FSU Takes On JU

Florida State heads out on the road for just the second time this season when they travel to the First Coast to square-off against the Jacksonville Dolphins on Wednesday, March 21. First pitch is slated for 6:00 pm at Alexander Brest Field. The Seminoles lead the all-time series 110-33, while maintaining a mark of 37-23 in games played in Jacksonville. FSU is currently riding an 18-game winning streak over the Dolphins, including eight in a row on their home turf, with JU's last win over Florida State coming on February 24, 2002 in Jacksonville. The Dolphins won that game 13-4. It tied the series record for the most runs scored by JU versus FSU and the widest margin of victory for JU. The two teams met five times last season including a match-up in the opening round of the NCAA Regional in Athens, Ga., a game in which Florida State won 18-0. Two of the five games were played in Jacksonville a year ago as Florida State won both, outscoring JU 14-2. This is the first of three meetings between these intra-state rivals as the final two will both be played in Tallahassee on April 10 and May 8.
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Jacksonville enters the week with an overall record of 14-13 and a 1-2 mark in the Atlantic Sun. The Dolphins began league play in the Atlantic Sun last weekend dropping two of three from the Belmont Bruins in Nashville, Tenn. JU will play a pair of mid-weeks beginning Tuesday, March 20 at Bethune-Cookman before returning home to face the Seminoles on Wednesday. JU boasts a home record of 10-6 as the Dolphins have won seven of their last eight home games. Through 27 games, Jacksonville is hitting .285, while posting a team ERA of 5.20. Three everyday starters are hitting over .300 led by redshirt senior Pete Clifford who leads all hitters with a .380 mark. Ryan McArdle, who transferred from FSU to JU after last season, lead the Dolphins with five home runs. Projected starter, rhp, D.J. Ackley is 0-1 in three starts. He has appeared in seven games for the Dolphins posting an ERA of 9.00.
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Caleb Graham will make his first collegiate start on Wednesday night against Jacksonville. The sophomore right hander has appeared in eight games this season pitching 13.2 innings allowing six runs, four earned, on eight hits. He has struck out 13 batters, while walking seven. Graham is limiting opponents to a .143 batting average on the year. He pitched a season-high three innings in back-to-back games against North Florida and Siena. His three innings of work against the Saints earned Graham his first collegiate save. After striking out one batter in his first four appearances, the Tampa, Fla., native has posted three strikeouts in four consecutive games. His last three strikeout performance came in 1.1 innings of work against Wake Forest last Saturday night. Graham pitched a career-high four innings last year against Florida on April 19.