Bears Set for Weekend Clash with #11 Florida State

Friday, March 1

Tallahassee, Fla.

6 p.m.

Mercer University

Florida State

Photo by: Iran Hernandez

Bears Set for Weekend Clash with #11 Florida State

2/28/2019 1:40:00 PM | Baseball

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Mercer will play three-game series against nationally-ranked Seminoles

By: Gerrit Van Genderen

MACON, Ga. – Mercer will travel to Tallahassee, Fla. to face nationally-ranked No. 11 (USA Today) Florida State in a three-game series at Dick Howser Stadium this weekend.

First pitch of Friday's series opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. (ET). All three games will be broadcasted on ACC Network Extra and have live stats available.

GAMEDAY LINEUP
Teams: Mercer (8-1) at Florida State (7-0)
Location: Tallahassee, Fla. | Dick Howser Stadium
Friday: March 1 | 6 p.m. | ACC Network Extra
Saturday: March 2 | 2 p.m. | ACC Network Extra
Sunday: March 3 | 1 p.m. | ACC Network Extra
Tickets: Seminoles.com
Projected Rotations:

Friday: RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long vs. LHP Drew Parrish
Saturday: LHP Tanner Hall vs. RHP CJ Van Eyk
Sunday: RHP Zach Graveno vs. LHP Shane Drohan

Batting Practice

Mercer and Florida State are two of just four NCAA Division I programs to win at least 35 games in each of the past nine seasons, joining LSU and Vanderbilt.
Craig Gibson is 0-2 as a head coach against Florida State. The Bears lost 8-4 in Tallahassee on March 7, 2006 and 5-4 in 10 innings on May 29, 2015 in a NCAA Regional game.
Mercer was victorious in its last game against a nationally-ranked opponent, taking down No. 1 Florida, 6-4, in Gainesville last season. The Bears are 4-1 in their last five games against nationally-ranked teams.
RJ Yeager is tied for the national lead in home runs (6). He is second nationally in total bases (36) and 19th in runs batted in (14).
Mercer's pitching staff is averaging 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings through nine games.
The Bears went 8-1 in the month of February and have won six straight.
This will be Mercer's second trip to Tallahassee this season, having faced Florida A&M on the road on Feb. 20.

Series History

Series: Florida State leads, 60-8
First Meeting: April 22, 1948 in Macon, Ga. (FSU won, 14-12)
Last Meeting: May 29, 2015 in Tallahassee (FSU won, 5-4 in 10 innings)
Streak: Florida State, 22

Scouting Florida State
The No. 11 Seminoles have opened the season with a 7-0 record, sweeping a pair of weekend series against Maine and Youngstown State. Both of Florida State's mid-week games against Jacksonville and USF have been postponed or cancelled.

Florida State is led by legendary head coach Mike Martin, who is in his 40th and final season at the Seminoles' helm. Martin is the all-time winningest coach in college baseball history and has led Florida State to the NCAA Tournament and at least 40 wins in all 39 seasons as a head coach.

The Seminoles are hitting .316 collectively and have nine players who have hit at least one home run through seven games played. Florida State had three pitchers – including Friday starter Drew Parrish – toss a combined no-hitter in the season opener against Maine on Feb. 15. The Seminoles' pitching staff owns a 2.59 earned run average and is holding opposing batters to a .155 average.

Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Baseball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerBaseball (Twitter), /MercerBaseball (Facebook) and @Mercer.Baseball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.