Florida State Takes on Pittsburgh in ACC Quarterfinals

After a five-day layoff from any live baseball action, the No. 3 seed Florida State Seminoles (38-16, 19-11 ACC) are anxious to get back on the diamond to begin their postseason journey.

The Seminoles face off against the No. 14 seed Pittsburgh Panthers (32-23, 11-19 ACC) in the quarterfinal round of the ACC Tournament. Those 19 conference wins, along with eight conference series wins, are the most by the Seminoles in over a decade. 

The Panthers handled their business on the field by beating Louisville 16-8 on Tuesday, and defeated Wake Forest 7-4 on Wednesday to set up Friday’s matchup with the Seminoles. Due to bad weather coming to the Charlotte area later on Friday evening, the start time was pushed up to a 3:00 p.m. first pitch. The Seminoles swept Pitt earlier in the season, outscoring them 24-10 in the series.

Against Louisville, Pitt’s Trey Fenderson blasted two home runs and drove in seven runs and the Panthers pitching staff combined for 13 strikeouts to get the victory. Pitt held the new ACC home run king, Louisville's Davis Tague, to just one single in five at-bats. In the win over Wake Forest, Fenderson continued his hit parade with two more hits, including a double and drove in a run and scored a run.

Fenderson and the rest of the Pitt lineup will be tested on Friday night, going up against the ACC Pitcher of the Year, Florida State’s Wes Mendes. Mendes was the third Seminole pitcher to win the award, while also earning first-team All-ACC honors.

Mendes posted a 2.68 ERA with 109 strikeouts against only 23 walks, and opponents batted a dismal .201 against him.

Florida State will counter in the field with the likes of right fielder Brody DeLamielleure, who is batting .342 with seven home runs, 26 RBI, and nine doubles. Catcher Hunter Carns is batting .318 with 11 doubles, six home runs and 32 RBI.

Center fielder Brayden Dowd is probably playing the most consistent baseball right now, batting .301 with an OPS of 1.015. He has collected 12 doubles, 10 home runs and 34 RBI. Dowd is also 10-for-10 in the stolen base department on his way to being named third-team All-ACC. ACC All-Freshman left fielder John Stuetzer is another consistent presence for the Seminoles, batting .269 with nine home runs, 32 RBI and 10 doubles.

The layoff for the Seminoles could be a factor in this game from a hitting standpoint. But Mendes and the rest of the hurlers have rested arms, which bodes well for the Seminoles. Pitt has gotten it done on the field with a combined 21 hits in their two victories. This quarterfinal matchup should be fun to watch.

Date: Friday, May 22

Time: 3:00 p.m. ET

Location: Truist Field, Charlotte, North Carolina

TV: ACC Network

Radio: 100.7 FM WFLA

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