One year after a Florida-Florida State finish to rank among the wildest in series history, the Sunshine State baseball rivals are coming back to Jacksonville.
Florida and Florida State collide at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, continuing the schools’ college baseball tradition at Jacksonville’s VyStar Ballpark.
Advertisement
The game brings a pair of nationally-ranked programs to the First Coast, a year after former Bartram Trail High School infielder Alex Lodise completed a walk-off grand slam cycle with his game-winning blast in the bottom of the ninth to lead Florida State to the 8-4 win.
FLORIDA GATORS BASEBALL: WHAT TO KNOW
The Gators finished the week at No. 14 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, but that placement is likely to take a hit after dropping a three-game sweep to Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide topped Florida 6-0, 8-4 and 14-7 in that series.
Florida (19-6) is batting .278 as a team with 32 home runs in 25 games, powered thus far by the big bat of Brendan Lawson. The sophomore from Canada is batting .380 with 10 home runs and a 1.500 OPS, while also drawing more than a walk per game. Kyle Jones, Blake Cyr and Ethan Surowiec also hit above .300.
Advertisement
Former Bishop Snyder ace Aidan King has been a buzzsaw on the mound (3-2, 1.27 ERA, 30 K, 1.02 WHIP) early on, although he got the start Saturday and thus won’t make a hometown start for the Gators. Until March 21, King hadn’t allowed an earned run. The Gators’ team ERA is 3.83.
FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES BASEBALL: WHAT TO KNOW
The Seminoles (19-4), ranked ninth in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, took two of three last week in ACC action against North Carolina State and continues to bash the baseball.
With a team batting average of .304, 34 home runs, 205 runs scored and a .943 team OPS, Florida State packs a punch. Myles Bailey (.361, 12 HR, 31 RBI, 1.491 OPS) is firmly established among the ACC’s top sluggers, while Brayden Dowd and John Stuetzer are both above .300 and Kelvyn Paulino Jr., at .404, hit his first Noles homer on March 22.
Advertisement
So far, it’s been a solid beginning for FSU starting pitching, from Wes Mendes (5-1, 1.59) to Trey Beard (2-0, 1.99) to Bryson Moore (4-0, 3.58) to former Sandalwood High School standout Cooper Whited (1-0, 3.12). The Seminoles hold a 3.53 team ERA.
LOCALS ON THE ROSTERS
Florida: P Aidan King (Bishop Snyder), IF Kolt Myers (St. Johns Country Day), IF Justin Nadeau (Bartram Trail), P Schuyler Sandford (St. Johns Country Day)
Florida State: C Hunter Carns (First Coast), OF Brody DeLamielleure (Bartram Trail), P Cooper Whited (Sandalwood)
FLORIDA-FLORIDA STATE GAME INFORMATION
Florida St. infielder Myles Bailey (12) eyes a pitch during the fourth inning of an NCAA college baseball game against Florida in March 2025 in Jacksonville.
All-time records: Florida State leads the series 135-130-1. The most recent meeting went the Gators’ way, 6-3 in Gainesville on March 10. The rivals also have a scheduled meeting on April 8 in Gainesville.
Advertisement
Tickets: Available through Ticketmaster or Gator Bowl Sports.
Parking: Available in Lots J and P, southwest and west of EverBank Stadium, beginning at 3 p.m.
Dugouts: Florida State is the home team in 2026 and will be in the third base dugout, with Florida in the first base dugout.
Gates: The home plate gate will open at 3:30 p.m. for batting practice, and all other gates open at 4:30 p.m.
SUNSHINE SHOWDOWN HISTORY
(Florida leads FSU 9-8 in Jacksonville)
2007 Florida 16-7
2008 Florida State 10-2
2009 Florida State 3-2
2010 Florida State 7-2
2011 Florida State 5-2
2012 Florida 4-1
2013 Florida State 2-1
2014 Florida 4-1
Advertisement
2015 Florida State 8-3
2016 Florida 3-2
2017 Florida 4-1
2018 Florida 1-0
2019 Florida 4-2
2020-21 Canceled
2022 Florida 6-3
2023 Florida 7-5
2024 Florida State 14-3
2025 Florida State 8-4
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Florida-FSU college baseball in Jacksonville, tickets, start time