GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — The Kentucky Wildcats and Florida Gators open a three-game Southeastern Conference series Friday evening at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium, with first pitch scheduled under cloudy skies and temperatures near 90 degrees.

Florida (32-17) enters as the hotter team, having won five of its last six, including a 11-1 rout of North Florida in seven innings Tuesday. The Gators’ pitching staff showed depth in that game: right-hander Billy Barlow tossed three scoreless innings, allowing one hit with two strikeouts, and Cooper Walls followed with three hitless frames and two strikeouts.

Barlow, a player to watch for Florida, has been effective in limited relief appearances. In his last two outings spanning four innings, he has allowed one hit and no earned runs with three strikeouts. He worked one inning of relief in a 9-2 win over Texas A&M on April 24.

Kentucky (29-16) comes off a 10-9 home loss to Tennessee on Sunday, a game in which shortstop Tyler Bell went 3 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs. Bell, the Wildcats’ standout to watch, has been productive over his last 10 games, batting .333 (11 for 33) with two homers, eight RBIs and a .400 on-base percentage. His best stretch came in the Tennessee series: He went 2 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs in a 12-2 win May 2, then 2 for 5 in a 9-2 victory May 1.

However, Kentucky has struggled on the road, dropping three of its last four away from Lexington, including a 0-11 loss at Auburn on April 12. The Wildcats’ pitching has been inconsistent; starter Nile Adcock allowed two earned runs in three innings against Tennessee on Sunday.

The series marks a critical juncture for both teams in the SEC standings. Interstat’s game simulator projects a 5-4 Florida victory, leaning on the Gators’ home-field advantage and deeper bullpen.

Following Friday’s opener, the teams meet again Saturday and Sunday at McKethan Stadium. Kentucky then hosts Northern Kentucky on Tuesday before a home series against Arkansas on May 14-16. Florida travels to LSU for a three-game set beginning May 14.