Florida State’s formula for handling Florida has been pretty straightforward: throw plenty of off-speed pitches and keep UF’s hitters on their toes with an array of hurlers.
It’s worked so far this year for the No. 11 Seminoles, who have taken two of three meetings from the No. 4 Gators.
“It speaks to Florida State’s ability to mix and match a little bit,” said Aaron Fitt, the lead college writer for Baseball America. “They can play matchups: bring in a righty to face right-handers and a lefty to face left-handers. To me, that’s what it’s about really, the matchups.”
But Fitt said Florida’s offensive struggles against Florida State shouldn’t be cause for concern when the two teams close out their regular-season series tonight at 6 in Tallahassee’s Dick Howser Stadium.
“Eventually, Florida is probably going to figure those guys out,” Fitt said. “I suspect Florida will swing the bats better [today].”
In the teams’ previous three meetings, 12 FSU pitchers combined for 19 appearances, including nine in the second showdown between the in-state rivals.
Due to the Seminoles’ strategy, the Gators (26-7, 9-3 Southeastern Conference) have not been able to get into an offensive groove and have hit only .210 against FSU (23-9, 9-6 Atlantic Coast Conference). UF has mustered just 10 runs off Seminoles pitching, including five combined in two losses.
“Credit Florida State; they’ve got a lot of different looks in their bullpen,” Fitt said. “They’ve got a lot of guys they can bring in there from both sides — different arm slots, different angles, different kinds of stuff.”
For the most part, that “stuff” has been a healthy dosage of off-speed pitches and breaking balls, which UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan said he addressed with his team prior to the Gators’ 5-2 loss against the Seminoles in Jacksonville two weeks ago.
“When they fall in trouble, they go to the breaking ball,” catcher Mike Zunino said after that game. “We know that. …We got to fix some stuff and try to get them next time.”
UF STRUGGLING IN MIDWEEK GAMES: While the Gators boast one of the top records in the nation, they are just above .500 in midweek games this year with a 5-4 mark.
Of the four losses, two have been at the hands of FSU, with the other two coming against inferior opponents Georgia Southern and UCF.
“You’d think that Florida would have the advantage in the midweek because they have the deepest pitching staff in college baseball,” Fitt said.
Instead, it’s been the opposing teams who have often found the edge on the pitcher’s mound.
“It’s been a little surprising to me that they haven’t really hit midweek against pitching that I think is not as good as the pitching they’re rolling out there,” Fitt added.
