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FSU Baseball 2018 Weekend Preview: vs. Xavier

By Jason Parker

CLEARWATER, FL - FEBRUARY 24: Infielder Justin Gonzalez #10 of the Florida State Seminoles runs to second base against the Philadelphia Phillies February 24, 2011 at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
CLEARWATER, FL - FEBRUARY 24: Infielder Justin Gonzalez #10 of the Florida State Seminoles runs to second base against the Philadelphia Phillies February 24, 2011 at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images) /
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Here’s a preview of FSU baseball and their latest set of games during the 2018 baseball season against the Xavier Musketeers.

The smell of the grass, the sound of the ball going off the bat – that’s right, FSU baseball fans. The season is back as the Seminoles head back onto the field of Dick Howser Stadium to start their 71st season of baseball (and no, head coach Mike Martin was not a player or coach on that first team).

If you have been paying attention, the Noles finished off the 2017 season the same way they had 21 times before – with a loss in the College World Series. As Martin enters his 39th season as the headman in the dugout, he knows that Father Time is getting close to hitting the button on his career with the Seminoles and this might be his final chance to bring home that title.

Playing in his favor is a stacked team with many of the stars form last season’s revival returning to the field this season – hoping to stay healthy long enough to get No. 11 that elusive championship. Here’s our preview of this weekend’s games between the Seminoles and the Xavier Musketeers.

The Last Time The ‘Noles Took The Field

After a first two thirds of the season to forget for the Noles, the final third turned out better than anyone expected as the Seminoles went up to face some of the top teams in the ACC Baseball Tournament and won their second championship in the last three seasons.

After being upset in their regional opener, FSU baseball won six straight games – including a Super Regional sweep of Sam Houston State – to get back to Omaha. The Seminoles lost their opener to LSU before eliminating Cal State Fullerton two days later, only to be eliminated by the Tigers two days after that to end their season at 46-23.

Opponent Preview

The men from Cincinnati, Ohio come to Tallahassee as the defending champions of the Big East Conference, overcoming a 29-25 record entering the postseason to win three straight games over the top two seeds in the tournament to bring home the title. Xavier was sent to Louisville, KY for their NCAA regional, losing to Oklahoma before eliminating Radford and later the Sooners before being sent home themselves by the host Cardinals.

Next: ‘Noles listed top 5 in several preseason polls

Interesting Fact

FSU baseball will be looking to start a new streak when they take the field on Friday afternoon – after winning 18 straight season openers, the Seminoles saw that streak end last season when they dropped their opener against Virginia Commonwealth University. It will also be the first time that the Seminoles and Musketeers have ever met on the diamond.

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