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FSU Baseball: Are road rainouts hurting Noles for rest of 2019 slate?

By Jason Parker

Omaha, NE - JUNE 23: A general view of a bag of baseballs before the start of the game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the Vanderbilt Commodores during game two of the College World Series Championship Series on June 23, 2015 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) Omaha, NE - JUNE 23: A general view of the away jersey of the Vanderbilt Commodores and the home jersey of the Virginia Cavaliers before the start of game two of the College World Series Championship Series on June 23, 2015 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Omaha, NE - JUNE 23: A general view of a bag of baseballs before the start of the game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the Vanderbilt Commodores during game two of the College World Series Championship Series on June 23, 2015 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) Omaha, NE - JUNE 23: A general view of the away jersey of the Vanderbilt Commodores and the home jersey of the Virginia Cavaliers before the start of game two of the College World Series Championship Series on June 23, 2015 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /
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FSU baseball found themselves losing a second midweek game on the road, meaning they lost out on another chance to get experience away from Dick Howser.

For the second straight week, the FSU baseball team came off a weekend sweep at home and attempted to hit the road for their first game away from the friendly world of Tallahassee – but just like their first attempt at Jacksonville, Tuesday’s game at USF was rained out because of extreme weather in the Tampa area.

So, the Seminoles packed up their gear and headed home for a weekend series starting Friday night against Mercer – a three game slate that will be followed by a midweek game against North Florida and the ACC opening series against Virginia Tech, all played inside Dick Howser Stadium.

When will the FSU baseball team get back on the road? Well, March 12th will now be the road opener for the Seminoles against…wait for it..the hated rival and currently top five ranked Florida Gators, a team the Noles have beaten just twice in Gainesville during the regular season since the 2007 campaign.

In the final season under Mike Martin, the Seminoles have several road blocks in front of them away from home – including ACC series against rival Miami along with Virginia and Louisville among others on the road along with a midweek game against Stetson looming toward the end of the year.

In the past, FSU baseball has done this before: had a scheduled loaded with home games early that build them up with a great record before they struggle on the road. Last season, the Seminoles played 13 of their first 16 games at home – and proceeded to lose four of their next five games on the road.

Now, don’t get me wrong as I am not saying that the Dolphins or Bulls are at the level of a team like the Gators, Hurricanes or Cardinals – but getting the experience away from home will take some of the shock off the young players when they step onto fields in Gainesville, Coral Gables, Charlottesville or even DeLand.

Right now, the Seminoles have no plans to make up either game – in the past they have made midweek additions to the schedule to make up for lost games. But with the only feasible week left for that option being the same times as academic finals, chances are almost certain that the Noles are down two games on the season slate.

All that means that Martin’s team is going to have to take advantage of every chance away from Dick Howser to show they can play anywhere – especially if they want to make it back to Omaha.

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