Link Jarrett tabs Jamie Arnold as starting pitcher vs. Tennessee

No. 8 seed Florida State will do battle against top-seeded Tennessee in Friday’s first-round matchup of the Men’s College World Series in Omaha.

Link Jarrett told reporters Thursday that he plans to start pitcher Jamie Arnold against the Vols. The ‘Noles head coach explained his mindset ahead of the opening game.

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“Arnold will go,” Jarrett explained. “And then you’re going to use some relievers you would think at some point in this thing. Maybe not. It would be great if we didn’t.

“But then you get to rest. So you can recalibrate guys that you may not be able to do so in back-to-back days of competition like this. So it’s really neat. Again, I keep telling you, this is the best you’re going to see the game played ever at this level. It hasn’t been played better than this. You’re also going to see that continue because the dynamic relievers that throw some but not too much, they’re going to be right back out there.”

Arnold has been reliable as it comes on the mound for Florida State this season. He’s started 17 times including 11 wins where he’s completed 100.2 innings of work with a 2.77 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. He has allowed 39 total runs (31 earned) to go with 22 walks but has managed to strike out 155 batters this season while only giving up six home runs.

Still, Jarrett appears keen to utilize his entire lineup throughout the ‘Noles stay in Omaha. Of course, if Florida State makes it past three games during the MCWS he might have to get a bit creative with his pitching rotation.

“It’s really neat. It’s different,” Jarrett continued. “The number of guys that you use throughout the course of an ACC or an SEC weekend or a regional tournament or super regional, it may not get to that if things go really well for you. If your starter can get you some length and a reliever will get you to the finish line, if you can repeat that script, it might even be the same couple of relievers. Then how quickly can a starter within the realm of health and reality come back? All of those things are different here.

“It’s good, and it probably allows for an even better type of baseball.”

First pitch between the Seminoles and Volunteers is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and will air live on ESPN.