Florida State baseball’s season took a detour when Myles Bailey was injured against Duke, and while the program’s Omaha goal remains the same, how it can get there has significantly changed.
The slugging first baseman was the sparkplug for the No. 14 Seminoles (29-14, 12-9 ACC) offense, and since he left the lineup, struggles at the plate have produced varying results for the program. Most recently, those struggles culminated in a stunning sweep at the hands of Stanford, who were below .500 (18-19) before the series.
FSU had a .216 batting average in the series and struck out 24 times in the three games, and while they recorded 12 extra base hits, 14 runs in three games weren’t enough to beat Stanford, and won’t be enough to win most weekends in the ACC.
There have been flashes of the potential FSU’s lineup has, namely the Notre Dame series, but the consistency remains elusive. The starting pitching has largely been the backbone of the Seminoles this season; however, if one of Wes Mendes, Trey Beard, or Bryson Moore struggles, the lineup has had varying levels of support.
With just three ACC series left, and the postseason on the horizon, each series grows in importance for the Seminoles’ Omaha hopes.
Following the Stanford loss, FSU has dropped to a projected No. 9 regional seed in D1 Baseball’s most recent postseason projection, outside of Super Regional hosting status for the second straight year. So how can the Seminoles bounce back after the sweep and keep themselves in play for a top-eight seed?
FSU head coach Link Jarrett said the Seminoles simplified the plate approach ahead of a series sweep of Notre Dame that produced 15 extra base hits and 26 runs, with an emphasis put on fastball recognition and adjustments to offspeed.
There were moments in the trip to Stanford that FSU exhibited that approach, but not consistently enough throughout the weekend to produce crooked numbers. When the Seminoles lost Bailey, who hit .363 and bashed 13 home runs, which remains a team high, it was obvious that the lineup was going to need an adjustment and a new approach.
If the Seminoles are going to get back into the top-eight conversation, an area where Jarrett expects his program to be consistently, it has to start with a bounce-back weekend against Pitt. The Panthers are coming off a sweep over Virginia and have a lineup that will provide a challenge to the FSU pitching staff.
It’s a weekend that could lift the program back into the top-eight conversation, or further cast doubts over a potential super regional hosting seed. How well the Seminoles play, and, namely, how strong the plate approach is, could dictate travel plans for early June.
What’s next for FSU baseball? A home contest against South Florida
Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU baseball faces critical series after Stanford sweep
Reporting by Liam Rooney, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
