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FSU Baseball Preview: Noles Host Critical Series vs. Ranked Virginia Team

By Jason Parker

Mar 2, 2017; Dunedin, FL, USA; The shadow of Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak (14) as he waits to bat in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 2, 2017; Dunedin, FL, USA; The shadow of Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak (14) as he waits to bat in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports /
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Here’s a preview of FSU baseball and their next game during the 2017 baseball season as they host an all important ACC series.

After winning five of their last six games – including two against a top five Clemson team, two more against Stetson and a split in a rain shortened series with rival Miami, FSU baseball returns home to Dick Howser Stadium for what has become this week’s edition of the most important series of the season: a three game set against a Virginia Cavaliers team ranked as high as eighth in the national polls this week.

At 26-16, the ‘Noles are entering the home stretch of the season poised to make a last second push toward hosting a NCAA Regional and making a team run in the ACC Tournament – two things that man wouldn’t have expected during the team’s recent slump several weeks ago.

Here’s our preview of this week’s game between the Seminoles and the Cavaliers.

The Last Time The ‘Noles Took The Field

The Seminoles headed down to DeLand for a quick one game set against the Stetson Hatters on Tuesday. FSU baseball jumped out to an early lead, scoring six runs in the first four innings and adding four more in the sixth inning en route to a 11-5 victory to win both games this regular season against their in-state foes.

The ‘Noles got a big night at the plate from Nick Derr and J.C. Flowers, who each had three RBI’s to go along with a strong outing on the mound from Drew Parrish. The freshman from Rockledge went seven innings and kept the Hatters from mounting a series comeback to get his fourth win of the season.

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Opponent Preview

At 33-10 on the season, the Cavaliers are coming off a series win over ACC member Notre Dame and are 12-2 dating back to their last series loss during the first weekend of April against the Louisville Cardinals. As a team, Virginia is batting .326 on the season with seven players batting over .300 through the first 43 games.

On the mound, the Cavaliers boost three starters who have had an up and down start to the year, but may have one of the best bullpens that FSU baseball will see all year. If the Seminoles have any chance of getting a series win over this ranked foe, the bats will need to come alive at a higher rate than the .230 batting average opponents have come up with so far against UVA.

Interesting Fact

The three game series against Virginia will be one of the final chances this season for the Seminoles to impress the tournament selection committee enough into maybe allowing FSU baseball to host another region. So far this season, the ‘Noles have an ugly 4-8 record against ranked opponents – which was helped by taking two of three against Clemson a couple weekend ago.

Florida State will end the season in three weeks with a road trip to Louisville against what should still be a ranked Cardinals team – meaning the Seminoles can’t afford to get swept or even lose this series if they want any hope of playing at home during this postseason.

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