It's a fresh month and a fresh opportunity for No. 14 Florida State baseball as they welcome the Pittsburgh Panthers to Dick Howser Stadium for a pivotal three-game ACC series. After a tough sweep last weekend, the Seminoles (30-14, 12-9 ACC) are eager to regain their footing in conference play—and there's no better place to do it than at home, where they boast an impressive 21-3 record this season.

FSU enters the series on a high note after a commanding 9-1 midweek win over USF. However, the victory came with a cost: junior Chase Williams suffered a late-game injury and will be sidelined for the Panthers series. Despite the setback, the Seminoles have been dominant at Howser, capturing five ACC series wins in seven weekends, including two sweeps, against four top-12 nationally ranked opponents.

Standing in their way is a red-hot Pitt squad (28-15, 10-11 ACC) that just swept No. 10 Virginia at home—the Panthers' first-ever series win over the Cavaliers. That four-game winning streak, which included a 23-1 demolition of No. 12 West Virginia, was halted by a 13-5 loss to Kent State on Wednesday, but Pitt remains one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the country. The Panthers lead the nation in walks (313), rank second in on-base percentage (.452), fourth in scoring (9.4 runs per game), fifth in home runs per game (2.02), and sixth in slugging percentage (.571) and runs scored (406). They've already shattered their single-season home run record with 87 dingers this year.

There's an extra layer of intrigue in this matchup: Pitt head coach Mike Bell is a Seminole legend. Bell played at FSU from 1994-95 and spent seven years as the program's pitching coach (2012-18), helping the Noles reach the College World Series in 2012 and 2017. He's 7-5 against his former team as Pitt's head coach, so he knows exactly what it takes to win at Howser.

Historically, FSU owns this series 29-8, including a dominant 26-5 mark in Tallahassee. The home team has won each of the last two series—FSU took the 2023 set at Howser, while Pitt claimed the 2024 series in Pittsburgh. The last meeting was a 15-4 FSU win in eight innings on May 12, 2024.

Keep an eye on senior shortstop Caden Dulin, a Brooks Wallace Award semifinalist who leads the team with 60 hits and is slashing .361 with 52 runs scored, 41 RBI, 11 doubles, and 11 home runs. Also watch for redshirt senior outfielder Lorenzo Carrier, a midseason First-Team All-American and Golden Spikes Award watch list honoree who can change the game with one swing.

First pitch is set for a classic Tallahassee evening. Whether you're at the ballpark or following from home, this series is shaping up to be a must-watch ACC showdown.