Blue Wahoos To Stage Free Pregame FanFest Prior To FSU-Auburn Baseball Game 

The game itself was sold out two months ago in record time, but people can still enjoy a pregame experience before Saturday’s Auburn-Florida State special fall baseball event.

The Blue Wahoos are hosting a fanfest style, free pregame party, beginning at 9 a.m. in the grass lawn area fronting Blue Wahoos Stadium.

There will be food and beverages for purchase, along with music, other activities, plus a large video screen showing college football through 12 p.m. There is no ticket needed to attend the pregame event. Paid parking will be available at the main parking lot as well as locations throughout downtown.

First pitch for the Auburn-FSU baseball doubleheader will be at 12 p.m. These will be two seven-inning games with a 30-minute break between games.

There is no broadcast (radio or livestream) of the baseball games, which are exhibition games and do not count on the teams’ 2025 season record.

Tickets for this historic “Fall Ball” event – the first time FSU’s baseball team has played in Pensacola – were completely sold in less than 12 hours when online purchase began August 1. The fast sellout included all party deck areas, as well as the Hancock-Whitney Club level, all completely sold in rapid time.

But fans without tickets have opportunity to attend a festive pregame party.

Outside the stadium on Saturday, the pregame event will feature food trucks from Sonny’s BBQ, Chick-fil-A and The Greek Food Truck, offering people a variety of food purchase and soft drink purchase options.

There will also be an alcoholic beverage area set up for purchase of those drinks among adults of legal age.

Cash will be accepted for all purchases outside the stadium. The LED video board will show Saturday’s ESPN College GameDay show which is broadcasting from Eugene, Oregon, site of the Top 5 football matchup between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Oregon on Saturday night.

The baseball exhibition twinbill is the first time Blue Wahoos Stadium has hosted two major colleges playing in October.

Auburn last played eight years ago at Blue Wahoos Stadium on March 4-6, 2016 at the former Cox Diamond Classic Invitational, which that year also featured Troy University, Southern Mississippi and Michigan State.

Tigers coach Butch Thompson begins his 10^th year at Auburn, his 23^rd season as a coach in the SEC. Thompson guided Auburn to College World Series appearances in 2019 – the school’s first in 22 years – then again in 2022.

The Tigers were 27-26 overall last season.

Florida State is coming off its dramatic turnaround in 2024 which included a 49-17 overall record, No. 4 final ranking, and advancement to the final four of the College World Series.

Seminoles coach Link Jarrett enters his third season. Jarrett, a Tallahassee native, has attained greatness as both player and now collegiate coach.

As a shortstop, he helped FSU reach the CWS three times in his four seasons from (1991-94), becoming a two-time national All-American while playing for legendary coach Mike Martin Sr. Jarrett still holds the NCAA record for career assists with 802.

He twice won national coach of year honors at Notre Dame before becoming the FSU coach. He also played five seasons in Minor League Baseball, reaching the Double-A level in the Colorado Rockies organization.

This year’s FSU team is led by pitcher Jamie Arnold, a junior lefthander, who played for Team USA in the summer and is projected as one of the top players for the 2025 Major League Baseball draft. The Seminoles also have four other players ranked among the Top 100 pro prospects for collegiate talent.

“I want our guys to leave here, walk into the professional world and feel prepared and that they can function,” said Jarrett, during his preseason press conference Sept. 23 in Tallahassee. “And we do talk about what it takes to transition into the world and then function when you are playing the game every single day.

“We play a lot (at FSU and collegiate baseball level), but when you get into the professional arena, it is (games) six days a week. And it’s for six months. And it is not easy.”

The talent level on both teams has attracted interest from MLB teams’ scouts with half of the league’s teams, as of Wednesday, sending representatives to Saturday’s doubleheader.

Both Auburn and FSU have Pensacola Catholic High graduates on their team’s roster.

Chris Rembert is freshman infielder for Auburn. He batted .506 last year as Catholic High senior with 10 doubles, 9 homers, 38 RBI. He hit a school record 21 homers in his prep career.

Auburn also has two players from Mobile, senior pitcher Parker Carlson from Faith Academy and freshman pitcher Connor Gatwood from Mobile-Baker High.

At FSU, junior infielder Carter McCulley is a transfer from Pensacola State College where the Catholic grad hit .302 last year with 12 homers and 43 RBI and was a second-team All-Panhandle Conference selection.

The Seminoles will follow Saturday’s game by hosting Alabama in their second Fall Ball game on Oct. 25 in Tallahassee. The NCAA permits teams to play twice against opposing teams in the fall without having the games count towards the spring season record.

“You have a chance to play two outside fall scrimmage games, those are exciting days,” Jarrett said. “There’s (also) a lot of intrasquad that goes on in the fall that’s very important to the program as well. The guys are excited.

“Just watching the preliminary drill work, I feel like the athleticism of the team is something that has stood out to me. The raw speed, the rangey-ness of the outfield and athleticism is very apparent.”

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: Pregame Fan Fest Event

WHEN: Saturday 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

WHERE: Outside Blue Wahoos Stadium at Community Maritime Park

ADMISSION: Free.

PARKING: Available at various prices near stadium and throughout downtown.

INFO: There will be food and beverages available for purchase, plus music and other activities. Cash will be permitted for purchases.

NOTE: The FSU vs. Auburn doubleheader that begins at noon is completely sold out.