Florida State baseball had a tough series when they traveled out west to face the Stanford Cardinals. The Noles got swept in the three-game series, losing two in walk-off fashion and two by one run. A weak-minded baseball team would have folded, but Florida State finished the next three ACC series with a 7-2 record to clinch the No. 3 seed in the ACC Tournament, earning a double-bye to the quarterfinals.
If they can win two games and make the ACC Tournament Finals, they’d have a strong case for a top-eight national seed. If they won all three games, they’d probably be a lock for one.
They’ll host a regional in Tallahassee, but hosting a Super Regional would give them a decided advantage in reaching the College World Series for the first time since 2024. What’s the recipe for success in the postseason? It’s the same as it was in the last three ACC series to finish the regular season:
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Florida State starting pitchers must get into the fifth or sixth inning or beyond. FSU has some solid options in the bullpen, but the more guys they can keep in the chamber, the better, especially if they have to play a third and deciding game. That’s one facet that was on point later in the season. FSU starting pitchers consistently went deeper into games.
The Florida State offense has to limit the strikeouts. I haven’t looked it up, but the sweet spot seems to be 10 or fewer strikeouts in a game. When FSU puts the ball in play, good things tend to happen. When they are striking out 13 or 14+ times, it gives FSU pitchers very little margin for error. They seemed to do a better job of putting the ball in play in the latter half of the season, and that needs to continue in the postseason.
They must play solid defense, and they have for most of the second half of the year, or especially since Gabe Fraser went back into the lineup to play shortstop and Cal Fisher was at third base. Extra outs for offenses in the postseason is a no-no. Also, giving outs away on the basepaths is a no-no.
Situational hitting has to be on point, and needs to be better overall, honestly. Florida State struggles with runners on base, and they need to cash in on those opportunities. When they have a runner on third with fewer than two outs, they must find a way to get that runner home instead of striking out or popping up.
Florida State can beat a lot of good teams when they play well and don't beat themselves.
Florida State is a front-running team and plays better when they jump on teams early, as it is not built to come from behind consistently. The starting pitchers can pitch differently with a lead, and opposing teams know they will have limited opportunities against Florida State’s starting pitching. The latter the game goes tied or Florida State playing from behind? The less confident I am in this team pulling out a win.
Honestly, this is not rocket science. These are all things good teams do to win a lot of games. FSU has done it a lot this year, but they must do it consistently. The only major difference is that the teams in the postseason will be the best of the best, especially if they make it to Super Regionals or beyond. Â
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