It was all Gators from the first inning Saturday night as Florida strung together five consecutive hits in its first trip to the plate and scored four runs. They added four more in the second, jumping out to an 8-0 lead with 10 hits through two innings.
The Orange and Blue cruised to an 11-0 run-rule victory after seven innings, securing the series and improving to 6-1 on the 2026 season.
“We’re playing really good baseball,” head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said postgame. “It’s really not that hard to see why we’re having success right now. We’re focused at the plate, having really good at bats, we’re extending at bats with two strikes, we’re not waiting until the third or fourth inning to wake up and get going. We’ve been pretty good offensively from the get go.”
“We’re playing really good defense. Our base running has been outstanding,” O’Sullivan added. “When you put all those things together and your pitchers throw strikes, it looks clean.”
Since their opening night loss to UAB, the Gators have outscored opponents 58-9 during a six-game win streak.
“This team looks totally different than it did the first night, but opening night is just a different deal. Obviously we played extremely well tonight. Pleased with all the phases,” O’Sullivan said.
Saturday starter Aidan King tossed six shutout innings vs. Kennesaw State, allowing five hits with no walks and striking out five.
“Commanded the ball on both sides. Typical Aidan King outing,” O’Sullivan said on King’s outing. “He gives you a lot of comfort when you are watching him, not just from the dugout, but from the stands, you kind of know what you’re gonna get.”
King improved as the game progressed, increasing his velocity and recording his lone 1-2-3 inning in the sixth and final frame, striking out two.
“I thought his stuff in particular in the 4th, 5th, and 6th took a tick up,” O’Sullivan said. “His fastball was better, he was mostly 90-91 in the first three, in his first outing at well, and then I don’t know what it was, but in the 4th, 5th, and 6th he was back up to 93-94, his slider looked a little tighter.”
Over his last seven starts dating back to last season, King owns a 0.66 ERA with 38 strikeouts and 10 walks across 40.2 innings.
Redshirt freshman RHP Schuyler Sandford closed the game out with a 1-2-3 7th inning, picking up one strikeout. Sandford has started his collegiate career with two perfect innings.
“He’s going to be such a valuable piece for us moving forward,” O’Sullivan said on Sandford.
Florida’s bats remained a steady force in game two, tying a season-high with 16 hits. Even more impressive, the Gators plated 11 runs in six trips to the plate without hitting a home run — a sign of a ballclub stringing together quality at-bats.
Gators leadoff hitter Kyle Jones recorded a three-hit night, boosting his team-leading 15 hits this season. The redshirt sophomore outfielder is hitting .500 with seven extra-base hits.
Florida is playing as well as you can and will look for the sweep tomorrow at 1:00 p.m.