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Arnold, Abraham dominate as FSU Baseball opens season with 6-0 win

On3 imageby:Corey Clark•about 20 hours•

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Florida State ace Jamie Arnold delivers a pitch Friday against James Madison. (Courtesy of FSU Sports Information)

For much of the night, one big swing was all the Florida State offense could muster against visiting James Madison.

But because of the arms the Seminoles have, most notably the left one of star pitcher Jamie Arnold, that’s all FSU needed on Friday night.

Drew Faurot hit a 3-run homer in the third inning, and Arnold was sensational in his six innings of work as the Seminoles opened up the 2025 season with a 6-0 win over the Dukes before a sellout crowd of 6,700 at Dick Howser Stadium.

Arnold, who is projected to be one of the first pitchers selected in the 2025 MLB Draft, was dominant in the opener. He commanded the zone all night, striking out eight and not walking a batter.

The junior threw 72 pitches and allowed just one hit: A two-out single to left in the fifth inning. The only other baserunner that reached for James Madison was on a throwing error by first baseman Myles Bailey in the sixth inning. But Arnold struck out the next batter to end the frame anyway.

Faurot gave the Seminoles all the offense they would need with that blast in the bottom of the third inning. With runners on first and second — thanks to a dropped fly ball by JMU’s center fielder and a Jaxson West walk — Faurot ran the count full against starting pitcher Jackson Logar.

Faurot then absolutely crushed a fastball over the screen in right-center for a three-run homer and a 3-0 Florida State lead.

The Seminoles wouldn’t score again until the bottom of the eighth when they loaded the bases on a double by transfer catcher Nathan Cmeyla and back-to-back walks to Bailey and Gage Harrelson.

Alex Lodise lined out to the shortstop, but the infielder threw the ball away while trying to double Bailey off at second. And his error — JMU’s fifth of the game — allowed two runs to score. Max Williams then drove in Harrelson with a soft grounder to first for the Seminoles’ sixth and final run of the game.

Florida State only mustered four hits in the game and struck out 10 times — including four by Lodise — but the pitching was so good it didn’t matter.

John Abraham came on and pitched the final three innings to get the save. He struck out eight during that span, allowing just one hit and one walk.

In total, Arnold and Abraham combined to strike out 16 JMU batters and walk just one as the Seminoles started off the season with a shutout victory.

Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m.

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