Sophomore Geoff Parker was named the opening day starter for the 2009 season.

The Seminoles are winners of 10 in a row on opening day.

Feb. 19, 2009

Game Notes Week 1 vs. Hofstra in PDF Format

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The wait is finally over! The 2009 Florida State Baseball season gets underway on Friday, February 20 at 4:00 p.m. as the Seminoles welcome the Hofstra Pride to Tallahassee for a four-game series.

The two teams met for the first time in 2007 as the Seminoles swept the three-game series in Tallahassee outscoring the Pride 37-5. D'Vontrey Richardson is the top returning hitter from that 2007 series as the Leesburg, Ga., native posted a .545 batting average (6-for-11) with a double, a triple, two RBI and five runs scored. As a team, the Seminoles hit .449 for the series. The Florida State pitching staff was equally impressive posting a 1.00 ERA in 27 innings of work. The Seminoles held the Pride to just five runs, three earned, on 18 hits while holding Hofstra to a .191 team batting average on the weekend.

Florida State Seminole Baseball Information
Friday, February 20, 4:00 pm
Florida State - RHP, Geoff Parker (0-0) vs. Hofstra - LHP, Brody Fontaine (0-0)
Live Stats: Gametracker
Radio - 1270 the Team: Listen Live
Webcast - ACC Select: Watch the Game Live!
Live Game Chat/Blog - Free
NOTE - Florida State softball head coach Lonni Alameda to throw out the ceremonial first pitch on opening day.

Saturday, February 21, 1:00 pm - Game 1: Sponsored by Tobacco Free Florida
Florida State - LHP, John Gast (0-0) vs. Hofstra - RHP, Bobby Neelon (0-0)
Live Stats: Gametracker
Radio - 100.7 FM: Listen Live
Webcast - ACC Select: Watch the Game Live!
Live Game Chat/Blog - Free
NOTE - Florida State women's basketball head coach Sue Semrau to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before game one of the doubleheader.
The raffle auction for Florida State memorabilia, originally scheduled for Fan Day, will take place during game one of the doubleheader. Winners will be announced in between games one and two. All proceeds from the auction will go to the Dick Howser Center.

Saturday, February 21 - Game 2
Florida State - LHP, Sean Gilmartin (0-0) vs. Hofstra - RHP, Rob Kumbatovic (0-0)
Live Stats: Gametracker
Radio - 100.7 FM: Listen Live
Live Game Chat/Blog - Free

Sunday, February 22, 1:00 pm
Florida State - RHP, Mike McGee (0-0) vs. Hofstra - LHP, Nick Panzarella (0-0)
Live Stats: Gametracker
Radio - 100.7 FM: Listen Live
Live Game Chat/Blog - Free

Florida State welcomes back 18 of 28 letterwinners from last year's squad that advanced to the College World Series for the 19th time in school history. Twenty-two of the 32 players listed on this year's roster are freshmen and sophomores.

The Seminoles return five position starters and eight pitchers who saw action off the mound in 2008 including a trio of starting pitchers in senior Bo O'Dell and sophomores Geoff Parker and Mike McGee. The Garnet and Gold also welcome back seven hitters from last year's squad who posted an average of .300 or higher including Freshman All-American Stuart Tapley who finished second on the team and fifth in the ACC with a .383 average.

The 2008 squad led the nation in hitting with a .355 average while breaking the record for the highest team batting average in school history as well as in the ACC. The Seminoles finished second in the nation in hitting (.350) in 2007.

OPENING DAY
Florida State embarks on the 2009 season winners of 10 in a row on opening day, while posting an all-time record of 53-7-1 (.877). The Seminoles have suffered a loss on opening day just seven times in 61 years with two of those losses coming in Tallahassee. In 1998, the Garnet and Gold fell to Notre Dame at a neutral site marking the last time FSU has dropped a season opener. The last time FSU lost a season opener at home was 1981 when Georgia Southern defeated the Seminoles 3-2. Auburn handed Florida State its only other opening day loss at home back on March 20, 1958 as the Tigers swept the opening day doubleheader (4-3, 10-7). When it comes to home openers all-time, Florida State is 57-4 (.934) with only one loss coming in the last 27 years. Under Hall of Fame head coach Mike Martin, FSU baseball is 26-3 on opening day.

FIRST SERIES OF THE SEASON
Florida State has not lost the first series of the season since 1981 - a streak of 27 consecutive series victories. In 61 years of FSU baseball, the Seminoles have only lost a season opening series twice. The last time the Seminoles lost a series to open the season came in 1981 when Georgia Southern took two of three games from Florida State. The only other time the Garnet & Gold lost a series to open the season came in 1958 when Auburn took both games of a two-game set. Overall, FSU is 50-2-9 in season opening series.

For Complete Notes please see the above PDF.