No. 21 FSU Hosts The Citadel
TALLAHASSEE – The No. 21 Florida State baseball team welcomes The Citadel to Dick Howser Stadium for a three-game series from February 27-March 1.
The series will begin on Friday, February 27, at 12 p.m. ET. Game two is on Saturday, February 28, at 1 p.m., with the finale set for Sunday at 1 p.m.
Tickets are available at Seminoles.com/Tickets or by calling the FSU ticket office at 850-644-1830. Admission is free for all FSU students with their FSUID, with the student entrance at the right field gate at Haggard Plaza. All gates at Dick Howser Stadium will open 60 minutes prior to first pitch for every game in 2026.
This Saturday is a Kids Club game, where Kids Club members can pick up their packs and spin a prize wheel. Each regular-season Saturday home game is Military Saturday Presented by VyStar, with military recognitions and the playing of God Bless America during the seventh inning stretch. Every Sunday regular-season home game is Sunday Funday, where Kids Club members and youth wearing their little league jerseys will be admitted free, and kids 12 and under will be allowed to run the bases postgame. Mardi Gras beads also will be available Sunday while supplies last.
All three games will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra (Friday | Saturday | Sunday), accessible through your television provider or a subscription to ESPN+. Fans can listen to every game via the Seminole Sports Network, with Friday and Sunday’s games on WFLA 100.7 FM and Saturday’s contest on 96.5 FM The Spear. Every game also is available around the world on the Seminoles Unconquered App and Seminoles.com. Live stats are at FSU.Statbroadcast.com (Friday | Saturday | Sunday). Direct links to watch, listen and follow along can be found on the schedule page at Seminoles.com/Baseball. News, notes and behind-the-scenes updates all weekend are available by following and connecting with the team on social media on Twitter/X and Facebook (@FSUBaseball) and Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
Friday, February 27 – 12 p.m. ET
Tickets
Watch: ACC Network Extra
Listen: WFLA 100.7 FM | Seminoles Unconquered App | Seminoles.com
Live Stats
Saturday, February 28 – 1 p.m. ET
Tickets
Watch: ACC Network Extra
Listen: WTLY 96.5 | Seminoles Unconquered App | Seminoles.com
Live Stats
Sunday, February 29 – 1 p.m. ET
Tickets
Watch: ACC Network Extra
Listen: WFLA 100.7 FM | Seminoles Unconquered App | Seminoles.com
Live Stats
Two left-handers will get the ball in the opener, as FSU junior Wes Mendes will face The Citadel grad student Will Holmes. Game two will see two juniors square off, with lefty Trey Beard scheduled to make his first start as a Seminole against right-hander Bryce Coulter for the Bulldogs. It’ll be two righties in the series finale when Florida State junior Bryson Moore toes the rubber against The Citadel senior Michael Gibson.
FSU is 5-2 on the season, 3-0 at home, 1-0 on the road and 1-2 at a neutral site. The Seminoles are coming off a 14-9 win on Wednesday night against North Florida.
As a team, Florida State is hitting .294 with 69 hits, seven home runs, 12 doubles, one triple, 42 walks, 60 runs scored and 52 RBI. The pitching staff has a 5.19 ERA with 34 earned runs allowed on 54 hits with 82 strikeouts and 30 walks in 59.0 innings.
Sophomore first baseman Myles Bailey is hitting .476 with four home runs, 10 hits, nine RBI and 10 runs scored. Sophomore infielder/outfielder Noah Sheffield also has 10 hits with a .435 average and 10 RBI, three doubles and nine runs scored. Junior center fielder Chase Williams has three stolen bases in five attempts. On the mound, junior lefty Wes Mendes is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, having struck out 14 and given up no runs on five hits in 10.1 innings. Redshirt sophomore lefty Payton Manca also has two wins and junior right-hander John Abraham has made four appearances out of the bullpen with 11 strikeouts and a 1.13 ERA.
NATIONALLY RANKED SEMINOLES
Florida State is nationally ranked in each major poll, including No. 21 in D1Baseball Top-25. Additionally, FSU is No. 14 in The Athletic, No. 15 by Perfect Game and No. 17 according to Baseball America, the NCBWA and the Coaches Poll.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE CITADEL
Florida State is 9-1 all-time against The Citadel. All 10 meetings have come in Tallahassee, as the two teams met in five of six years from 1998-2003. The series began with a pair of games in 1998, starting with a 9-4 victory. Three games followed in 1999, two in the regular season before a 24-6 win in the NCAA Regional. After a hiatus in 2000, it was a two-game meeting in 2001 that resulted in FSU’s lone loss, 5-2 on March 28 to conclude a two-game set. The Seminoles took both games in 2002 and the lone contest in 2003, a 10-2 win on March 26 that marked the last matchup before 2026.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
The Citadel comes to Tallahassee with a 4-2 record, all at home. The Bulldogs are coming off a 3-0 weekend, with 4-3 and 10-6 wins against Marshall from February 20-21 and a 14-8 win over Army on February 22. To begin the campaign, The Citadel lost two-of-three to Liberty.
LAST TIME OUT: BACK HOME FOR AN IN-STATE WIN
FSU opened its homestand with a 14-9 win over North Florida on Wednesday night. The Seminoles benefited from a six-run second inning and added two in the fourth and three in the sixth and eighth. The Ospreys held a 1-0 lead in the first, but could not match FSU’s offense in the in-state midweek matchup.
Bailey hit two home runs, including one 428 feet to the opposite field over the left-field scoreboard. That was part of a three-hit, four-RBI day with three runs scored, all season bests. Sheffield had two hits, a career-high four RBI and two runs, while freshman designated hitter Kelvyn Paulino Jr. got his first career start and had two hits and three RBI, both collegiate bests.
Manca improved to 2-1 on the season, as he came out of the bullpen in the sixth inning and held North Florida hitless in 2.1 innings. He struck out six and did not walk a batter as just one of the eight batters he faced reached base.
With the win, Florida State is 14-4 all-time against North Florida, including 13-2 at home. FSU has won the last three overall and five in a row at home.
A recap, box score and postgame interviews is available here.
UP NEXT: DOUBLE MIDWEEK
Florida State continues its homestand with a pair of midweek games at Dick Howser Stadium, against Jacksonville on Tuesday, March 3 and vs. Mercer on Wednesday, March 4. First pitch of both contests is at 5 p.m. ET. Tickets are available at Seminoles.com/Tickets.
For more information on Florida State baseball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, and keep up with the team on social media through Twitter/X and Facebook (@FSUBaseball) & Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
The series will begin on Friday, February 27, at 12 p.m. ET. Game two is on Saturday, February 28, at 1 p.m., with the finale set for Sunday at 1 p.m.
Tickets are available at Seminoles.com/Tickets or by calling the FSU ticket office at 850-644-1830. Admission is free for all FSU students with their FSUID, with the student entrance at the right field gate at Haggard Plaza. All gates at Dick Howser Stadium will open 60 minutes prior to first pitch for every game in 2026.
This Saturday is a Kids Club game, where Kids Club members can pick up their packs and spin a prize wheel. Each regular-season Saturday home game is Military Saturday Presented by VyStar, with military recognitions and the playing of God Bless America during the seventh inning stretch. Every Sunday regular-season home game is Sunday Funday, where Kids Club members and youth wearing their little league jerseys will be admitted free, and kids 12 and under will be allowed to run the bases postgame. Mardi Gras beads also will be available Sunday while supplies last.
All three games will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra (Friday | Saturday | Sunday), accessible through your television provider or a subscription to ESPN+. Fans can listen to every game via the Seminole Sports Network, with Friday and Sunday’s games on WFLA 100.7 FM and Saturday’s contest on 96.5 FM The Spear. Every game also is available around the world on the Seminoles Unconquered App and Seminoles.com. Live stats are at FSU.Statbroadcast.com (Friday | Saturday | Sunday). Direct links to watch, listen and follow along can be found on the schedule page at Seminoles.com/Baseball. News, notes and behind-the-scenes updates all weekend are available by following and connecting with the team on social media on Twitter/X and Facebook (@FSUBaseball) and Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
Friday, February 27 – 12 p.m. ET
Tickets
Watch: ACC Network Extra
Listen: WFLA 100.7 FM | Seminoles Unconquered App | Seminoles.com
Live Stats
Saturday, February 28 – 1 p.m. ET
Tickets
Watch: ACC Network Extra
Listen: WTLY 96.5 | Seminoles Unconquered App | Seminoles.com
Live Stats
Sunday, February 29 – 1 p.m. ET
Tickets
Watch: ACC Network Extra
Listen: WFLA 100.7 FM | Seminoles Unconquered App | Seminoles.com
Live Stats
Two left-handers will get the ball in the opener, as FSU junior Wes Mendes will face The Citadel grad student Will Holmes. Game two will see two juniors square off, with lefty Trey Beard scheduled to make his first start as a Seminole against right-hander Bryce Coulter for the Bulldogs. It’ll be two righties in the series finale when Florida State junior Bryson Moore toes the rubber against The Citadel senior Michael Gibson.
FSU is 5-2 on the season, 3-0 at home, 1-0 on the road and 1-2 at a neutral site. The Seminoles are coming off a 14-9 win on Wednesday night against North Florida.
As a team, Florida State is hitting .294 with 69 hits, seven home runs, 12 doubles, one triple, 42 walks, 60 runs scored and 52 RBI. The pitching staff has a 5.19 ERA with 34 earned runs allowed on 54 hits with 82 strikeouts and 30 walks in 59.0 innings.
Sophomore first baseman Myles Bailey is hitting .476 with four home runs, 10 hits, nine RBI and 10 runs scored. Sophomore infielder/outfielder Noah Sheffield also has 10 hits with a .435 average and 10 RBI, three doubles and nine runs scored. Junior center fielder Chase Williams has three stolen bases in five attempts. On the mound, junior lefty Wes Mendes is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, having struck out 14 and given up no runs on five hits in 10.1 innings. Redshirt sophomore lefty Payton Manca also has two wins and junior right-hander John Abraham has made four appearances out of the bullpen with 11 strikeouts and a 1.13 ERA.
NATIONALLY RANKED SEMINOLES
Florida State is nationally ranked in each major poll, including No. 21 in D1Baseball Top-25. Additionally, FSU is No. 14 in The Athletic, No. 15 by Perfect Game and No. 17 according to Baseball America, the NCBWA and the Coaches Poll.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE CITADEL
Florida State is 9-1 all-time against The Citadel. All 10 meetings have come in Tallahassee, as the two teams met in five of six years from 1998-2003. The series began with a pair of games in 1998, starting with a 9-4 victory. Three games followed in 1999, two in the regular season before a 24-6 win in the NCAA Regional. After a hiatus in 2000, it was a two-game meeting in 2001 that resulted in FSU’s lone loss, 5-2 on March 28 to conclude a two-game set. The Seminoles took both games in 2002 and the lone contest in 2003, a 10-2 win on March 26 that marked the last matchup before 2026.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
The Citadel comes to Tallahassee with a 4-2 record, all at home. The Bulldogs are coming off a 3-0 weekend, with 4-3 and 10-6 wins against Marshall from February 20-21 and a 14-8 win over Army on February 22. To begin the campaign, The Citadel lost two-of-three to Liberty.
LAST TIME OUT: BACK HOME FOR AN IN-STATE WIN
FSU opened its homestand with a 14-9 win over North Florida on Wednesday night. The Seminoles benefited from a six-run second inning and added two in the fourth and three in the sixth and eighth. The Ospreys held a 1-0 lead in the first, but could not match FSU’s offense in the in-state midweek matchup.
Bailey hit two home runs, including one 428 feet to the opposite field over the left-field scoreboard. That was part of a three-hit, four-RBI day with three runs scored, all season bests. Sheffield had two hits, a career-high four RBI and two runs, while freshman designated hitter Kelvyn Paulino Jr. got his first career start and had two hits and three RBI, both collegiate bests.
Manca improved to 2-1 on the season, as he came out of the bullpen in the sixth inning and held North Florida hitless in 2.1 innings. He struck out six and did not walk a batter as just one of the eight batters he faced reached base.
With the win, Florida State is 14-4 all-time against North Florida, including 13-2 at home. FSU has won the last three overall and five in a row at home.
A recap, box score and postgame interviews is available here.
UP NEXT: DOUBLE MIDWEEK
Florida State continues its homestand with a pair of midweek games at Dick Howser Stadium, against Jacksonville on Tuesday, March 3 and vs. Mercer on Wednesday, March 4. First pitch of both contests is at 5 p.m. ET. Tickets are available at Seminoles.com/Tickets.
For more information on Florida State baseball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, and keep up with the team on social media through Twitter/X and Facebook (@FSUBaseball) & Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
editor's pick
latest video
Sports News To You
Subscribe to receive daily sports scores, hot takes, and breaking news!
