Cody Spence Equipment Manager | Penn Athletics
Cody Spence Equipment Manager | Penn Athletics
The University of Pennsylvania baseball team is set to commence its 2025 season with a three-game series against the ninth-ranked Florida State Seminoles. This marks the first encounter between these two programs, and it will take place at Mike Martin Field in Tallahassee, Florida.
Opening Day is scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m., followed by games on Saturday and Sunday with start times of 2 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively. The series will be available for viewing on ACC Network Extra.
Penn's baseball program is aiming for its fourth consecutive Ivy League title after winning the tournament in previous years. Despite their success, Penn was ranked second in the preseason poll behind Columbia, which was voted as the favorite with all first-place votes.
Coach John Yurkow acknowledges the absence of key players from last year's championship team but highlights returning talent such as Davis Baker and Ryan Taylor. "It's been a long eight months since Penn last took the field," said Yurkow. He remains optimistic about his lineup's potential this season.
The Quakers' offense returns several strong hitters, including Baker who is on a 16-game hitting streak dating back to last year. However, they face challenges replacing power hitter Wyatt Henseler who graduated after an outstanding season.
On the pitching front, Penn must fill gaps left by graduates Cole Zaffiro and Ryan Dromboski. Senior Will Tobin and sophomore Josh Katz are expected to lead the rotation this year alongside new contributors like Noah Millikan who returns from injury.
Florida State enters this weekend undefeated at 4-0 after sweeping James Madison and defeating South Florida earlier this week. The Seminoles boast a strong lineup featuring four players batting over .300, while their pitching staff has maintained an impressive ERA of 0.77 across 35 innings pitched so far this season.
Junior left-hander Jamie Arnold leads FSU's pitching roster with a standout performance that includes eight strikeouts over six scoreless innings in his recent start against JMU. Arnold earned All-America honors last year and continues to be a pivotal player for Florida State.
Fans can follow live coverage of all three games via ACC Network Extra or keep up-to-date through live stats throughout the weekend.
Alerts Sign-up