Jacksonville, FL. — Florida State baseball (3-0) hit the road for the first time in 2026 and made it look easy, run-ruling Jacksonville (4-1) 13-3 in eight innings on Tuesday night at John Sessions Stadium. The No. 16 Seminoles scored 13 runs on 11 hits while drawing 10 walks and taking advantage of five Jacksonville errors to remain unbeaten on the young season.
This win was a complete performance in all three phases over a team that is typically a tough out. The pitching staff delivered five scoreless innings to start the game, the offense exploded for 10 runs over a three-inning stretch, and the defense made plays when it mattered. FSU improves to 141-44 all-time against Jacksonville and has now won eight straight in the series.
Redshirt sophomore left-hander Payton Manca made his season debut and showed exactly why Link Jarrett trusts him as the midweek starter. The lefty threw three scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out two and walking one on 50 pitches. More importantly, he worked out of trouble when he needed to, stranding runners on the corners in the first inning before inducing a double play in the second and handling a bunt to post another zero.
Manca’s pitch count was limited to 50 because Trey Beard has been dealing with a stomach bug and FSU wanted to keep Manca available for this weekend if needed. The fact that Jarrett felt comfortable using him in this spot speaks volumes about where Manca is after a strong summer in the Cape Cod League where he posted a 2.70 ERA over 30 innings.
John Abraham came in relief in the fourth inning and was dominant, striking out the side in order. Abraham retired six of the seven batters he faced over two scoreless innings, continuing to show why Jarrett turned to him on Opening Day and again with a fully rested bullpen tonight.
Transfer graduate Gabe Nard made his Seminole debut in the sixth inning with a 10-0 lead and gave up two infield singles and a three-run homer to Derek Bermudez. However, Nard settled in and retired the next three batters to limit the damage. Jake Ecjols, Kevin Mebil and Ben Barrett combined to strike out three while allowing only one hit in the final two innings to close out the run-rule victory.
FSU’s bats were quiet through the first three innings, not picking up their first hit until Brayden Dowd flicked a two-out single to center in the third. However, the fourth inning is when things finally broke open.
The Seminoles loaded the bases with a walk and two singles before Chase Williams reached on an error that allowed Bailey to score the game’s first run. In the chaos, Cal Fisher was caught in a rundown and called out, but FSU added two more runs on a fielder’s choice and an infield single from Gabe Fraser to take a 3-0 lead.
FSU tacked on another run in the fifth when Noah Sheffield doubled down the left-field line and scored on a two-out RBI single from Fisher to make it 4-0. That’s when the offense really opened up.
The sixth inning was where FSU put the game away for good. Williams led off with a walk, then stole second and third on back-to-back pitches before scoring on a wild pitch to make it 5-0. After the 7-8-9 hitters in the lineup drew walks to load the bases again, the top of the order delivered. Dowd lined a single to right to score two runs, Sheffield reached on an infield single to bring in another, and Fisher drew a walk, allowing Dowd to score, making it 9-0. The final run of the inning came on a groundout to bring in Sheffield, extending the lead to 10-0.
Jacksonville answered with a three-run homer from Bermudez in the bottom half to cut it to 10-3, but FSU wasn’t done scoring. The Seminoles added two more in the seventh inning, both with two outs. Bailey drove in one on a hard-hit single to right and scored on a fielding error to make it 12-3. Jace Estes drove in Williams with a single in the eighth to invoke the run rule at 13-3.
Every starter in FSU’s lineup reached base at least once in the game. Dowd registered two hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored at the top of the lineup. Williams scored three runs and drove in two while also swiping his first two stolen bases of the season. Fisher drove in two runs, and Bailey reached base four times in five plate appearances.
The patience at the plate was the real story. FSU drew 10 walks as a team and only struck out six times, forcing Jacksonville to use multiple pitchers who struggled to throw strikes. When you combine that discipline with taking advantage of five Jacksonville errors, you’re going to have plenty of scoring opportunities.
My main question coming out of this game is whether Payton Manca can be the consistent midweek starter FSU needs as Beard returns and the workload expands. If he can give the Noles 5-6 quality innings every midweek game, that goes a long way toward saving the bullpen for weekend ACC action. His performance tonight was exactly what you want to see – efficient, threw strikes (32 strikes in 50 pitches), and got outs when he needed them.
This was a professional road win against a team that usually plays FSU tough. Jacksonville came in 4-0 after sweeping Rhode Island and scoring 46 runs over four games. The Dolphins have made FSU work in recent years, with seven of the last nine meetings decided by less than three runs. Not this time.
FSU dominated in all facets. The starting pitching was strong, the bullpen performed relatively well, producing five scoreless innings, the offense was patient and opportunistic, and the defense made plays. A total of twenty Seminoles saw action on Tuesday night. This not only builds depth with valuable game reps, but flexes the depth of the roster we talked about in the preseason.
FSU is now 3-0 with two consecutive run-rule victories. They’ve outscored opponents 34-9 through three games while drawing 22 walks, racking up 36 hits and batting .350 as a team. The plate discipline has been excellent, the pitching staff has had some strong performances and we’ve yet to see Trey Beard, and the offense is clicking from multiple spots in the lineup.
Up next for FSU is a massive test at the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series in Arlington, Texas, at Globe Life Field, where the level of competition ramps up quickly. The Seminoles will face Michigan (3-1 with two ranked wins) on Friday at noon, No. 9 Auburn (3-1) on Saturday at 4 p.m., and Nebraska (3-1) on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. (all Eastern times). This will be FSU’s first true measuring stick of the season against quality Power 4 competition.
It’s still early to define what a baseball team will be over a long season, but if FSU can go 2-1 or better in Arlington, it will be a huge statement to start the year. For now, the Noles are riding high at 3-0 and showing they can win in different ways. Thanks for reading, and Go Noles!
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