Josh Adams began the regular season with a bang and ended it with one, too.
But he has not enjoyed that same success in between.
The junior second baseman hit two home runs in the season opener, and tallied four RBIs in the last two games of the Gators’ schedule Friday and Saturday. Adams hit 9 for 12 in those three contests.
However, he still came into last weekend’s monumental series against South Carolina hitting just .221.
“(Slumps are) not easy. You just go out there and keep playing because you know everybody goes through it,” Adams said.
But by the time that series came to an end, his average had shot up 16 points as Adams helped the Gators take two of three from the Gamecocks to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Southeastern Conference Tournament. No. 4 Florida (40-13, 22-8 SEC) will face LSU (36-20, 14-16 SEC) in the first round of the tourney Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in Hoover, Ala.
His numbers from the weekend could have been even better if South Carolina right fielder Whit Merrifield hadn’t stuck his glove over the fence and stolen an opposite-field homer away from Adams Sunday.
But the fact he has been staying back and taking the ball the other way is a good sign for the Gators.
“(Hitting the ball to opposite field has) been my approach ever since I got here. I kind of strayed away from that in the beginning of the season,” he said. “It has just taken me a while to get back into that mind frame and start going the other way.”
Hitting two home runs in the season opener turned out to be a negative. Adams said the early power surge made him go away from his original approach at the plate.
However, he is starting to show flashes from his days as a two-time member of the All-SEC team.
The right-handed batter sprayed four of his six hits to right field against South Carolina.
His recent success has not come without a price, though.
“He’s been working awfully hard. He came down for early batting practice (Friday) and (Saturday),” coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “He left the hotel at lunch time with a couple other guys and he’s been putting in the work.”
But with the postseason looming, he is reaping the benefits at the right time.
“It feels good,” Adams said. “Confidence comes in many ways and I definitely needed it .It’s definitely a good time for me to start swinging.”
