Weekend Open Thread: Florida baseball and softball host top-ten tilts

This weekend, Florida’s baseball and softball teams will both host top-ten match-ups (with the baseball team hosting a top-five meeting) in Gainesville. In addition, UF’s men’s swimming and diving team continues their week at the NCAA Championships and the gymnastics squad competes at the SEC Championships. There are also tennis matches, a lacrosse game, a rivalry volleyball scrimmage, and the beginning of the outdoor track season on deck.

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

Friday, March 23

Men’s swimming and diving
NCAA Championships, All day: Florida has already been successful during their first two days at the 2018 NCAA Championships. On day three, the Gators will be competing in the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 back, 200 medley relay, and three-meter diving. Events will be live on ESPN3 starting at 6:00 p.m.

Track and field
FSU Relays, All day: Florida will open their outdoor season at the FSU Relays in Tallahassee. The Gators’ No. 4-ranked men’s team is the two-time defending NCAA Outdoor champions and are coming off their first NCAA Indoor title since 2012.

Men’s tennis
Florida vs. Ole Miss, 5:00 p.m.: The No. 9 Gators host the Rebels in the first of two conference home matches this weekend. Florida enters this meeting with an overall record of 10-6 and a 5-1 record in the SEC.

Volleyball
Florida vs. Florida State, 6:00 p.m.: The Gators have their second spring scrimmage against the rival Seminoles on the road.

Baseball
Florida vs. Arkansas, 6:30 p.m.: A huge conference series is on deck for the No. 2 Gators this weekend as they play host to the No. 4 Razorbacks in their SEC home opener. There hasn’t been a top-five match-up at the Mac since April 2016 (when then-No. 3 Florida swept then-No. 1 Texas A&M).

Saturday, March 24

Men’s swimming and diving
NCAA Championships, All day: Florida concludes their week at the NCAA Championships in Minneapolis. The Gators will be participating in the 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, 400 free relay, and platform diving events. Events will be live on ESPN3 starting at 6:00 p.m.

Baseball
Florida vs. Arkansas, 12:00 p.m.: The Gators continue their top-five tussle with the Razorbacks. Coming into this weekend, Florida held a slight lead in the overall series, 30-29. In Gainesville, the Gators held a 16-11 edge over the Razorbacks before this weekend.

Lacrosse
Florida vs. Georgetown, 12:00 p.m.: Playing their eighth ranked opponent in the last ten games, the Gators travel to Washington, D.C., as they embark on the majority of their Big East slate after completing a tough non-conference schedule.

Women’s tennis
Florida vs. Auburn, 1:00 p.m.: The No. 18 Gators travel to the No. 15 Tigers after defeating Alabama on the road earlier in the week. This will be Florida’s 13th road match of the season.

Softball
Florida vs. Texas A&M, 5:00 p.m.: Like their baseball brethren, the softball Gators are hosting a top-ten tilt themselves this weekend. No. 6 Florida welcomes No. 8 Texas A&M to Gainesville this weekend for a three-game SEC Series. These two teams last met in the 2017 Women’s College World Series.

Gymnastics
SEC Championships, 7:00 p.m.: Florida is seeking its 11th SEC title in St. Louis this Saturday. The event starts earlier in the day, but the Gators are in the second session, which begins at 7:00 p.m. and features LSU, Kentucky, and Alabama. Four of the nation’s top-ten ranked teams are among the eight-team SEC field competing.

Sunday, March 25

Baseball
Florida vs. Arkansas, 12:00 p.m.: The Gators conclude their ranked run with the Razorbacks. Both teams are on their second SEC series of the season. Arkansas came into the weekend 3-0 in the league and 16-5 overall, while Florida was 19-4 overall and 2-1 in the SEC.

Men’s tennis
Florida vs. Arkansas, 1:00 p.m.: The Gators finish their weekend with their second home SEC contest, welcoming the Razorbacks to the court in Gainesville. Coming into this weekend, Florida was 6-1 at home this season.

Softball
Florida vs. Texas A&M, 7:00 p.m.: Continuing their three-game series, the Gators again meet the Aggies. Coming into this weekend, Florida and Texas A&M had only met 17 times, with the Gators leading 13-4. The third game in this series will be played Monday evening at 7:00 p.m.

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