The 1-day, there-and-back midweek games aren’t always the most hyped in college baseball, but for Florida State, this one matters.
For the first time this season, Florida State will take on rival Florida on Tuesday night in Gainesville. The contest will not only be a match-up of top 5 teams, but for the Seminoles, it will be a return to where they’ve watched their season end in each of the last two seasons.
Following a stellar performance by Drew Carlton in the first game of the best-of-three Gainesville Super Regional last season, FSU was embarrassed by Florida in each of the last two games. The Seminoles were shut out in both, losing 5-0 and 7-0.
The year before, FSU wasn’t able to keep the Florida bats in the yard as the rival Gators outscored the Seminoles over the two games of the Gainesville Super Regional, 24-9. Going back to the last meeting between the teams in 2013, FSU is just 3-12 in the last 15 contests against its rivals.
The teams head into the Tuesday tilt going in different directions. FSU is coming off a 4-1 week in which it swept a good UCF team on the road before taking two of three from Boston College while Florida went 2-3. The Gators were swept in a 2-game midweek series by Florida Gulf Coast before taking two of three from Seton Hall.
Despite having one of the biggest home-field advantages in the country in Dick Howser Stadium, the Seminoles will arrive in Gainesville a perfect 3-0 on the road this season and will send sophomore Andrew Karp to the mound. FSU fans have been clamoring for Karp to enter the weekend rotation after a stellar start in the midweek role.
Karp has yet to register a decision this season, but has posted a 2.41 ERA in 18 2/3 innings with 23 strikeouts compared to just three walks. Freshman Nate Brown will go for the Gators.
In other major sports, Florida State has had the upper hand on its rivals in recent years. FSU has won three straight over Florida in men’s basketball and five of six in football. In baseball however, the Gators have dominated of late.
Though it’s an early-season midweek game, Tuesday’s contest is a chance for FSU to make a statement. After being handled by Florida in recent years, the match-up in Gainesville is an opportunity for FSU to notch a solid road win over an elite program, shift the tide in the series and to justify its No. 1 ranking in the D1Baseball.com Poll.
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson
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