It's a special night at Dick Howser Stadium as No. 14 Florida State baseball (33-14, 15-9) caps off its five-game homestand with one final midweek showdown. The Seminoles welcome Jacksonville (26-20, 13-11) on Tuesday evening, looking to close out their home stand with a perfect 5-0 record. But there's extra buzz in the air—this marks the last "Turn it Back Tuesday" of the season, meaning FSU will don those fan-favorite throwback yellow jerseys one more time. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. ET, and tickets are still available, with free admission for all FSU students.
The Seminoles are riding a four-game winning streak, fresh off a dominant series sweep of Pitt over the weekend. FSU's offense was clicking on all cylinders, putting constant pressure on the Panthers' defense with aggressive baserunning and timely hitting. Combined with a stellar start from Wes Mendes and a lockdown bullpen performance, the 'Noles have found their rhythm at the perfect time. With just two weeks left in the regular season, everything is still on the table for this squad.
Florida State is also chasing a season sweep of Jacksonville, having already taken the first two meetings—a 13-3 rout in Jacksonville and a tight 7-6 win in Tallahassee. The Seminoles hold a key advantage tonight: the Dolphins haven't faced midweek starter Cooper Whited, who has been electric since taking over the role. Last week, Whited tossed four innings while allowing just one run, earning his third straight decision. The bullpen should be well-rested too, after Chris Knier threw four innings on Sunday and John Abraham went three frames the day before.
On the offensive side, all eyes will be on the lineup card as head coach Link Jarrett manages injuries to key players Chase Williams and Brayden Dowd. Williams sat out last weekend, while Dowd has been playing through a nagging issue for much of the season. How FSU adjusts will be something to watch.
As for Jacksonville, the Dolphins are coming off a tough series loss to UNF, capped by a 10-0 blowout in the rubber match. They'll be hungry to bounce back, but facing a red-hot Seminoles team in throwback threads at Howser is a tall order. It's the final midweek game of the regular season—expect fireworks.