True freshman Cade Kurland has played a significant part in Florida’s historic 2023 run, slashing .290/.394/.544 while launching 16 home runs, the most by a Gators’ second baseman in program history.
After five years of varsity ball, Kurland graduated Berkely Preparatory after his junior season, joining Kevin O’Sullivan’s program as a member of the 2022 recruiting class.
“Different than most freshmen,” O’Sullivan said about Kurland after Florida’s opening series of the 2023 season. “When you’re talking about Cade Kurland, here’s a guy that’s supposed to be in high school right now. He’s got a great demeanor about him. He kind of just slows down the game. He’s different.”
O’Sullivan wouldn’t have welcomed Kurland a year early if he didn’t think he could compete at the high level that is SEC baseball.
“I think he was 0 for his first two and next thing you know, he looks up and he’s got three hits,” O’Sullivan said on Kurland’s three hit night against Miami earlier this season. “That just tells you everything about his maturity.”
Despite being the second youngest player on the Gators’ roster, Kurland has worked out of the leadoff spot for a majority of the year.
Entering Wednesday’s game against TCU, Kurland had recorded just one hit in his last 15 at bats, dating back to the final game of the Gainesville Super Regional.
After an 0-4 start at the plate against the Horned Frogs, Kurland stepped into the box in a 2-2 game with two outs and runner on third base in the top of the 9th inning. Facing RHP Garrett Wright, Kurland found himself down in the count 0-2 before sending a ground ball deep into the third base – shortstop gap, hustling out an RBI infield single to give the Gators a 3-2 lead.
VIDEO: https://twitter.com/GatorsBB/status/1671622353347055616?s=20
“A lot of times in baseball things may not go your way, but I think baseball always has a way to come back around,” Kurland said postgame. “It’s really important to stay in the moment for when you do get the opportunity. And that’s why, he got me 0-2 quick, and I just knew he wasn’t going to get me out. I wasn’t going to go down.”
Kurland is now two for his last 20 at bats, but the 5-11 second baseman has hit some balls on the nose throughout the College World Series and delivered in the biggest at bat of his career.
Runs have been few and far between for the eight teams competing in the CWS, but Kurland and the Florida Gators will look to get their offense going in the championship series against the winner of bracket #2 (LSU or Wake Forest).