Florida heads to Columbia, Missouri, to face the Missouri Tigers Friday to begin a crucial three-game series.
The weekend carries massive implications for the future of the conference . The No. 3 Gators, 35-7 for the year, find themselves second in the SEC. The Tigers, 34-11, stand one spot behind in third.
Florida took the series against the South Carolina Gamecocks on April 25 to secure its sixth consecutive SEC series. The Gators won every conference series so far this season.
Missouri toppled Arkansas, the current conference leader, with decisive 6-3 and 10-1 victories in the same weekend.
Historically, the Gators have faced Missouri 16 times and lead the all-time series 12-4. The two squads last met in 2018.
Missouri’s heavy bats lead the SEC with a .337 team batting average.
Junior outfielder Abby George leads the pack with her .458 batting average, followed by Jenna Laird’s .433 and Brooke Wilmes’ .371.
Conversely, Florida’s dominant pitching rotation paces the conference with a 1.49 ERA.
Florida pitcher Natalie Lugo earned SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week honors for the first time Tuesday. She boasts a 13-1 record with a 1.30 ERA through 91 innings pitched. The California native pitched her first shut-out of the season, a 6-0 win over South Carolina.
Fifth-year senior Kendyl Lindaman continues to represent herself as a premier competitor on both sides of the ball. She carries a .316 batting average, rocked six home runs and slots third on the team with 28 RBIs.
The first baseman is also a top-10 finalist for the Senior CLASS Award, an award recognizing seniors for notable achievements on and off the field.
For Lindaman, the series against Missouri is just another day in the office.
“We are ranked number three for a reason,” Lindaman said. “We just need to keep doing what we’re doing.”
First pitch flies at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Columbia, Missouri. The game will broadcast on SEC Network+.
Contact Rachel Slay at rslay@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @racheljslay
