No. 5 FSU baseball vs. No. 3 Georgia Tech: Preview, how to watch, game thread

To date in ACC play, the Florida State baseball team has passed each of its tests.

The fifth-ranked Seminoles (24-8, 9-3 ACC) have won each of their first four conference series, something the program last did in 2015. Three of those have come against top-11 opponents and two of those three have come on the road.

But things will ramp up this weekend when FSU faces a real gut test in a three-game series at No. 3 Georgia Tech (27-5, 12-3 ACC) in Atlanta. While the season-ending injury to star first baseman Myles Bailey didn’t prevent a series win at No. 10 Virginia last week, this series will be a real litmus test of the Seminoles’ national legitimacy.

This matchup of the top two teams in the ACC standings — neither of whom has lost a conference series — is an interesting clash of strengths. The Seminoles are 24th nationally in ERA (3.93) and ninth in strikeouts/nine innings (11.5). All three of their weekend starters have been named ACC Pitcher of the Week in the last four weeks.

Most recently, Bryson Moore delivered the best start of his collegiate career, tossing seven shutout innings in the rubber match last Saturday Virginia.

While all three FSU pitchers had a day less rest last week moving up for a Thursday through Saturday series, they’ll be on full rest for this Thursday through Saturday series.

That’s for the best considering the challenge FSU’s pitching staff will face this weekend at Russ Chandler Stadium.

Georgia Tech’s offense, led by first-year head coach and FSU baseball legend James Ramsey, leads the nation in on-base percentage (.457), is second in slugging percentage (.636) and batting average (.358), and third in home runs (68) and doubles (84).

That’s not to say the Yellow Jackets’ pitching staff is bad by any means. The team is 36th nationally in ERA (4.19) and 60th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.33). All three of Georgia Tech’s projected starters have an ERA below 3.80.

But this team is no doubt led by its offense, which has scored double-digit runs in 20 of its first 32 games.

Game 1: Thursday, March 9, 7 p.m. vs. Georgia Tech

• Pitching matchup: FSU Jr. LHP Wes Mendes (6-2, 1.97 ERA) vs. GT Jr. RHP Tate McKee (5-0, 3.35 ERA)
• How to watch: ACC Network
• How to listen: WFLA 100.7 FM/seminoles.leanplayer.com

Game 2: Friday, March 10, 8 p.m. vs. Georgia Tech

• Pitching matchup: FSU Jr. LHP Trey Beard (3-0, 3.58 ERA) vs. GT Jr. RHP Porter Buursema (0-1, 3.77 ERA)
• How to watch: ACC Network
• How to listen: WFLA 100.7 FM/seminoles.leanplayer.com

Game 3: Saturday, March 11, 3 p.m. vs. Georgia Tech

• Pitching matchup: FSU Jr. RHP Bryson Moore (5-1, 4.19 ERA) vs. GT So. RHP Jackson Blakely (4-1, 1.82 ERA)
• How to watch: ACC Network Extra
• How to listen: WFLA 100.7 FM/seminoles.leanplayer.com

Yellow Jacket hitters to know

• Jr. C Vahn Lackey: Slashing .414/.531/.819…It’s not often a team’s catcher is the best hitter but Lackey has been sensational this season, leading them in batting average and second in home runs (11)
• Jr. 1B Ryan Zuckerman: Slashing .333/.462/.737…Has a team-high 12 homers and two off the team lead in RBIs with 40. Bats sixth in the lineup, which speaks to how lethal this lineup is
• Jr. CF Drew Burress: Slashing .318/.460/.574…Production is down a bit this season (six homers after he had a combined 44 in his first two seasons) but he’s a candidate to be the first overall pick in this summer’s MLB Draft and could explode at any moment