2019 Florida Gators baseball team explained

Year:	2019
Team:	Florida Gators
Sport:	baseball
Conference:	Southeastern Conference
Short Conf:	SEC
Record:	34–26
Conf Record:	13–17
Head Coach:	Kevin O'Sullivan (12th year)
Asst Coach1:	Craig Bell (12th year) Brad Weitzel (12th year)
Stadium:	Alfred A. McKethan Stadium
Tourney:	Lubbock Regional
Tourney Result:	1–2

The 2019 Florida Gators baseball team represented the University of Florida in the sport of baseball during the 2019 college baseball season. Florida competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Home games were played at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus. The team was coached by Kevin O'Sullivan in his twelfth season as Florida's head coach. The Gators entered the season as the defending conference champions, reaching the national semifinals in the 2018 College World Series before being eliminated by Arkansas.

Preseason

Preseason All-American teams

1st Team

• Tyler Dyson – Starting Pitcher (Baseball America) ^[1]

2nd Team

• Wil Dalton – Outfielder (NCBWA)^[2]

3rd Team

• Wil Dalton – Outfielder (Perfect Game)^[3]
• Wil Dalton – Outfielder (Collegiate Baseball)^[4]
• Wil Dalton – Outfielder (Baseball America)

SEC media poll

The SEC media poll was released on February 7, 2019 with the Gators predicted to finish in second place in the Eastern Division.^[5]

Media poll (East)
1	Vanderbilt	87 (9)
2	Florida	81 (4)
3	Georgia	68 (1)
4	South Carolina	53
5	Tennessee	40
6	Kentucky	30
7	Missouri	26

Preseason All-SEC teams

2nd Team

• Tyler Dyson – Starting Pitcher

Roster

By position

Schedule

Legend
	Florida win
	Florida loss
	Postponement
Bold	Florida team member

! style="background:#FF4A00;color:white;"| Regular season|- valign="top" |- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| February 15 || || No. 6 || McKethan Stadium
Gainesville, FL || 8–2 || Butler (1–0) || Seminaris (0–1) || None || 4,851 || 1–0 || –|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| February 16 || Long Beach State || No. 6 || McKethan Stadium || 5–2 || Mace (1–0) || Baayoun (0–1) || Crisp (1) || 4,344 || 2–0 || –|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| February 17 || Long Beach State || No. 6 || McKethan Stadium || 3–1 || Leftwich (1–0) || Ruiz (0–1) || Crisp (2) || 3,981 || 3–0 || –|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| February 19 || at || No. 5 || USF Baseball Stadium
Tampa, FL || 1–6 || Stuart (1–0) || || None || 2,363 || 3–1 || –|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| || || No. 5 || McKethan Stadium || 1–7 || Michaelis (1–1) || Scott (0–1) || None || 3,281 || 3–2 || –|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| February 22 || Miami (FL)
Rivalry || No. 5 || McKethan Stadium || 2–5 || || Butler (1–1) || || 4,775 || 3–3 || –|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| February 23 || Miami (FL)
Rivalry || No. 5 || McKethan Stadium || 9–3 || Mace (2–0) || Gates (0–1) || Crisp (3) || 6,206 || 4–3 || –|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| February 24 || Miami (FL)
Rivalry || No. 5 || McKethan Stadium || 4–1 || Leftwich (2–0) || Van Belle (1–1) || Crisp (4) || 4,398 || 5–3 || –|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| February 26 || at || No. 7 ||
Jacksonville, FL || 5–4¹⁰ || Scott (1–1) || Mauloni (0–1) || Crisp (5) || 1,122 || 6–3 || –|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| February 27 || UCF || No. 7 || McKethan Stadium || 9–12 || Westberg (1–0) || McMullen (0–2) || Hakanson (1) || 3,167 || 6–4 || –|-|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| March 1 || || No. 7 || || 16–4 || Dyson (1–0) || Harris (0–1) || None || 3,335 || 7–4 || –|- bgcolor="#bbbbbb"| March 2 || Winthrop || No. 7 || McKethan Stadium || colspan=7| Postponed (rain) Makeup: March 3 as a doubleheader^[6] |- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| March 3 (1) || Winthrop || No. 7 || McKethan Stadium || || Mace (3–0) || Peek (1–1) || None || 3,357 || 8–4 || –|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| March 3 (2) || Winthrop || No. 7 || McKethan Stadium || 5–3⁷ || || || Crisp (6) || 3,192 || 9–4 || –|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| March 5 || || No. 5 || McKethan Stadium || 15–0 || Scott (2–1) || Bitner (1–1) || None || 2,929 || 10–4 || –|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| March 6 || Florida Gulf Coast || No. 5 || McKethan Stadium || 2–7 || Lumbert (2–1) || Luethje (0–1) || None || 2,955 || 10–5 || –|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| March 8 || || No. 5 || McKethan Stadium || 6–5 || Mace (4–0) || Politz (2–1) || Crisp (7) || 3,249 || 11–5 || –|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| March 9 || Yale || No. 5 || McKethan Stadium || 15–1 || Leftwich (4–0) || Nambiar (0–2) || None || 3,756 || 12–5 || –|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| March 10 || Yale || No. 5 || McKethan Stadium || 4–3 || Dyson (2–0) || Stiegler (1–2) || Ruth (1) || 3,248 || 13–5 || –|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| March 12 || No. 10 Florida State
Rivalry || No. 5 || McKethan Stadium || 20–7 || Alintoff (1–0) || Haney (2–1) || None || 5,385 || 14–5 || – |- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| March 15 || No. 6 Mississippi State || No. 5 || McKethan Stadium || 5–6 || Small (2–0) || Mace (4–1) || None || 4,215 || 14–6 || 0–1|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| March 16 (1) || No. 6 Mississippi State || No. 5 || McKethan Stadium || 5–10 || Ginn (5–0) || Leftwich (4–1) || Liebelt (2) || 4,019 || 14–7 || 0–2|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| || No. 6 Mississippi State || No. 5 || McKethan Stadium || 4–2 || Dyson (2–0) || James (2–1) || Scott (1) || 3,247 || 15–7 || 1–2|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| March 19 || Jacksonville || No. 14 || McKethan Stadium || 13–8 || Crisp (1–0) || Murphy (1–1) || || 3,223 || 16–7 || –|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| March 21 || at No. 8 Vanderbilt || No. 14 || Hawkins Field
Nashville, TN || 0–5 || Fellows (5–0) || Mace (4–2) || None || 3,191 || 16–8 || 1–3|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| March 22 || at No. 8 Vanderbilt || No. 14 || Hawkins Field || 2–15 || Raby (4–0) || Leftwich (4–2) || None || 3,626 || 16–9 || 1–4|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| March 23 || at No. 8 Vanderbilt || No. 14 || Hawkins Field || 4–14 || Rocker (2–2) || Dyson (3–1) || Brown (5) || 3,626 || 16–10 || 1–5|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| March 26 ||
Rivalry || || Baseball Grounds
Jacksonville, FL || 4–2 || Scott (2–1) || Velez (2–2) || None || 8,041 || 17–10 || –|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| March 29 || Alabama || No. 23 || McKethan Stadium || 3–1 || Mace (5–2) || Finnerty (4–3) || None || 4,521 || 18–10 || 2–5|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| March 30 || Alabama || No. 23 || McKethan Stadium || 12–3 || Scott (3–1) || Love (3–1) || None || 5,156 || 19–10 || 3–5|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| March 31 || Alabama || No. 23 || McKethan Stadium || 6–3 || Ruth (1–0) || Ras (1–2) || None || 3,785 || 20–10 || 4–5|-| colspan=11 | Rescheduled from March 17 due to the threat of rain.^[7] |- |- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| April 2 || || || McKethan Stadium || 12–1 || Crisp (2–0) || Wilson (1–3) || None || 3,036 || 21–10 || –|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| April 5 || || No. 21 || Swayze Field
Oxford, MS || 4–12 || Myers (2–0) || Mace (5–3) || None || 11,026 || 21–11 || 4–6|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| April 6 (1) || at No. 18 Ole Miss || No. 21 || Swayze Field || 4–16 || Nikhazy (3–2) || Dyson (3–2) || None || 10,220 || 21–12 || 4–7|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| || at No. 18 Ole Miss || No. 21 || Swayze Field || 10–12 || Caracci (1–1) || Crisp (2–1) || None || 10,220 || 21–13 || 4–8|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| April 9 || at Florida State
Rivalry || ||
Tallahassee, FL || 3–1 || Specht (1–0) || Haney (2–2) || None || 5,368 || 22–13 || –|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| April 11 || South Carolina || || McKethan Stadium || 9–5 || Mace (6–3) || Morgan (3–2) || None || 3,414 || 23–13 || 5–8|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| April 12 || South Carolina || || McKethan Stadium || 3–6 || Tringali (2–0) || Scott (3–2) || None || 4,531 || 23–14 || 5–9|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| April 13 || South Carolina || || McKethan Stadium || 6–4 || Luethje (1–1) || Sweatt (2–3) || None || 4,908 || 24–14 || 6–9|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| April 16 || Jacksonville || || McKethan Stadium || 8–4 || Crisp (3–1) || Temple (2–1) || Pogue (1) || 3,337 || 25–14 || –|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| April 18 || at No. 14 LSU || || Alex Box Stadium
Baton Rouge, LA || 16–9 || Mace (7–3) || Hilliard (0–2) || None || 10,132 || 26–14 || 7–9|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| April 19 || at No. 14 LSU || || Alex Box Stadium || 1–13 || Henry (4–2) || Scott (3–3) || || 10,766 || 26–15 || 7–10|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| April 20 || at No. 14 LSU || || Alex Box Stadium || 2–11 || Walker (3–3) || Leftwich (4–3) || None || 11,327 || 26–16 || 7–11|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| April 23 || || || McKethan Stadium || 11–13 || Schneider (3–1) || || None || 2,886 || 26–17 || –|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| April 26 || Kentucky || || McKethan Stadium || 10–8 || Scott (4–3) || Ramsey (2–4) || Crisp (8) || 3,664 || 27–17 || 8–11|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| April 27 || Kentucky || || McKethan Stadium || 1–5 || || Leftwich (4–4) || None || 4,068 || 27–18 || 8–12|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| April 28 || Kentucky || || McKethan Stadium || 12–8 || Scott (5–3) || Coleman (2–4) || None || 3,401 || 28–18 || 9–12|-| colspan=11| Rescheduled from April 7 due to the threat of rain.^[8] |- |- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| May 3 || at No. 9 Georgia || || Foley Field
Athens, GA || 4–6 || Locey (8–1) || Mace (7–4) || Kristofak (6) || 3,106 || 28–19 || 9–13|- bgcolor="#bbbbbb"| May 4 || at No. 9 Georgia || || Foley Field || colspan=7| Postponed (rain) Makeup: May 5 as a 7-inning doubleheader^[9] |- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| May 5 (1) || at No. 9 Georgia || || Foley Field || 1–9⁷ || Elliott (6–3) || Leftwich (4–5) || None || 2,845 || 28–20 || 9–14|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| May 5 (2) || at No. 9 Georgia || || Foley Field || 1–4⁷ || Wilcox (2–0) || Crisp (3–2) || None || 2,845 || 28–21 || 9–15|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| May 7 || South Florida || || McKethan Stadium || 7–3 || Pogue (1–0) || Yager (2–2) || Specht (1) || 3,082 || 29–21 || –|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| May 10 || Tennessee || || McKethan Stadium || 10–9 || Crisp (4–2) || Walsh (0–2) || None || 3,542 || 30–21 || 10–15|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| May 11 || Tennessee || || McKethan Stadium || 7–8 || Crochet (4–3) || Specht (1–1) || Sewell (1) || 3,659 || 30–22 || 10–16|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| May 12 || Tennessee || || McKethan Stadium || 4–5 || Jackson (1–0) || Crisp (4–3) || Hunley (1) || 3,265 || 30–23 || 10–17|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| May 16 || at No. 24 Missouri || || Taylor Stadium
Columbia, MO || 5–4 || Mace (8–4) || Ash (2–2) || Butler (1) || 2,310 || 31–23 || 11–17|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| May 17 || at No. 24 Missouri || || Taylor Stadium || 2–0 || Leftwich (5–5) || Sikkema (7–4) || None || 3,182 || 32–23 || 12–17|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| May 18 || at No. 24 Missouri || || Taylor Stadium || 4–3 || Scott (6–3) || Dulle (4–4) || None || 1,675 || 33–23 || 13–17|-|-! style="background:#FF4A00;color:white;"| Postseason|-|-|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| || || (11) ||
Hoover, AL || 7–8¹⁰ || || Crisp (4–4) || None || 4,135 || 33–24 || 0–1|-|-|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| May 31 || || (3) ||
Lubbock, TX|| 8–11 || Johnson (5–2) || Mace (8–5) || None || 4,530 || 33–25 || 0–1|- bgcolor="#ddffdd"| || vs. (4) || (3) || Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park || 13–5 || Leftwich (6–5) || Giovinco (8–6) || None || 4,567 || 34–25 || 1–1|- bgcolor="#ffdddd"| || vs. No. 24 (2) Dallas Baptist || (3) || Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park || 8–9 || Fouse (6–0) || Pogue (1–1) || Carraway (5) || 4,679 || 34–26 || 1–2|-Rankings from D1Baseball. All times Eastern. Parentheses indicate tournament seedings. Retrieved from FloridaGators.com

Rankings

See main article: 2019 NCAA Division I baseball rankings.

2019 MLB draft

See main article: 2019 MLB Draft.

Player	Position	Round	Overall	MLB Team
Brady McConnell	SS	2	44	Kansas City Royals
Tyler Dyson	RHP	5	153	Washington Nationals
Wil Dalton	OF	8	257	Boston Red Sox
Nelson Maldonado	OF	21	642	Chicago Cubs

Notes and References

1. News: 2019 College Baseball Preseason All-Americans . . Teddy. Cahill. Carlos . Collazo. January 28, 2019 . January 28, 2019.
2. News: NCBWA ANNOUNCES 2019 PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM . . February 5, 2019 . February 5, 2019.
3. News: College Preseason All-Americans . Perfect Game . Mike. Rooney. Patrick . Ebert. January 8, 2019 . January 8, 2019.
4. News: Collegiate Baseball 2019 All-Americans . Collegiate Baseball Newspaper . December 17, 2018 . January 8, 2019.
5. Web site: Vanderbilt picked to win 2019 SEC Baseball Championship.
6. Web site: Florida-Winthrop Postponed; Doubleheader on Sunday . Apple . Daniel . March 2, 2019 . floridagators.com . . March 2, 2019 .
7. Web site: Florida-Mississippi State to Conclude Series with Saturday Doubleheader . Apple . Daniel . March 16, 2019 . floridagators.com . . March 16, 2019 .
8. Web site: Florida-Ole Miss to Conclude Series with Saturday Doubleheader . Apple . Daniel . April 5, 2019 . floridagators.com . . April 5, 2019 .
9. Web site: Florida-Georgia Game 2 Postponed; Doubleheader Sunday . Apple . Daniel . May 4, 2019 . floridagators.com . . May 4, 2019.