learned they will be the No. 7 national seed. They earned the national seed with a strong late-season push that included a second straight ACC Tournament championship.
FSU will host Samford on Friday at 7 p.m. in the opening round. Mississippi State and Oklahoma will play Friday at noon.