No. 7 Florida State was able to take down North Carolina in extra innings Friday night, fueled by a three-run 10th inning, giving the ’Noles a 6-3 victory. After giving up 16 runs in Game 1 of today’s double header, the Seminoles were able to improve their pitching, while still finding ways to attack UNC’s pitchers.

Three Up:

• LHP Drew Parrish took the mound for FSU to start the game, and he gave his all. He threw 122 pitches over 6.1 innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs against the 29 batters he faced, while also racking up nine strikeouts. While the sophomore issued five walks, he put in an impressive performance that took some of the load off the bullpen, something head coach Mike Martin surely appreciated in today’s double header.
• Two productive innings provided all the offense that Florida State needed for tonight’s game. Second baseman Nick Derr drove in his team’s first run off of a sacrifice fly, and two singles from first baseman Rhett Aplin and catcher Cal Raleigh gave the Seminoles two more runs and a 3-2 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. After UNC tied the game up in the bottom of the ninth, the ‘Noles responded by putting together another three-run inning in the top of the tenth that would secure them a victory, thanks to a clutch 2-run single from shortstop Mike Salvatore and a sacrifice fly from left fielder Jackson Lueck.
• Lueck’s resurgent performance in tonight’s game undoubtedly helped the ’Noles tonight. Going 3 for 4 with a run and an RBI, the junior provided much-needed offense in a pitcher’s duel.

Three Down:

• After trailing for much of the first game of today’s double-header, the Seminoles had a chance to take an early lead on the Tar Heels in the second inning of Game 2 after Mike Salvatore walked to load the bases for Florida State. However, even with a 3-1 count to Derr, one of FSU’s hottest hitters, UNC catcher, Brandon Martorano, picked off Salvatore, preventing the ’Noles from potentially picking up early runs. Sloppy base-running continued in the eighth inning, and the tenth inning, where Reese Albert was thrown out trying to steal third base, and Salvatore was caught trying to steal second base, respectively.
• Despite finding success at the plate with twelve hits, the Seminoles struggled to consistently put the ball in play, as they struck out 16 times. Paired with the ten strikeouts from Game 1, FSU combined for 26 strikeouts on the day, something the team needs to improve upon come Sunday.
• Even with Salvatore’s late game heroics and both the defense and the bullpen’s impressive performances, the Seminoles still left 11 runners on base, an issue that has persisted all season long. While Florida State was able to earn a victory tonight, leaving runners on base is something that can come back to haunt a team, especially in a game with multiple innings where 2 runners were left on base.

Going forward, the Seminoles will look to finish the series with a victory against the Tar Heels on Sunday in Chapel Hill.