Florida's bats have caught fire against Kentucky so far this weekend. Add a quality start from Liam Peterson and you have a recipe for a victory.

Florida’s top performer at the plate was Dale Thomas, who went 3-for-4 for his first three-hit game as a Gator while also driving in two runs. Brody Donay went 2-for-6, Jac Caglianone went 2-for-3 and Colby Shelton went 2-for-5, and the trio all left the yard; Shelton posted a two-homer effort.

A 10-1 win over Kentucky might have been more frustrating than anything for Florida manager Kevin O’Sullivan. The Gators put together their most complete performance, which comes at a critical point of the season but might not have been critical if the team had been able to play like this since February.

Florida hasn’t done enough this season to deserve the upset pick against a top-5 team. Caglianone gives the Gators a chance to win every Sunday, but throwing what amounts to two freshman arms — Coppola threw one game in his first two years with the team — isn’t the way to win SEC series.

Another bullpen meltdown costs Florida baseball in a 12-11 loss to No. 5 Kentucky on Friday at Condron Family Ballpark

The Wildcats and the Gators battle in the series finale at noon on Sunday. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.

Florida baseball welcomes the fourth-ranked Kentucky Wildcats to town this weekend as the Gators look to get hot ahead of the postseason.

It took extra innings, but No. 4 Kentucky baseball came back to beat Florida 12-11 in game one Friday afternoon. The Wildcats trailed by four after the fourth inning but they rallied behind home runs from Ryan Nicholson in the eighth and ninth inning.