COLLEGE STATION — There may not be a hotter team in the country than Texas A&M baseball, but things certainly aren't getting any easier for the No. 7 Aggies (31-7, 12-5), who captured their fourth consecutive SEC series victory, sweeping LSU in Baton Rouge, La. It was their second consecutive series sweep and A&M is in sole possession of second place in the conference and has risen to eighth in the RPI rankings, a season high.
However, the No. 21 Gators (28-14, 10-8) have looked strong at times and present another tough SEC road test. Florida enters the weekend tied for fourth in the SEC and ninth in RPI.
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The two teams' last meeting was during the 2024 College World Series when the Aggies beat the Gators twice, eliminating them in the semifinals.
Will Texas A&M secure its fifth consecutive series win? Here are three key things to know about the Gators along with a prediction for Texas A&M vs. Florida:
Only South Carolina (.247) and Alabama (.258) have lower batting averages in the SEC than Florida's .264. The Gators are 11th in runs scored and have reached double-digit runs just twice in conference play.
Florida is 10th in the conference in hits (364) and home runs (54), while sitting 14th in on-base percentage (.373) and 12th in slugging percentage (.443). Four players are hitting better than .300 entering the weekend, but six have tallied at least 25 strikeouts, including four with 30 or more.
Florida has largely leaned on its pitching to help scrape out wins. Against the Aggies, who boast one of the best offenses in the country, it will be a tall task for the staff to continue that trend. The Gators are fifth in the SEC in ERA (3.91), second in home runs allowed (24) and fourth in strikeouts (448).
Right-hander Aidan King (6-2, team-best 1.71 ERA) has been Florida's strongest starter. Liam Peterson hasn't been as effective but has still been strong. The righty has a 3.42 ERA and a team-high 71 strikeouts, but is 1-3 in 10 starts. Out of the bullpen, Ernesto Lugo-Canchola has led the team in appearances with 20. He's 1-0 with a 3.95 ERA in 27⅓ innings.
While the season hasn't been perfect for the Gators, they're currently outpacing expectations. In the SEC preseason poll, they were picked to finish seventh in the conference. Peterson was named first-team All-SEC, while third baseman Brendan Lawson was named to the second team.
Texas A&M 2-1. The Aggies have won four consecutive series, including two on the road. Playing on the road for a second consecutive weekend series is no small task, but A&M has proven to be battle-tested and with the pitching finding some stability lately, things appear to be progressing.
Reach Texas A&M beat reporter Tony Catalina via email at Anthony.Catalina@statesman.com