Preview: Florida State Visits Georgia Tech in ACC Series Finale

ATLANTA (Interstat) — The eighth-ranked Florida State Seminoles will look to salvage the final game of a pivotal Atlantic Coast Conference series against the third-ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Saturday evening at Russ Chandler Stadium.

First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT under clear skies with a game-time temperature of 76 degrees.

Georgia Tech (27-5, 8-3 ACC) has seized control of the series, winning the first two contests 4-3 and 8-3 to extend its winning streak to seven games. The Yellow Jackets’ potent offense, averaging 8.1 runs per game, has been on full display.

Florida State (24-10, 6-5) has dropped three straight, including a midweek loss to Florida, and faces the threat of being swept for the first time in ACC play this season.

The pitching matchup features a compelling rematch from Thursday’s opener. Florida State will send left-hander Wes Mendes to the mound. Mendes (2-3, 3.86 ERA) took the loss on April 9, allowing three earned runs over 5 1/3 innings with nine strikeouts, but also issued five walks. He has 33 strikeouts over his last 22 1/3 innings.

Georgia Tech will counter with right-hander Tate McKee (5-1, 3.24 ERA), who earned the win in that same game. McKee worked six innings, surrendering three runs on four hits while striking out seven. He has been a key part of a Yellow Jackets’ rotation that has provided stability for one of the nation’s top lineups.

Despite the recent results and Georgia Tech’s formidable record, predictive models show a tight contest. Interstat’s ELO rating system gives Florida State a narrow 51.6% probability to win, though its game simulator projects a 7-5 victory for the Yellow Jackets.

The Seminoles will conclude their road trip hoping for a turnaround before hosting Stetson on Tuesday. Georgia Tech, riding high in the ACC Coastal Division, will host Georgia Southern on Tuesday before a crucial series at North Carolina next weekend.