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The No. 4 Florida Gators welcome the Missouri Tigers to Condron Family Ballpark to start a three-game series. The Gators aim to bounce back after they were swept by No. 3 South Carolina in their last conference series. The Tigers are not going to be an easy opponent for the Gators.
Gators vs. Gamecocks Preview
Battle of the Beasts ⚔️#GoGators pic.twitter.com/pJuXXkMeXa
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) April 28, 2023
Right-hander Brandon Sproat takes the mound for the series-opener. The Gators’ ace searches for his sixth win of the season. The Tigers will send right-hander Chandler Murphy to the mound in the series-opener. Murphy will look for his fifth victory of the season.
Coach Steve Bieser
Missouri coach Steve Bieser is ready for a tough series. Close games against Florida are nothing new to Bieser. Because of this, he understands the importance that pitching will play this upcoming series.
Bieser remembers several one and two run games that his team has played against the Gators. In close games like the ones these teams so often have with one another, pitching will play a key role.
What To Look For
Both teams look to get back on track after sweeps. The Gators lost three games in Columbia to the then No. 6 South Carolina Gamecocks. In that series, the bullpen was an issue for the Gators. They were without closer Brandon Neely, who was serving a four-game suspension. The bullpen will be key for Florida in this series.
The Tigers were swept by Alabama in their last SEC series. Missouri is ready for a close series, as Bieser made clear. Their offense will need to break through against the Gator’s three best pitchers, which has proved tough for a number of teams this season.
Both teams won their midweek matchups against UNF and SIUE, respectfully. Both teams look to get back on track after being swept in their last series.
