Florida State University Athletics
Wednesday, February 25
Tallahassee, Fla.
5:00 PM
Florida State
5-2
14
vs
9
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North Florida
5-5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
North Florida
1
0
1
0
0
4
0
0
3
9
9
0
Florida State
0
6
0
2
0
3
0
3
X
14
11
0
Bailey’s Two Blasts Lead No. 21 FSU over UNF
2/25/2026 10:52:00 PM | Baseball
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The No. 21 Florida State baseball team opened a nine-game homestand with a 14-9 win over North Florida on Wednesday night at Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
The Seminoles (5-2) benefited from a six-run second inning and added two in the fourth and three in the sixth and eighth. The Ospreys (5-5) held a 1-0 lead in the first, but could not match FSU's offense in the in-state midweek matchup.
Sophomore first baseman Myles Bailey hit two home runs, including one 428 feet to the opposite field over the left-field scoreboard. That was part of a three-hit, four-RBI day with three runs scored, all season bests. Sophomore right fielder Noah Sheffield had two hits, a career-high four RBI and two runs, while freshman designated hitter Kelvyn Paulino Jr. got his first career start and had two hits and three RBI, both collegiate bests.
Redshirt sophomore left-hander Payton Manca improved to 2-1 on the season. Coming out of the bullpen in the sixth inning, Manca held North Florida hitless in 2.1 innings. He struck out six and did not walk a batter as just one of the eight batters he faced reached base. Junior righty John Abraham pitched 2.0 shutout innings, also in relief, and struck out three while giving up just two hits.
FSU's 14 runs came on 11 hits and UNF's nine runs were scored on nine hits.
With the win, Florida State is 14-4 all-time against North Florida, including 13-2 at home. FSU has won the last three overall and five in a row at home.
A leadoff home run gave North Florida an early 1-0 lead, but redshirt freshman right-handed starter Rhett Vaughn got three strikeouts to limit the first-inning damage to a run. He retired the side in order in the second.
The Seminoles scored six in the second on three hits to take a 6-1 lead. A hit batter and two walks loaded the bases, and with one out, Sheffield drove in two with a hard-hit single to left. Bailey followed with a run-scoring base hit to right. With the bases loaded again, a sac fly by sophomore third baseman Gabe Fraser brought in another before Paulino Jr. single in two more with two outs.
The Ospreys got a run back in the third to make it 6-2.
Bailey provided FSU's answer in the fourth with his towering home run to left. The two-run shot scored Sheffield, who led off the inning with a walk.
Abraham, who struck out two in the fourth and stranded a pair, added a scoreless fifth inning.
UNF scored four in the sixth to cut the Seminole lead to 8-6 thanks to a bases-loaded walk and a three-RBI double.
Florida State responded with three in the sixth, beginning with Bailey's second home run of the day, a long solo blast that went over the left-field scoreboard. Paulino Jr. and junior shortstop Cal Fisher then each doubled in a run to make it 11-6.
Manca struck out the side in the seventh after entering the game in the sixth to get the final out, via a strikeout, to leave one. The southpaw fanned another two in a hitless eighth inning.
The Seminoles added three more in the bottom of the eighth. Sheffield drove in the first two on a one-out double to left-center, and the final run scored on a wild pitch.
North Florida scored three in the ninth for the 14-9 final. Two runs were unearned, including one on an RBI single.
Florida State hosts The Citadel from February 27-March 1. The series begins on Friday, February 27, at 12 p.m. ET, followed by game two on Saturday, February 28, at 1 p.m. The finale at Dick Howser Stadium is at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 1. Tickets are available at Seminoles.com/Tickets.
For more information on Florida State baseball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, and keep up with the team on social media through Twitter/X and Facebook (@FSUBaseball) & Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
The Seminoles (5-2) benefited from a six-run second inning and added two in the fourth and three in the sixth and eighth. The Ospreys (5-5) held a 1-0 lead in the first, but could not match FSU's offense in the in-state midweek matchup.
Sophomore first baseman Myles Bailey hit two home runs, including one 428 feet to the opposite field over the left-field scoreboard. That was part of a three-hit, four-RBI day with three runs scored, all season bests. Sophomore right fielder Noah Sheffield had two hits, a career-high four RBI and two runs, while freshman designated hitter Kelvyn Paulino Jr. got his first career start and had two hits and three RBI, both collegiate bests.
Redshirt sophomore left-hander Payton Manca improved to 2-1 on the season. Coming out of the bullpen in the sixth inning, Manca held North Florida hitless in 2.1 innings. He struck out six and did not walk a batter as just one of the eight batters he faced reached base. Junior righty John Abraham pitched 2.0 shutout innings, also in relief, and struck out three while giving up just two hits.
FSU's 14 runs came on 11 hits and UNF's nine runs were scored on nine hits.
With the win, Florida State is 14-4 all-time against North Florida, including 13-2 at home. FSU has won the last three overall and five in a row at home.
A leadoff home run gave North Florida an early 1-0 lead, but redshirt freshman right-handed starter Rhett Vaughn got three strikeouts to limit the first-inning damage to a run. He retired the side in order in the second.
The Seminoles scored six in the second on three hits to take a 6-1 lead. A hit batter and two walks loaded the bases, and with one out, Sheffield drove in two with a hard-hit single to left. Bailey followed with a run-scoring base hit to right. With the bases loaded again, a sac fly by sophomore third baseman Gabe Fraser brought in another before Paulino Jr. single in two more with two outs.
The Ospreys got a run back in the third to make it 6-2.
Bailey provided FSU's answer in the fourth with his towering home run to left. The two-run shot scored Sheffield, who led off the inning with a walk.
Abraham, who struck out two in the fourth and stranded a pair, added a scoreless fifth inning.
UNF scored four in the sixth to cut the Seminole lead to 8-6 thanks to a bases-loaded walk and a three-RBI double.
Florida State responded with three in the sixth, beginning with Bailey's second home run of the day, a long solo blast that went over the left-field scoreboard. Paulino Jr. and junior shortstop Cal Fisher then each doubled in a run to make it 11-6.
Manca struck out the side in the seventh after entering the game in the sixth to get the final out, via a strikeout, to leave one. The southpaw fanned another two in a hitless eighth inning.
The Seminoles added three more in the bottom of the eighth. Sheffield drove in the first two on a one-out double to left-center, and the final run scored on a wild pitch.
North Florida scored three in the ninth for the 14-9 final. Two runs were unearned, including one on an RBI single.
Florida State hosts The Citadel from February 27-March 1. The series begins on Friday, February 27, at 12 p.m. ET, followed by game two on Saturday, February 28, at 1 p.m. The finale at Dick Howser Stadium is at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 1. Tickets are available at Seminoles.com/Tickets.
For more information on Florida State baseball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, and keep up with the team on social media through Twitter/X and Facebook (@FSUBaseball) & Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Manca, Payton (2-1)
L: Groom, Tommy (0-1)
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Batting:
2B: Toberman, Jackson 1 ; Hosey, Boone 1
HR: Farner, Matthew 1
RBI: Farner, Matthew 3 ; Toberman, Jackson 4 ; Alford, Seth 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Acosta, Jonathan 1 ; Farner, Matthew 2 ; Ordonez, Santiago 1 ; Toberman, Jackson 1 ; White, Carter 1 ; Benjamin, Sean 2 ; Alford, Seth 1
SB: Alford, Seth 1
HBP: Toberman, Jackson 1 ; Witherington, Connor 1
Batting:
2B: Sheffield, Noah 1 ; Paulino Jr., Kelvyn 1 ; Fisher, Cal 1
HR: Bailey, Myles 2
RBI: Bailey, Myles 4 ; Sheffield, Noah 4 ; Paulino Jr., Kelvyn 3 ; Fisher, Cal 1 ; Fraser, Gabe 1
SF: Fraser, Gabe 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Williams, Chase 2 ; Bailey, Myles 3 ; Sheffield, Noah 2 ; Dowd, Brayden 1 ; McCulley, Carter 1 ; Carns, Hunter 2 ; Fisher, Cal 2 ; Fraser, Gabe 1
SB: Dowd, Brayden 1
HBP: Bailey, Myles 1 ; Carns, Hunter 1 ; Fisher, Cal 2 ; Fraser, Gabe 2
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
3
H
3
RBI
4
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
AB
5
R
0
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
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/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballFSU Baseball | 1B Myles Bailey Postgame Press Conference (2/25/26 vs. North Florida)
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Thursday, February 26
FSU Baseball | HC Link Jarrett Postgame Press Conference (2/25/26 vs. North Florida)
Thursday, February 26
FSU Baseball | HC Link Jarrett Postgame Press Conference (2/22/26 vs. Nebraska)
Monday, February 23