Back at it JMU baseball seeks revenge vs. Florida State in season-opening series

By MADI ALLEY The Breeze

The wait is finally over. The Diamond Dukes are heading down to Tallahassee, Florida, to kick off their 2023 season with a three-game series against the Seminoles, starting Feb. 17.

Last February, JMU started 0-3 after dropping its opening series against Florida State. From there, JMU finished 27-26 (12-11 CAA) in 2022. The Diamond Dukes are now entering a loaded Sun Belt Conference with Southern Miss leading the pack at No. 18 in D1Baseball’s top 25 preseason poll.

For the Seminoles, their road to Omaha for the College Baseball World Series was cut short last season after falling to UCLA, 5-3, in the Auburn Regional on June 3. They finished 34-25 overall and 15-15 in the ACC.

Under new head coach Link Jarrett, Florida State is looking to make adjustments that will set it up toward another run for the national championship title. The Seminoles’ last trip to Omaha followed their strong showing in 2019, when they were eliminated by Texas Tech, 4-1.

Florida State returns several key players back into its starting lineup, despite losing a few key producers.

Junior Jordan Carrion looks to return to shortstop this weekend for the Seminoles after starting the last 56 games of the 2022 season. Carrion had a .280 batting average as a sophomore and led the Noles with 11 stolen bases in 15 attempts.

The Dukes have to watch out

U.Va. transfer Travis Reifsnider.

Hoping to bridge that gap, JMU picked up graduate transfer Jack Cone from William & Mary. Cone had a batting average of .261 and struck out 74 batters across his career playing for the Tribe from 2019-22.

Earlier this month, head coach Marlin Ikenberry said Cone will likely lead off for the Dukes in

JMU last year and racked up a series of accolades. After hitting his stride in late February, Dabney was named CAA Player of the Week on Feb. 28 last season and the Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week the same day. In four games from Feb 23-27, Dabney went 8-for12, hit three home runs, one double and 10 runs scored and nine RBIs — adding four walks that they’ll see again later on, he said, as well as a taste of what’s to come in Sun Belt play.

The first pitch of game one is set for 5 p.m. at Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium on Feb. 17.

CONTACT Madi Alley at alleyml@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more baseball coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @TheBreezeSports.