FSU baseball: Noles host doubleheader against Jacksonville

FSU baseball (28-17, 13-11 ACC) won their last two games against Boston College to win the series Sunday. They turn their attention to avenge a previous loss against Jacksonville (24-21, 10-14 ASUN) Tuesday night in a doubleheader. One game is a makeup date for a rainout early this season.

These two teams played in FSU’s fourth game, with the Dolphins taking a 3-2 win at home after trailing 2-0 through the first four innings. It was a game that foreshadowed a big problem for this FSU offense. The first six FSU batters struck out in that game while striking out 14 times total. They left seven runners on base and couldn’t come through in clutch situations.

The FSU offense came alive in the last two games against Boston College, who has a subpar pitching staff. The Noles will need more of that if they want to keep their slim hopes of hosting a regional alive.

Jacksonville hitters bring a .256 average, with 22 home runs, 59 doubles, and four triples into the game. They have an on-base percentage of .360 and have stolen 78 bases out of 101 attempts.

Jacksonville pitchers bring a 4.70 ERA, with 448 strikeouts and 210 walks in 410 innings. They allow opposing batters to hit .245 and have allowed 26 home runs. Jacksonville’s defense has committed 50 errors for a .971 fielding percentage.

Advanced metrics place Jacksonville as the No. 117 team nationally, with FSU baseball checking in at No. 24. Of course, it’s baseball, but these are games FSU has to win.

FSU hitters bring a .262 average, with 48 home runs, 95 doubles, five triples, and an onbase percentage of .366 and have stolen 35 bases out of 49 attempts.

FSU pitchers bring a 3.75 ERA, with 559 strikeouts and 149 walks in 415.2 innings. They allow opposing batters to hit .223 and have allowed 51 home runs. FSU baseball has committed 56 errors for a .967 field percentage.

Keys To Victory

FSU midweek pitching hasn’t been great since Carson Montgomery moved into the weekend rotation.

Former weekend guy Ross Dunn got the midweek start last week and didn’t last three innings. Whoever starts the game has to eat up innings with the second game on deck, and a three-game series against Miami coming up this weekend. Jacksonville isn’t a great hitting team, so FSU pitchers must make them earn everything they get.

Offensively, FSU can’t lay an egg like they did in the first matchup early in the year, or how they did in the first game against Boston College. Jacksonville’s pitching staff is much better than Boston College, so I’d expect things to be a bit more difficult than compared to the last two games.

Michael Darrell-Hicks was the starter against FSU in their last matchup, but he pitched over the weekend and will likely not be available.

The first game will be at 4 p.m. and will air on the ACCNX.