No. 5 Florida State Baseball returns home for big series vs. No. 13 N.C. State

Coming off perhaps the biggest series victory of the season at Duke, the Florida State baseball team returns home this weekend for what amounts to yet another enormous three-game set.

The Seminoles (34-9) are currently ranked No. 5 in the RPI. They’re facing a North Carolina State team (25-17) that is ranked No. 28 in the RPI. Florida State is also a consensus top-eight national team right now, and the Wolfpack are ranked as high as No. 13.

And both squads are close to the top of the ACC standings, with FSU having a 13-8 mark in the conference and the Wolfpack coming in at 12-9.

So, clearly, this weekend at Dick Howser Stadium is a big one. Not just for conference standings, but for a potential Top 8 national seed in the NCAA Tournament.

“You have to do it start to finish,” Florida State coach Link Jarrett said. “And we’re on that track. We’re not finished. And you have to finish. And to be one of those seeds is important, it gives you a chance obviously to be at home for a regional and hopefully you’re at home for a super regional.

“Your goal is getting to Omaha. And the best way to get to Omaha would be to play those postseason series here.”

Jarrett said that injured pitchers Cam Leiter and Conner Whittaker are both still out for this weekend. He likes what he has gotten from junior left-hander Carson Dorsey since he has joined the starting rotation, and of course has loved what he’s seen from ace Jaime Arnold, who has been one of the best starting pitchers in the country in 2024.

At the same time, Jarrett knows the full potential of this 2024 Florida State baseball team isn’t going to be realized without the services of Leiter and Whittaker, who opened the season as the Friday night and Sunday starters, respectively.

“We’re not going to push them,” Jarrett said. “They both want to get out there. They’re at different phases of things. Whit’s going to ramp it up pretty good this weekend, and then we’ll know more after he jumps on that mound and really opens it up in his bullpen where we stand with him.”

Where it stands now is that the Florida State baseball team has played itself in position to contend for an ACC regular-season crown and a Top 8 national seed.

Standing in the way of the Seminoles are three straight conference series to end the season — this weekend at home vs. N.C. State, at Pitt, then home vs. Georgia Tech.

If they can continue to play like they’ve been playing, they no doubt would be in line to achieve those goals. But it won’t be easy.

Especially this weekend against the Wolfpack.

“They have dynamic pieces,” Jarrett said. “They’ve got experienced arms. A balance of lefties and righties, mid-90s fastball guys, not easy. Like every one of these things feels like it’s a Super Regional. Duke was that way. This is going to be that way.

“So, you just have to continue to respond and answer and try to play well, and hopefully you’re as healthy as you can hope to be at this time of year.”

*Talk about this story with other die-hard Florida State baseball fans in the FSU Baseball Forum*

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