Kevin O'Sullivan's choice to switch the rotation confirms a new ace in Gainesville

Rivalry week continues for the Florida Gators this weekend as on Friday they opened a three-game series against their SEC rival Georgia Bulldogs in Athens. In a rotation shakeup by Kevin O’Sullivan, the right-handed sophomore, Aidan King was on the mound for the Gators instead of Liam Peterson who was moved to Saturday. The decision to move King into the ace position did not disappoint as he continued his impeccable season with a near-complete game.

King threw 7 2/3 innings, giving up just two earned runs on two hits, two walks, and struck out six on Friday night against the Bulldogs, which was enough to earn him his fifth win of the season to improve to 5-2 on the year.

The Gators’ ace took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before giving up his first hit of the night, a lead-off single for Trey Phelps. He was able to work his way out of the inning without giving up any runs, however.

King took a one-hit shutout into the eighth inning before the Bulldogs finally got to King and gained a couple runs back on the Gators who led 8-0 through seven. With one out, King walked back-to-back hitters. Two batters later, with two on and two out he gave up his first big hit of the night, a two-RBI Triple to Ryan Black that ended the righty’s shutout bid and knocked him out of the game.

But the Gators went on to get the win, with King walking away a winner after yet another phenomenal outing for the sophomore. Afterwards O'Sullivan was quite pleased with the performance:

"That's about as well pitched of a game as I've seen in a long time. He commanded both sides of the plate, he used all of his pitches, in total command, and it was tight there for six, 'cause we had only scored one in the first and we had some other opportunities to score."

Over the course of the season King is 5-2 with a low 1.74 ERA. In nine games pitched, he has thrown a total 46 2/3 innings, giving up just nine earned runs (17 total runs) on 33 hits, 11 walks, and has struck out 47. He has given up four doubles, just the one triple on Friday, and one home run on the season. Opposing batters are hitting just .194 against him.

This is King’s second outing in a row in which he’s gone at least seven innings, allowing the Gators to rest their bullpen by going deep.

King currently ranks No. 16 in the country and coming into Friday night was tied for 12th nationally for runs allowed (seven before Friday). He is continuing to make a strong case for being a first-round draft candidate in 2027.