COACH: Mike Martin.
LAST SEASON: 53-20 (19-11 in Atlantic Coast Conference, fourth place); lost to Florida in super regional.
KEY RETURNEES: P Tyler Chambliss (Jr., 7-3, 2.06 ERA, 15 saves, 73 Ks in 52.1 IP); RHP Bryan Henry (Jr., 9-3, 2.22 ERA, 89 IP); 3B Ryne Malone (Jr., .316, 22 2B, 7 HR, 61 RBIs); CF Shane Robinson (Jr., .427, 25 2B, 6 HR, 43 RBIs, 49 steals); RF Jack Rye (Soph., .328, 31 RBIs); RHP Mark Sauls (Sr., 6-2, 4.18 ERA).
KEY NEWCOMERS: 1B Ryan McArdle (Jr., transfer from Tallahassee CC); RHP Brent Marsh (Sr., transfer from USC); SS Buster Posey (Fr., from Lee County High in Leesburg, Ga.); RHP Luke Tucker (Jr., transfer from Okaloosa-Walton JC).
LOOKING GOOD: The Seminoles won’t hit for power but can overcome that with experience and depth on the mound. FSU returns four of the five pitchers who started at least 10 games last season and four of the team’s top five in ERA. The returning starters went 27-11 last season. Chambliss, the All-ACC closer, will be moving into the rotation. Robinson is one of the best players in the nation and will be the offensive catalyst. Malone should hit for a higher average than he did last season.
LOOKING BAD: The Seminoles still are searching for the right guy in left field and at first base, and they also could struggle with new faces replacing two of last season’s most consistent contributors: closer (Chambliss, moving to starter) and catcher (Aaron Cheesman).
THE BUZZ: The Seminoles are aiming for their 23rd 50-victory season in the past 27 years and hope to accomplish that goal behind returning All-Americans Chambliss and Robinson, who again will be a candidate for national player of the year. The ‘Noles will be in the mix for the title in the tough ACC and again should be tough at home, where they were 33-5 last season. Florida State outscored its opponents by 162 runs (484-322) last season.
FEBRUARY
3 Charleston Southern, 4
4 Charleston Southern, 1
5 Charleston Southern 1
10 at Auburn, 5
11 at Auburn, 5
12 at Auburn, 2
17 UNC-Asheville, 5
18 UNC-Asheville, 1
19 UNC-Asheville, 1
24 Minnesota, 6
25 Minnesota, 1
26 Minnesota, 1
28 at Florida, 6:35
MARCH
3 Brown, 6
4 Brown, 1
5 Brown, 1
7 Mercer, 6
10 Maryland, 6
11 Maryland, 6
12 Maryland, 1
14 Winthrop, 6
17 at Virginia Tech, 3
18 Virginia Tech, 3
19 at Virginia Tech, noon
22 at Jacksonville, 7
24 Duke, 6
25 Duke, 6
26 Duke, 1
28 North Florida, 6
31 at UNC, 7
APRIL
1 at UNC, 1
2 at UNC, 1
4 Jacksonville, 6
7 at Boston College, 3
8 at Boston College, 1
9 at Boston College, 1
12 at Jacksonville, 7
14 Miami, 7
15 Miami, 7
16 Miami, 1
19 Florida, 7
21 Georgia Tech, 7
22 Georgia Tech, 7
23 Georgia Tech, 1
28 Savannah State, 7
29 Savannah State, 7
30 Savannah State, 1
MAY
3 Jacksonville, 6
5 at Wake Forest, 3
6 at Wake Forest, 1
7 at Wake Forest, 1
12 at Clemson, 7:15
13 at Clemson, 1
14 at Clemson, 1
18 N.C. State, 7
19 N.C. State, 7
20 N.C. State, 7
