Three Things to Track in Gators Baseball's Series vs. Kennesaw State

The No. 12 Florida Gators host the Kennesaw State Owls for a three-game series on the diamond beginning on Friday.

It has been an interesting start to the season for the Gators. From freshmen being involved early to self-inflicted mistakes, there are several talking points surrounding the 2026 Gators.

With that said, here are three things to track during the Gators’ weekend series with the Owls.

How Does the Gators Ace Respond?

Florida has one of the top pitching prospects in college right now in righty Liam Peterson. His physical measurables that pro teams love, combined with a good pitching arsenal, have pushed him near the top of the board for the upcoming draft.

However, his first start of the season showed there are still parts of his game that need refinement. He struggled with his command against UAB, walking five batters. That resulted in the Blazers running him out of the game by the fourth inning.

Florida's Liam Peterson (12) struggled in his first appearance of the season. | Cyndi Chambers/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Peterson finished with five runs allowed (four earned), five walks, three hits and three strikeouts in 3 ⅓ innings. He now has a 10.80 ERA and holds a 0-1 record to begin his junior season.

It is essential that he responds in the right way on Friday, controlling the game and honing his command so he can extend his outings.

A Fight for the Final Infield Spot

Brendan Lawson, Cade Kurland and Ethan Suroweic are likely the everyday starters in the infield for this season, having featured in all five games already. That leaves just one opening in the infield, which is currently at third base.

Redshirt freshman Kolt Myers and transfer Sam Miller have taken reps over in the hot corner, but neither has taken the reins of the starting spot to this point.

Although Myers has been the preferred option early on, being given the nod in three of the five games, his inability to get on base could sway the decision in the opposite direction. He is currently hitting .182 with two hits and three strikeouts.

Redshirt freshman Kolt Myers has taken the most reps at third base but has struggled at the plate so far. | Kyle Lander / Florida Gators on SI

One thing in Myers’ favor is his defensive reliability. He has a 1.000 fielding percentage and is responsible for one double play in his three games.

Miller, in his lone game in the lineup, put on a good show. He finished 1-for-3, with one hit, one walk and two runs scored. He also made zero errors in the two fielding chances that came his way.

Depending on the lineup decisions by Gators head coach Kevin O’Sullivan in this series, it could be the platform for these two or another player to catapult themselves into the everyday lineup for Florida.

Outfield Production Fools Gold?

Kyle Jones, Blake Cyr and Cash Strayer are seeing the ball as well as anybody in the country right now. Each sits above a .400 batting average, and all have at least one home run hit in the first five games.

Despite being the youngest, Strayer has been the most productive. In four games, he is hitting .467 with seven hits, two homers, two doubles, one triple and two RBI.

Cyr is having a resurgence in the box compared to his first season in Gainesville. The former Miami Hurricane is hitting .450, with nine hits, three home runs, two doubles and five RBI.

Blake Cyr is having a resurgence at the plate in 2026. | Kyle Lander / Florida Gators on SI

Lastly, Jones, after missing nearly the entire 2025 campaign, is dominating in the leadoff spot for the lineup. The speedy outfielder is hitting .429 in five games, with nine hits, five doubles, one home run and seven RBI. He is also 2-for-2 on stolen bases.

Florida is largely leaning on the outfield for production in the early parts of this season, which is going to be interesting to follow as the season progresses.