FSU Baseball Preview: Noles Host FGCU in Desperate Need of Win

These are trying times for FSU baseball. After suffering a three game sweep to UNC at home, the Noles will host FGCU for two games this week.

FSU baseball is in unfamiliar territory halfway through the 2017 campaign. The Noles haven’t given themselves any room for error.

The thoughts of a national seed should be out of everyone’s head for now, FSU need to first make sure they make the post season, and then hope to finish strong enough to host a regional.

FSU has lost four games in a row dropping their record to 18-11 and 6-6 in the ACC. The Noles situation is more precarious than even their record suggest because they still have series with talented teams such as FGCU, NC State, Clemson, Miami, Virginia, Wake Forest, and Louisville, not to mention another game with rival Florida.

There is upside to a difficult remaining schedule: ample opportunity to boost the resume. FSU will need to start their resume boosting immediately with a 2 game home set vs FGCU on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Opponent Preview

Florida State and Florida Gulf Coast have already met once in 2017, the result was a 5-2 victory for FGCU. It was a game in which both teams scored early, FSU put up two quick runs in the top of the first but FGCU answered with three of their own in the bottom of the frame. Ed Voyles made the start for the Noles and only retired one batter, from there it was a group effort from the bullpen to finish the game. The teams both tallied five hits a piece to go with two errors. The difference was FSU leaving 15 men on base to FGCU’s eight.

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It’s been three weeks since that first meeting in Fort Meyers and the two teams have been moving in opposite directions. FGCU is 9-2 since the first game and FSU is 5-6 since then. FGCU did have a surprising series loss to Jacksonville this past weekend. The losses to Jacksonville dropped FGCU to number 20 in the D1baseball.com poll, FSU’s struggles saw them drop to number 22.

Andrew Karp will get the start for FSU on Tuesday, Karp has shown some great stuff this season and had some head scratchers as well. Karp enters the game with an 0-2 record and a 4.60 ERA with 39 K’s and 7 BB’s through 31.1 innings.

On the mound for FGCU will be Mario Leon. Leon started for FGCU in the first meeting and had a line of 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5K. On the season Leon is 3-1 with a 2.59 ERA. Pitchers for Wednesday’s game are to be determined for both teams.

As a team FGCU has an on base percentage of .395 to go with a slugging percentage of .412. FSU has an on base percentage of .393 on the season and the Noles are slugging .400 even. Short stop Taylor Walls, who leads the nation in walks will be eligible to return from his two game suspension when FSU takes on FGCU.

FGCU has three regular starters batting over .300 with junior short stop Julio Gonzalez leading the bunch. Through 29 games Gonzalez has a slash line of .333/.415/.479. Just behind Gonzalez is junior outfielder Gage Morey. Through 27 games Morey’s slash line is .333/.450/.385.

 How To Watch

FSU baseball isn’t dead to rights yet, but the Noles have no time to waste, they need to start winning immediately. If you want to see how the Noles respond to recent adversity you can make it out to Howser on Tuesday and Wednesday or you can stream the games on ACC Network Extra. The radio broadcast is available at 106.1 FM locally and nationwide on the FSU game day app. Tuesday’s first pitch is scheduled for 6 PM and Wednesday is set to start at 4 PM.