WHAT: Georgia vs Florida (exhibition)

WHEN: Friday, 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville

TICKETS: Tickets are $15 (plus tax) and include a post-game concert featuring Chase Rice and Brett Young. Tickets can be purchased via Ticketmaster at http://gado.gs/35j

Saturday’s huge football game between Georgia and Florida isn’t the only opportunity fans will have to see their respective schools do battle.

Friday night at the adjacent Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, the Bulldogs and Gators will square off in an exhibition game with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m.

“It’s always a legendary weekend, and now we get to be a part of that. It’s something (Florida coach) Kevin O’Sullivan and I have talked about for the last couple of years, trying to get it done,” Georgia baseball coach Scott Stricklin said. “But just with the logistics of the tailgating and the events that go on in the city of Jacksonville leading up to the game, it took about a year to get all those things figured out. It should be a lot of fun.”

Held at the home of Class AA Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, over 9,000 tickets have already been sold at the 11,000-seat facility.

Bulldog outfielder Randon Jernigan, a native of nearby Brunswick, expects to have 25 or so friends and family members make the short drive up I-95 to watch the game.

“It gives us a little more juice, knowing that it’s Florida,” Jernigan said. “We’re all looking forward to it.”

The nine-inning affair will see the Bulldogs use eight pitchers, neither of which will be projected first round picks Emerson Hancock or Cole Wilcox. Neither pitcher is on his respective throwing program after extensive use last spring; Stricklin is resting both aces until the start of preseason practice in January.

CJ Smith, Ryan Webb, and Will Proctor are also sidelined as they continue to recover from offseason injuries. All three are expected to be ready for the start of preseason.

“I like our young arms, and that’s something by having Emerson, Cole, C.J., Ryan Webb, and Will Proctor not pitching this fall. It's given the young guys more innings and more opportunities this fall, and we’re getting to see these young arms compete,” Stricklin said. “They’re really talented, so we’re excited to see these guys grow and mature. I really like our young arms.”

Among those expected to see action include 6-foot-7 redshirt freshman Garrett Brown, sophomore Jack Gowan, fifth-year senior Logan Moody, and redshirt sophomore Darryn Pasqua.

“We like what we see out of our young guys,” Stricklin said. “A guy like Garrett Brown, who redshirted last year; Jack Gowan has made another step; while you’ve got Moody and Pasqua who threw a lot for us. We’ve got a lot of options; still a lot of competition to be had, but we like what we have.”

Most of Georgia’s returning position players will be on display, the lone exceptions being outfielder Tucker Bradley (hamstring), first baseman Patrick Sullivan (illness), and Ben Anderson, a former freshman All-American at Furman who won’t be eligible to play until the first of the year due to transfer rules.

Still, there are plenty of familiar names who will be seeing action, including shortstop Cam Shepherd and Riley King, along with sophomores Connor and Cole Tate, each of whom has had an impressive fall.

“We’ve been very happy with all of our guys offensively. When you look at Cole and Connor Tate, both those guys have made a jump. Garrett Blaylock, our (junior college) transfer has come in and played very well,” Stricklin said. “Riley King and Cam Shepherd—you know what you’re going to get out of those guys. I think you’re going to see Cam take a step forward offensively. Patrick Sullivan has been really good. All the way around, we feel really good about those guys.”