COLLEGE TOWN, Fla. (WTXL) — Florida State's baseball team defeated James Madison in Friday's season opener at Dick Howser Stadium as fans took part in Opening Day traditions.
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Florida State baseball kicked off its 2026 season with Opening Day energy at Dick Howser Stadium Friday night, defeating James Madison in game 1 of the weekend series.
For many fans in Tallahassee, Opening Day represents more than just a game. It's about tradition, spending time at the ballpark, and hoping for a championship season.
The crack of the bat, the smell of ballpark food, and the colors of garnet and gold filling the stands marked another Opening Day tradition that some fans wait all year to experience.
"My love is baseball. FSU baseball is where I spend all of my time. I'm always excited to watch the team on the field, but also to be back with friends that we do all season with every year. Being part of the animals is awesome," Caressa Mee said.
After two deep postseason runs and head coach Link Jarrett's contract extension late last year, fans believe this team has not reached its peak yet.
"Honestly, you know, I've been saying all offseason the ceiling for this team super, super high. My one word for what I see in this team right now is a depth. You know we've had some pretty good teams in the last couple years, but this team in particular, the depth that we have, the experience with the depth, is probably what I'm super excited about," Gary Davis said.
Fans were treated to a competitive game on the diamond.
FSU's Myles Bailey hit a 425-foot home run on his first pitch at the plate, giving the Seminoles the lead early over the Dukes.
In the bottom of the second inning, Brody DeLamielleure followed it up with a home run of his own.
With FSU up one in the eighth inning, Noah Sheffield singled up the middle for a 2 RBI single, securing the Seminoles' win in their first game of the season.
Tallahassee baseball fans have even more to look forward to this month. As FSU's season gets going, the popular Savannah Bananas are kicking off their Banana Ball World Tour in Tallahassee from February 26-28.
The Seminoles have a Valentine's Day showdown Saturday afternoon for Game 2 of this opening series. First pitch is at 2 p.m.
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