TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (SEMINOLES.COM) — Florida State baseball dropped its season opener Saturday, falling to visiting North Florida 7-4 at Dick Howser Stadium. Sophomore catcher Mat Nelson hit a three-run home run, but the Ospreys never looked back after taking a 6-0 lead in the third inning.
Parker Messick (0-1) allowed five runs on four hits in his first career start for the Seminoles. Max McKinley (1-0) pitched the middle three innings for the Ospreys, allowing a run on four hits and two walks.
North Florida scored six runs in the third inning, with a leadoff home run from Tanner Clark pacing the Ospreys inning. In relief of Messick, FSU’s bullpen (Jack Anderson, Clayton Kwiatkowski, Davis Hare and Chase Haney) threw 6.2 innings and allowed just one earned run.
In the bottom of the third inning, Nelson launched a three-run home run that cut the Seminole deficit in half. It was his eighth career home run. Leadoff hitter Tyler Martin reached base in all five plate appearances, with two singles and three walks. His RBI single in the fourth inning scored Jackson Greene.
Sophomore Nander De Sedas, batting exclusively from the right side this season, doubled and singled in his first two at-bats.
The Noles drew 10 walks, including three in the ninth inning with no outs, but could not bring any runners home after a pair of strikeouts and a groundout ended the game.
After the second inning, former Florida State head coach Mike Martin was honored with his jersey number displayed in left field. The No. 11, worn for 46 years by the winningest coach in college baseball history, is being worn on the field by sixth-year senior captain Chase Haney in 2021. Haney pitched two scoreless innings to close out the game for the Seminoles and ranks fifth in school history with 108 career pitching appearances.
For more information on Florida State baseball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, or keep up with the team on social media through Twitter (@FSUBaseball), Facebook (/FSUBaseball), and Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
