THE MATCHUP

• The No. 22 Miami Hurricanes will square off with the sixth-ranked Florida Gators for the 44th consecutive season.

• The Hurricanes lead the all-time series over the Gators, 133-130-1. Miami won the last rivalry series in Gainesville in 2021.

• In the tightly contested 264-game rivalry, the two sides are separated by 16 runs, with the Gators holding the narrow edge. 

• Two of the most highly-touted right-handed pitchers in college baseball draw the start in the series opener Friday night,

when Miami sophomore Gage Ziehl (1-1, 11.57 ERA) opposes Florida fourth-year junior Brandon Sproat (2-0, 5.06 ERA).

MIAMI MASHERS

• As of March 2, the Hurricanes rank fourth nationally with 24 home runs, trailing only South Carolina (27), Wake Forest (26) and Florida (25).

• Miami has circled the bases in all nine games, totaling eight multi-homer performances along the way.

• The Hurricanes are on pace for 147 home runs during the regular season, which would set a program record.

• Eight different Hurricanes have left the yard, with junior third baseman Yohandy Morales blasting a team-best four round-trippers.

WEEKEND IN REVIEW: BREAK OUT THE BROOMS

• The Hurricanes picked up their first sweep of the year with a dominant showing against the Dartmouth Big Green.

• Across the three-game set, Miami mounted seven homers and outscored the Big Green, 35-9, capped off by a 20-2 rout Sunday.

• Overall, the Hurricanes hit .363 and totaled a 3.00 ERA over the weekend.

• Outfielders Zach Levenson and Edgardo Villegas each batted .500 in the series, while sophomore Dorian Gonzalez, Jr. and junior Carlos Perez both blasted a pair of home runs.

• Miami secured the series Saturday with its first shutout of the season. Right-handers Karson Ligon and Carlos Lequerica limited Dartmouth to just six hits in a 6-0 win.

• The Hurricanes claimed the opener with a 9-7 victory over the Big Green, behind a pair of round-trippers from Perez and first baseman CJ Kayfus.

• Junior closer Andrew Walters registered the final two outs to earn his first save of the campaign.

VETERANS HEADLINE WEEKEND ROTATION

•  A trio of right-handers comprised the Hurricanes’ rotation the first two weeks. Junior Alejandro Rosario followed sophomores Gage Ziehl and Karson Ligon on the mound against Penn State and Dartmouth.

•  Ziehl paced the Hurricanes with 30 appearances during his debut season in 2022. The Penfield, N.Y., native went 2-2 with a 4.04 ERA over 35.2 innings. He tallied 52 strikeouts and held opponents to a .209 batting average.

•  An ACC All-Freshman Team honoree a year ago, Ligon made 15 starts in his rookie campaign. The 6-foot-2, 206-pound hurler posted a 6-6 mark with a 4.90 ERA and 67 strikeouts across 75 1/3 innings pitched. 

•  Rosario, who is considered one of the top-pitching prospects in the upcoming MLB First-Year Player Draft, has earned 25 starts over his college career. The flame-thrower has tossed 137 career innings, including 60 frames last season.