Inclement weather gave Florida baseball head coach Kevin O’Sullivan more time to look over his notes, and the Gators will send out a new-look lineup on Wednesday against Kentucky because of it.
Since the second game of the Stillwater Regional, Florida has gone with second baseman Cade Kurland in the leadoff spot, followed by first baseman/pitcher Jac Caglianone, right fielder Ashton Wilson, shortstop Colby Shelton and catcher/first baseman Luke Heyman.
Wilson’s legendary performance against Nebraska in the regional opener — three doubles and a home run — moved him into the No. 3 spot, but he’s cooled off since. He’s 0-for-7 so far in Omaha, and now Sully has him back down in the six-hole.
Moving Wilson means elevating another player, though, and that’s Tyler Shelnut, who has had an extra-base hit in four of the last five games. His home runs against NC State ended up being the difference maker in the win.
Caglianone and Kurland are also switching spots. A 6-foot-5-inch lefty with power isn’t the prototypical build for a leadoff man, but Caglianone rarely strikes out and is hitting over .410 this season.
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Shelton and Heyman remain in the lineup’s 4 and 5 spots, despite a combined eight strikeouts in Omaha. The bottom third of the order — Dale Thomas, Brody Donay and Michael Robertson — also remains untouched.
Robertson has been hot lately. He’s figured out how to drive the ball to the opposite field and uses his plus speed to get on base, but hitting him ninth makes him like a second leadoff hitter, but at the bottom of the order, especially with Caglianone hitting behind him now.
Pierce Coppola is set to start on the mound for Florida, as planned. Kentucky is likely to throw a left-hander as well, which is why some of those lineup changes may have happened — Cags hits better against lefties somehow.
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