No. 23 Miami Meets Florida State in Annual Rivalry Series
RIVALRY RENEWED
• Heading into the midway point of the 2023 regular season, the 23rd-ranked Miami Hurricanes host rival Florida State for a three-game set at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.
• Miami and Florida State have played 296 times, dating back to the first meeting in 1951.
• The Seminoles lead the all-time series, 159-133-4, but since the beginning of 1971, the two sides are tied, 128-128-3, in the last 259 contests.
• The series begins at 7 p.m. Friday, as a pair of second-year right-handed hurlers get the ball.
• Miami sophomore Karson Ligon (2-1, 5.24 ERA) makes his seventh start of the season, opposing Florida State freshman Jackson Baumeister (1-1, 4.62 ERA).
HOME SWEET HOME
• The Hurricanes are off to their best 17-game start at home since 2016, posting a 14-3 mark inside the friendly confines of Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field this season.
• Miami is slashing .303/.421/.576, outscoring its opponents, 150-84, across its 17 home contests.
• With head coach Gino DiMare at the helm, the Hurricanes boast a 97-32 (.752) record at Mark Light Field.
CARDIAC CANES
• Through its first 25 games, Miami has notched 11 come-from-behind victories, including three walk-off wins.
• The Hurricanes are 5-7 when trailing after six innings, matching their entire win total in those situations from last year.
• Miami overcame a five-run deficit at then-No. 6 Florida, scoring 13 unanswered runs and rallied to win following a six-run deficit against then-No. 17 Virginia Tech.
• The Hurricanes have registered seven five-plus-run frames, recording a season-high 10 runs in the seventh inning versus the Hokies on March 18.
MIAMI MASHERS
• As of March 30, the Hurricanes are tied for seventh nationally in home runs (51).
• 101-of-186 (54.3%) of the Hurricanes’ runs have been plated by a homer compared to 161-of-457 (35.2%) a year ago.
• Miami has circled the bases in 20 of its 25 games, totaling 15 multi-homer performances along the way.
• The Canes are 16-5 when launching at least one home run and 13-2 when mounting two-plus jacks.
• The Hurricanes are on pace for 112 homers during the regular season, which would rank as the second-most by a Miami team in a single season.
• Fifteen different Hurricanes have left the yard, with junior CJ Kayfus blasting a team-best seven round-trippers.
