Daytona Beach, Fla. – After dropping a 3-2 nail-biter to the Gators back on March 22, the Wildcats will have a second shot at Florida in their penultimate midweek contest of the season, Tuesday night in Gainesville.
 
Game Information

Tuesday, May 10
Opponent: Florida  (29-18, 11-13 SEC)
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Gainesville, Fla. | Condron Family Ballpark
Live Stats: https://floridagators.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary
Watch: SECN+
 
Last Time Out
 
After dropping the first of three with Jackson State last weekend, the Wildcats rallied to tame the Tigers handily in the final two games of the series.
 
The Wildcats took game two, 8-2, behind a two-homer game from Matthew Garcia. B-CU run-ruled the Tigers in the series finale, 13-2. Nolan Santos tossed a seven-inning gem, striking out eleven, and the top of the B-CU order combined for two runs, eight hits, six RBI, and a walk.
 
In their last foray into Gainesville, the Wildcats struck first on a straight steal of home by Malik Stephens. B-CU took a 2-0 lead in the third on a Gator fielding error. Florida took the 3-2 lead late on a pair of home runs. The Wildcats threatened in the ninth as Brian Perez walked and advanced to third on a wild pitch, but the Wildcats could not complete the upset.
 
Scouting the Gators
 
Florida is 29-18 this season, and 11-13 in SEC play. The Gators swept SEC foe Mississippi State last weekend – they have won six of their last seven.
 
The Gators are batting .275 as a team with 87 homers and 302 RBI.  Outfielder Wyatt Lanford leads his team on the offensive end with 49 RBI and a .352 average. Outfielder Jud Fabian leads the Gators with 19 home runs and 49 runs scored .
 
Florida's pitching staff combines for a 4.38 ERA. In 419 innings, they have struck out 419, and walked 167. Opponents are hitting .252 against the Gators. They have 36 errors as a team.
 
The Starters
 
Lefty Alec Mendez will make his third start of the season Tuesday night in what will be a staff day for the Wildcats. Mendez started in B-CU's first game with Florida, allowing only one hit with a strikeout in an inning of work  – it was his first start of the year. He threw a season-high 51 pitches over two innings at Jacksonville last week.
 
Notes

• The Wildcats clinched a SWAC tournament berth with their win on Sunday at Jackson State – they sit three games in the loss column behind Florida A&M for first place, and two games back of Alabama State for second.
• The B-CU pitching staff has improved to second in the SWAC in ERA at 5.26
• Wildcat pitchers have struck out 425 batters this season, the best mark in the conference by an 18-K margin.
• The Wildcats have turned the third-most double plays in the conference with 33 twin-killings.

 
 
All-Time Series
 
Tuesday marks the 16^th ever meeting between the Gators and Wildcats. The Wildcats have one win in the all-time series, a 6-2 victory in Gainesville back on June 4, 2017.
 

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