Aidan King set the tone for Florida on the mound against Texas A&M on Friday night, and Caden McDonald did so at the plate, leading to a 9-2 series-opening win.
King was dominant, going eight innings and throwing more than 120 pitches. He talked about how his preparation doesn't change from week to week, so he can stay consistent and address his outburst on the mound after working through the eighth.
He apologized for directing his energy toward the other dugout and said it's something he's going to work on. King also praised his offense for giving him run support and allowing the bullpen to rest for the next two games in the series.
McDonald found out he was in the starting lineup just hours before the game. He was studying for an organic chemistry exam and went back to it after getting the news. He admitted he dealt with nerves a bit, but sound preparation led to him putting together a three-hit game. Kevin O'Sullivan said McDonald will be in the lineup moving forward.
"It was pretty surreal. I mean, honestly, blacked out around second base, but I just, just a lot of hard work put into that, and kind of leading up to that moment. You know, it's not going to be the last one, but, you know, and just to be backed by my teammates like that, that was just an unreal experience."
"Oh, I'm just finding out now about (Sully saying he'll get more opportunities). But that's awesome to hear."
"They post it in the locker room on one of the TVs, probably around two, 2 p.m. ET. I was actually studying for an organic chemistry test, and like, I was out in the common area, and then they pulled me in the dugout and were like, hey, you're starting. I'm like, 'Oh my gosh.'
"Very surprised. You know, I mean, I'm ready to pitch and, you know, I'm ready for whatever opportunity I've got on the mound. But yeah, that was I had had a feeling it could be coming just with the way the offense has kind of been trending. But, you know, I still have faith in all of our guys that they will figure it out. And so, you know, whatever move they made I would support it. But yeah, it was pretty cool to see that."
"Yeah, I feel like my first at-bat, the nerves were pretty crazy. Just trying to kind of swing at strikes and take balls and trying to stay short. Didn't really do that. Got a little big with two strikes there, on a I think it was outside curveball, and then second at bat just tried to stay short, just direct to the ball, and obviously ended up working out and just kind of stayed that approach the whole time."
"I mean, it's difficult for sure. You can't be in both places at the same time. So like I'll go throw as position players kind of do. It's kind of a majority position player stuff. And then and then if I throw a bullpen or whatever, it turns into pitching stuff, and then if like in the fall, if I would like, if I'd be pitching that day for a while, they would have me shut down all position player stuff, and then they kind of would ease me into both.
"But no, I mean, it's difficult. It takes a lot of effort. But you know, anything worth doing does as well.
"I mean, not really. Not really. I really enjoyed doing both and had success this summer in the Cape, doing both. So kind of trying to keep it going as long as I can."
"Oh, it was amazing. The experience as a whole is really fun, and I'm excited to go back again this summer. But to have some success there, it was very cool and felt like I got a lot of eyes on me.
"Last year, I was just a pitcher, and then, you know, I had kind of pick back up the hitting going into the summer because that was always the plan was the two-way in the Cape. Once it kind of just got going just kind of picked it up again."
"I came in freshman year as a pretty successful high school player doing both. And then I got Tommy John surgery, and then kind of, you know, as anyone who gets a major surgery, not major, but, you know, puts you out for a year. Some questions are coming back and all that.
"So yeah, definitely. And then, you know, they tell me to put it down last year. So it just kind of reassured me that I could still do it."
"What's the level of the team right now when it's Aidan's turn to go out there? Oh, I mean, as with I mean, our pitching is everybody knows our pitching is unbelievable. And so, I mean, we have full confidence in all three of our starters.
"I mean, we have the expectation for all three of them. Seven shut out, you know, seven, seven shutty because they can all do it. So. But AK brings some high intent. And you know, as you saw tonight, he's not afraid to let it all hang out.
"So yeah, I mean, everyone gets fired up for him when he, you know, comes through like that."
"I kept studying. I try not to think about it for a little bit. I just kept doing, kept doing my homework. But no, I mean, nerves are going the whole day, and yeah, I mean, it's not really a mindset switch. You know, I'm kind of the same way. I mean, I might pitch any day, you know, you never know.