Weekend Open Thread: Gators on the national stage

As I say each week now, the schedule is only getting shorter. Florida baseball continues hosting their final regular season series - and it’s an important one with possible SEC title implications. The softball team begins their run in the 2017 NCAA tournament with Gainesville Regional play, and women’s golf and tennis compete at NCAA tournaments.

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

Friday, May 12

Women’s golf
NCAA National Championship, All Day (Golf Channel, Stats): Florida begins play at the six-day event today, and will face off against 16 top-25 ranked teams. The Gators are coming off a win at the NCAA Columbus Regional, where they took home a share of the title with South Carolina.

Softball
Florida vs. Florida A&M, Gainesville Regional, 2:30 p.m. (SEC Network/WatchESPN, Listen, Stats): The Gators face a familiar foe in their opening game of the NCAA Tournament. Florida ended their regular season against the Rattlers with a 7-0 victory. These two teams also met in February, which resulted in a 8-1 Gators win. Florida is 16-0 all-time against Florida A&M.

Baseball
Florida vs. Kentucky, 7:00 p.m. (SEC Network/WatchESPN, Listen, Stats): The Gators were routed by the Wildcats last night, 12-4. That loss, coupled with LSU picking up game one in their series with Mississippi State, put Florida in a three-way tie atop the SEC standings with Kentucky and LSU.

Women’s tennis
Florida vs. Texas A&M, NCAA Round of 16, 7:00 p.m.: The Gators have reached the Sweet 16 for the 34th time. Florida is making their 13th consecutive appearance in the round - good for the second-longest active streak in the country.

Saturday, May 20

Women’s golf
NCAA National Championship, All Day (Golf Channel, Stats): Florida continues competition at the event. Each school will play 54 holes of stroke play at the tournament, with the top-15 teams advancing to Monday’s fourth and final round of stroke play. The top-eight teams after Monday's round will advance to the match play portion of the tournament.

Softball
Gainesville Regional, TBD (SEC Network/WatchESPN, Stats): If Florida wins their opening game with Florida A&M on Friday, they will play the winner of yesterday’s tilt between FIU and Oklahoma State at noon. If the Gators fall to the Rattlers, then they will play the loser of the FIU/OK State in an elimination game.

Baseball
Florida vs. Kentucky, 1:00 p.m. (SEC Network+/WatchESPN, Listen, Stats): The Gators end their regular season against the Wildcats. The SEC Tournament begins Tuesday.

Sunday, May 21

Women’s golf
NCAA National Championship, All Day (Golf Channel, Stats): Florida concludes regular competition at the championship tournament event. The Gators can advance to Monday’s round with a top-15 finish.

Softball
Gainesville Regional, TBD (SEC Network/WatchESPN, Stats): Where the Gators fall on Sunday will depend on their results earlier in the weekend. There will be a game held at noon, between the winner of Game 3 and Game 5, and possibly a game at 2:30 p.m., if necessary.

Women’s tennis
NCAA Quarterfinals, 4:00 p.m.: Should Florida be victorious against the Aggies on Friday, the Gators would advance to the quarterfinals, where they will meet the winner of the match between Georgia Tech and Oklahoma State.

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