Gallery: Florida State clinches first College World Series bid since 2019

For the first time since 2019, the Florida State Seminoles are headed to the College World Series.

FSU earned the right to head to Omaha after taking down the UConn Huskies in two games, first setting a Super Regional scoring record for runs and winning margin and then grinding out a win in extra innings.

“An awesome day for these guys and for the program,” head coach Link Jarrett said following the matchup. “I cannot say enough about the fans and how they supported.”

“I couldn’t be more proud of these players and the assistant coaches. They’re prepared because…our assistant coaches have put us in this position. This is new, uncharted territory and everybody in the dugout and the program handled this like a champion.”

Take a look inside Saturday’s win through the lens of Tomahawk Nation photographer Peyton Baker:

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Florida State vs. UConn: Game Recaps

Saturday, June 8th: Florida State 10, UConn 8

“This was business; you took care of business. Next week, there could be dogpiling opportunities.”

After Florida State won the Tallahassee Regional last week, the first step in the Seminoles’ mission to return to Omaha, head coach Link Jarrett wasn’t ready to celebrate quite yet.

Six days later, 12 innings, 16 hits, five pitchers, and ten runs later, the Florida State Seminoles punched their ticket to Omaha and 40 Florida State baseball players piled on Mike Martin Field to add another chapter to Jarrett’s second season at the helm — FSU’s first College World Series appearance since 2019.

It took three more innings than they wanted to, but no one will complain. James Tibbs was the hero with an 11th-inning blast to cap off a five-hit, three-HR day. Conner Whittaker sealed the deal out of the bullpen after the receivers before him did not have it. Once more, the Seminoles made just enough plays when needed and met the moment. Multiple times, Saturday could have gotten away, but a team without much postseason experience never backed down.

Friday, June 7th: Florida State 24, UConn 4

The game started just as Link Jarrett dreamt last night.

Dorsey went 1-2-3 in the first on just ten pitches, and Cooke drilled Max Williams on the first pitch of the bottom half. Cam Smith and James Tibbs had loud outs, and Marco Dinges fell behind 0-2 before the barrage began.

The DH stepped on a fastball over the heart of the plate for an opposite-field two-run blast as the Seminoles drew first blood. While the Animals in section B shouted for Dinges, Jamie Ferrer kept the fans on their feet. He needed one pitch, drilling a 425-foot bomb that smashed off the top of the Seminole logo on the jumbo tron as Florida State went up 3-0 at the end of the first.

The momentum continued in the second, as a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out ended the top half, before the bottom of the lineup went to work. Lodise led off with his first of three hits as the SS had one of his best days at the plate. Two batters later, the lineup turned over for Max Williams, who utilized the short fence.

His fly ball kept carrying out to right, and 365 feet later, Florida State chased Cooke, led 5-0, and the rout was on. An inning later, Florida State put up another crooked number with a three spot in the third. UConn brought in their innings leader, Garrett Coe, but he could not find the plate, as FSU walked four times and went up 8-0.

In the bottom half, the Seminoles officially broke the game open with a six-run sixth. Ferrer mashed his second home run of the day, a two-run shot that started the party. Back-to-back singles from Smith and Tibbs brought home three more runs, and FSU led 15-1 after six.

But that would not satisfy the Seminoles.

As Jarrett emptied the bench, the bats kept churning. DeAmez Ross’ three-run HR put the exclamation mark on a Florida State nine-run seventh as the Seminoles eviscerated UConn 24-1 as the train went off the tracks. Florida State scored 20 runs against Western Carolina in the second week of the season, but this was the first time all year they scored more than 20.

The game mercifully finished 24-4 after a four-hour drubbing — setting the all-time Super Regional run record.

Game notes, via FSU Sports Info:

• Florida State advanced to the College World Series for the 24th time in school history.
• James Tibbs III hit his 26th, 27th, and 28th home runs of the season. Tibbs’ 28 home runs are the most since Marshall McDougall also hit 28 in 1999. He ties McDougall for the fifth-highest total in program history. His 96 RBI this season rank seventh in FSU history and most since McDougall’s 106 in 1999.
• Tibbs III went 5-of-6, setting a career-high.
• Tibbs III’s two-run home run that broke the 8-8 tie in the 12th inning was the first Seminole to hit three home runs in a single game since Stephen Cardullo in 2010.
• With his nine strikeouts, Jamie Arnold passed the 150 barrier for a single season bringing his total to 155. It is the most for a Seminole since Paul Wilson in 1994 – a No. 1 MLB draft pick who struck out 163.
• The Seminoles’ 24-win improvement extends the largest year-over-year jump in program history; the previous (non-Covid) best was a 13-win bump from 2001 (47) to 2002 (60).
• FSU hit a season high six home runs, the first time since 2019. It was FSU’s 36th multi-homerun game in 2024. FSU also hit five home runs on Friday against the Huskies.
• Cam Smith’s 79 runs scored are the most for a Seminole since Taylor Walls finished second in the country with 82 in 2017.
• Max Williams went 3-for-7 with his 13th home run of the season and fourth of the postseason, most on the team. Williams has a 16-game on base streak.
• The Seminoles closed the season at Dick Howser Stadium 32-4.
• FSU’s six home runs brought the team total to 123, 64 more than last year. It is the third-highest tally in program history. The Noles have hit a home run in 15 consecutive games and in 57 of 62 this year. It is the fourth-longest streak in school history.

FSU Single-Season HR

• 146, 1985 (82 games)
• 131, 1982 (74 games)
• 123, 2024 (62 games)