Weekend Open Thread: Gators face conference combatants

Spring is going by fast and many Florida Gator teams are entering postseason play, or winding down league play. Florida’s men’s and women’s golf teams are competing in the SEC Tournament this weekend, as is the top-ranked women’s tennis team. Baseball and softball each host weekend SEC series, with the softball team hosting their last home league series of the season.

Below you’ll find what is happening in Gator sports this weekend, as well as how to follow along.

Friday. April 21

Men’s golf
SEC Championship, All Day: Florida travels to St. Simons Island, Georgia, this weekend to compete in the SEC Championship tournament. The No. 5 Gators head into the event on a two-tournament winning streak this season. This Florida team has five team victories so far on the year, which is the Gators’ most since 2011.

Track and field
Virginia Challenge, All Day: Florida’s distance corps, which last ran competitively three weeks ago at the Pepsi Florida Relays, will compete in the Virginia Challenge in Charlottesville, which will feature some of the nation’s best distance and middle distance teams.

Women’s golf
SEC Championship, All Day: Florida’s other golfers open post-season play today as well. The No. 6 Gators face five other top-25 opponents in the three-day SEC Tournament event. Florida finished in second place as a team last season, while Maria Torres took home the individual title.

Women’s tennis
Florida vs. Mississippi State, SEC Tournament Quarterfinals, 10:00 a.m. (Stats): Action at the 14-team SEC Tournament event began on Wednesday, but No. 3 seed Florida had a bye until today. The top-ranked Gators will face the No. 6 seed Bulldogs, who advanced after defeating Tennessee on Thursday. Eleven of the 14 SEC schools are ranked among the top-25 teams in the country, including three of the top four teams.

Softball
Florida vs. Ole Miss, 6:00 p.m. (SEC Network+/WatchESPN, Listen, Stats): The No. 1 Gators host the No. 18 Rebels for their final SEC home series of the season. Florida leads the SEC standings with a 15-2 mark, with six conference games left to play.

Baseball
Florida vs. South Carolina, 7:00 p.m. (SEC Network/WatchESPN, Listen, Stats): The Gators continue their three-game series with the Gamecocks, with game two on deck. Yesterday, Alex Faedo pitched Florida to a 1-0 win in the first game of the series.

Saturday, April 22

Men’s golf
SEC Championship, All Day: Florida continues competition at the SEC Championship Tournament. The Gators’ most recent SEC tournament win came in 2011.

Track and field
Virginia Challenge, All Day (Stats): Florida continues competition in the meet. All of this day events are finals.

Women’s golf
SEC Championship, All Day: The Gators continue their SEC Tournament appearance in Birmingham, Alabama, at the Greystone Golf & Country Club.

Women’s tennis
SEC Tournament Semifinals, TBD (Stats): Should the Gators defeat Mississippi State on Friday, they would advance to play the winner of a match between No. 2 seed Georgia and either No. 10 seed Auburn or No. 7 seed Arkansas, who play on Friday.

Baseball
Florida vs. South Carolina, 12:00 p.m. (ESPN2/WatchESPN, Listen, Stats): The Gators conclude their series with the Gamecocks. Jackson Kowar gets the start for Florida.

Lacrosse
Florida vs. Temple, 1:00 p.m. (Watch, Stats): The 13-2 Gators head to Philadelphia to face the 13-2 Owls. It’s the sixth meeting between the two teams, with Florida having won each of the previous five.

Softball
Florida vs. Ole Miss, 4:00 p.m. (SEC Network+/WatchESPN, Listen, Stats): The Gators continue their weekend series with the Rebels. Entering the weekend, Florida led the nation in shutouts with a total of 26 on the year, and ten in SEC play alone.

Sunday, April 23

Men’s golf
SEC Championship, All Day: Florida continues action in the four-day event, which consists of stroke and match play. This third day, the top eight teams will advance to match play and the four winners will play each other.

Women’s golf
SEC Championship, All Day: No. 6 Florida concludes play in the three-round three-day 2017 SEC Tournament.

Softball
Florida vs. Ole Miss, 12:00 p.m. (SEC Network/WatchESPN, Listen, Stats): The Gators conclude their weekend home series with the Rebels. Entering the weekend, Florida held an all-time record of 45-8 over Ole Miss, and had won the last six meetings between the programs.

Women’s tennis
SEC Tournament Final, 1:00 p.m. (Stats): Should Florida advance on Saturday, they would compete for the SEC Tournament title in the Championship Match .

And here are your schedule tables for this weekend’s events: