FSU baseball coach Link Jarrett compares facing ranked ACC opponents to Super Regionals
Florida State baseball players are finishing final exams, seniors are preparing for graduation, and the Seminoles are focusing on another ranked ACC opponent in No. 20 North Carolina State (25-17, 12-9) this weekend.
The last time the two played at Dick Howser Stadium two years ago, Jaimie Ferrer hit a walk-off home run in the 17th inning to clinch the ACC series.
FSU coach Link Jarrett expects the three-game series starting Friday to feature a postseason atmosphere.
"N.C. State has dynamic pieces," Jarrett said about the Wolfpacks. "They got experienced arms, a balance of lefties and righties, mid-90s, fastball guys. It's not easy.
"Like every one of these things feels like it's Super Regional. Duke was that way, and 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."
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The Seminoles are coming off a series win at Duke last weekend. It was a bounce-back series victory after falling at Wake Forest April 19-21.
And while FSU lost to Duke 16-4 in the series finale Sunday, struggling defensively and on the mound in relief, Jarrett was proud of his team's effort.
"I know Sunday didn't didn't go our way," Jarrett said. "At the end of the day, you escape a really, really good team and win two of the three games. I was very proud of the guys, and it kind of led us into exams, and you walk out of there Sunday knowing you did not play a good game.
"We did not pitch well. We did not defend even though we jumped on it early, 2-0, like it clearly wasn't in the cards. But this gave us a nice week to reset a little bit and get some of the guys some rest that they needed."
The Seminoles are among the top five teams in the conference in batting average (.320), slugger percentage (.569), and on-base percentage (.410). James Tibbs III leads the Noles with 18 home runs and 66 RBIs. Cam Smith has been on base for 52 consecutive games.
Jarrett believes it's because his batters handle the pitches differently.
"When you look at the personality of this team, there are some guys that are so distinctly different and how they manage at-bats, and I have that in many of the teams that I coached through the years," Jarrett said.
Jarrett confirmed that pitchers Connor Whitaker and Cam Leiter are still out but are progressing. However, there is no timetable for their return to the rotation.
"We don't have any huge concerns right now," Jarrett said. "There would be no more discussions if there were massive concerns about this. Now, there are concerns because you got two talented pitchers who haven't been out there for quite some time.
"So, you hope to get them back. But their health and safety are first, then their ramp-up is second, and then back out there is third. We're not going to push them."
Link Jarrett facing son J.T. Jarrett's team a "unique moment"
Jarrett didn't shy away from expressing his excitement to see his son and former Wolfpack star, J.T., who is now the director of player and program development.
J.T. Jarrett played all five years at N.C. State, including being a member of the 2021 team that made a historic run to the College World Series.
"N.C. State is a special place to him. My wife, like her, the teammate's parents that she gotten to know for those five years is really a unique moment." Having to coach against him when I was at Notre Dame, I can't explain those feelings. "
Link Jarrett briefly shared some stories about his son, linking back to when he coached at Notre Dame and had to coach against his son, especially during the postseason.
"It's really something that I can't describe what it feels like when he is standing in the box, and you're trying to get him out," Link Jarrett recalled. "And the magnitude of the games, these are national ramifications, and we live through that. Pretty cool and now this is unique. "
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How can I watch FSU baseball vs. N.C. State on TV, streaming?
Friday, May 3: 6 p.m. on ACCNX (streaming only)
Saturday, May 4: 7 p.m. on ACC Network
Sunday, May 5: 1 p.m. on ACCNX (streaming only)
Streaming: WatchESPN and the ESPN app (TV provider subscription needed), fuboTV (7-day free trial), YouTube TV (2-week free trial), Hulu + Live TV (7-day free trial)
Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU baseball seeks another signature ACC win vs. NC State
