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Florida baseball set to battle in-state foe North Florida in mid-week series

By Andrew Schutte

Jun 13, 2015; Omaha, NE, USA; Florida Gators outfielder Buddy Reed (23) drives in a run in the fourth inning against the Miami Hurricanes in the 2015 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 13, 2015; Omaha, NE, USA; Florida Gators outfielder Buddy Reed (23) drives in a run in the fourth inning against the Miami Hurricanes in the 2015 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Gators look to extend their winning streak to seven when they meet with North Florida in Jacksonville Tuesday night to begin their mid-week series.

The No. 1-ranked Florida Gators (12-1) travel to Jacksonville to take on the North Florida Ospreys (6-6) Tuesday at 6 PM at Harmon Stadium.

The Gators come in riding a six-game winning streak that started back on Feb. 28 when they clinched the series 2-1 against then-No. 6 Miami in Coral Gables.

That defeat to the Hurricanes remains Florida’s lone loss to an in-state foe this season (7-1), having swept Florida Gulf Coast 3-0 in the opening weekend set and taking the two-game midweek series against UCF on Mar. 1 and 2.

UF has a chance to notch two more in-state victories to its record if it can edge North Florida Tuesday and Wednesday night.

But it won’t be easy.

The Gators hold just an 8-6 advantage over the Ospreys, with eight of the 14 contests having been decided by two runs or less. Additionally, Florida baseball head coach Kevin O’Sullivan is 8-4 against North Florida overall.

Florida Gators
Florida Gators /

Florida Gators

But more notably, all eight of those victories have been results of games played in Gainesville. He’s 0-3 when facing the Ospreys in Jacksonville — which is where Game 1 will be played.

Florida will need to be just as sharp as its been if its to notch its first win over North Florida in The River City under O’Sullivan. And it starts with that impeccable pitching staff, which has compiled an earned run average of 2.50 and is holding foes to a .193 batting average, while the rest of the squad boasts a .980 fielding percentage.

Taking the mound for the Gators in the first outing is junior right-hander Dane Dunning (1-0, 6.23). He’ll oppose North Florida freshman lefty Austin Drury (1-0, 3.38). So far, Dunning has logged 12 strikeouts and just three walks in four game appearances and two starts.

Offensively, outfielder Buddy Reed has been the playmaker in UF’s past five victories.

Last week alone, Reed batted 7-for-20 (.350) and totaled six runs, five RBI, four walks and four extra-base hits (two doubles, one triple and a home run).

Another solid performance at the plate would certainly be an added bonus Tuesday night.

More gators: Gators Football: Linebacker Analysis

For Florida, five games stand between it and the conference slate: these two against North Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday; three versus Harvard Friday through Sunday. The Gators will close out their non-conference schedule this week before they begin their road to an SEC title in a brutal 10-consecutive league series.

The game can be heard through FloridaGators.com on the Gator IMG Sports Network and will be available via livestream on A-Sun TV.

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