Weekend Open Thread: Gators in postseason play

For the second weekend in a row, many Florida Gators teams are participating in postseason and tournament competition. Florida’s men’s tennis, lacrosse, softball, and women’s golf teams all are in NCAA play, while the baseball Gators wrap up their regular season on the road.

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

Thursday, May 17

Baseball
Florida vs. Mississippi State, 7:30 p.m.: The top-ranked Gators conclude their regular season on the road with the Bulldogs. Florida brings its streak of 19 series wins and its perfect SEC series season record to Starkville. The Gators have clinched at least a share of the SEC regular season title already, but will earn the honor outright with a win over MSU.

Friday, May 18

Women’s golf
NCAA Championships, All day: Last week, Florida advanced to their 27th NCAA Championship in program history. The Gators had finished tied for third at the Austin Regional.

Baseball
Florida vs. Mississippi State, 7:00 p.m.: The Gators continue their series with the Bulldogs. Coming into the weekend, Florida’s 76 home runs are its most since hitting 83 in 2010 and its .486 slugging percentage is the highest since 2003 (.512).

Men’s tennis
Florida vs. Ole Miss (NCAA Tournament), 7:00 p.m.: The Gators find themselves making their 23rd appearance in the round-of-16. Florida faces the Rebels with a shot at Sunday’s quarterfinals on the line.

Softball
Florida vs. Bethune-Cookman (NCAA Regional), 7:30 p.m.: For the 14th consecutive season, the Gators are hosting an NCAA Regional. Florida hosts Ohio State and South Florida in addition to the Wildcats.

Saturday, May 19

Women’s golf
NCAA Championships, All day: Florida continues play at the NCAA Championships in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The first three days of the event consists of 54-holes of stroke play with the top eight teams advancing to the match play quarterfinals.

Lacrosse
Florida vs. James Madison (NCAA Quarterfinals), 1:00 p.m.: For the fifth time in program history, and for the first time since 2014, the Gators advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals. With a chance for the trip to the semifinals on the line, the Gators face the Dukes in Harrisburg.

Baseball
Florida vs. Mississippi State, 4:30 p.m.: The No. 1 Gators wrap up their regular season. Florida has been ranked in 67-straight USA Today polls, which is the nation’s longest active streak. Over that span, the Gators have been ranked in the top-five 43 times, including appearing 20 times in the top spot.

Softball
NCAA Gainesville Regional, TBD: The regional games in Gainesville on Saturday include winner’s bracket Game 3 at 2:30 p.m. and the loser bracket’s match-up Game 4 at 5:00 p.m. Florida’s result on Friday will determine in which game the Gators will play on Saturday.

Sunday, May 20

Women’s golf
NCAA Championships, All day: Florida concludes stroke play at the NCAA Championships. The top eight finishing teams in the 24-team field will advance to the match play rounds of play, occurring over the next three days.

Men’s tennis
NCAA Championships, 4:00 p.m.: Should the Gators prove victorious against Ole Miss, Florida will advance to face the winner of the match between Alabama and Texas A&M for the opportunity to advance to the semifinals.

Softball
NCAA Gainesville Regional, TBD: Should the Gators advance to the regional finals, they will be playing on Sunday. Sunday’s Game 6 is scheduled for 12:00 p.m., but a Game 7, should it be necessary, would occur at 2:30 p.m.

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