Fresh off a stunning loss to UCF on Tuesday, the Gators will look to regroup in an environment mostly foreign to their team this season.
After playing 23 of its first 30 games at home, No. 4 Florida (24-6, 7-2 Southeastern Conference) embarks on a treacherous eight-game road trip, starting tonight at 7:30 against Mississippi State in Starkville.
UF has played just four true road games all year, but the Gators are 4-0 in such contests including a series sweep over LSU — their only three games thus far outside the state of Florida.
The Gators were .500 (14-14) on the road in 2010, but sophomore catcher Mike Zunino said the team is confident it can improve its road play using concentration and patience.
“We have to just take it one game at a time,” he said. “Our pitching staff is going to go out and execute whether we’re home or away. As hitters, we just have to stay focused and tune everything out. … The rest will take care of itself.”
Mississippi State is 17-4 this year at home and has a passionate fan base, averaging more fans per game (5,758) than UF’s McKethan Stadium holds (5,500). The Bulldogs (20-9, 4-5 SEC) are expecting especially large crowds this weekend as their football team holds its spring scrimmage Saturday afternoon.
Zunino, Florida’s leader in runs scored and multi-RBI games, said the Gators approach hostile environments like Dudy Noble Field just as if they were playing in their own stadium.
He said the team eliminates distractions by using consistent routines for every game, home or away.
“We have fun with it,” first baseman Austin Maddox said. “I don’t think our team really struggles on the road. We’ll go to State this weekend and do well.”
FONTANA UPDATE: Florida shortstop Nolan Fontana is listed as day-to-day and made the trip to Starkville, according to a UF spokesman.
Fontana, who has started every game this season, was injured in the seventh inning of Tuesday’s loss while chasing a shallow fly ball into left field. UF’s leadoff hitter drilled his head on the grass while attempting to make the catch.
Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan was not made available for comment on Fontana’s status for the upcoming series.
ETC: Right-hander Hudson Randall (5-0, 0.54 ERA) will toe the rubber tonight for UF. … The Gators are 19-2 when their weekend starters — Randall, Brian Johnson and Karsten Whitson — take the mound to begin the game. In Florida’s only SEC road series of the year, the trio tossed 16.2 innings and allowed four earned runs in the sweep of LSU. …. UF leads the conference in batting average (.311) but also in grounding into double plays (26).
