FSU finally breaks through and picks up a win, but loses series to Hokies 1-2

Finally, blessedly, luckily Florida State (14-25, 5-16) scored more runs in a baseball game than their opponent, Virginia Tech (23-14, 10-10). FSU was led by James Tibbs 2-4 day with a home run, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. FSU pitchers weren’t the sharpest you’d like to see but they wriggled out of enough situations stranding 12 Hokies on the base paths. The win snaps FSU’s nine game losing streak.

FSU got on the board early with a two out single from McGwire Holbrook scoring Tibbs. Tibbs started off the game with a single and moved up on a Jamie Ferrer ground out. Tibbs got involved again in the third bringing home Colton Vincent with a monster shot to right field giving Florida State a 3-0 lead.

Just like they’ve done all weekend VT answered in the top of the fourth. Carson Montgomery started the inning out with a strike out walk and single but a fielder’s choice gave the junior a chance to get out of the inning unscathed. However, a walk loaded the bases and two singles knotted the game at three. Carson wasn’t great on the day but he wasn’t horrible. He gave up a bunch of base runners but got outs when he needed to, throwing four innings of three run ball.

The Seminoles continued to show fight despite all of their hardship this season and retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Nander DeSedas got on base with a one out single and moved to third on a passed ball and productive out by Titan Kamaka. Freshman DeAmez Ross brought him home with a RBI single and the ‘Noles took a 4-3 lead into the fifth.

Jamie Arnold collected the win giving FSU a good three innings without giving up a hit and walking just one Hokie and hitting another. Ben Barrett started the eighth by hitting a batter on the first pitch he threw and walking the next on four pitches. It seemed like it might be the same old for the Seminoles as Link Jarrett went to the pen for Doug Kirkland. Kirkland pitched well though, getting two strike outs and pop up to end the inning and then finishing the game off with a 1-2-3 ninth inning totaling four strike outs in six batters.

Saturday, April 22

Bats go cold as FSU drops series to VT

Conner Whittaker wasn’t terrible for FSU but he wasn’t great either. He gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits and four walks. However, he only gave up one extra base hit and struck out four in five innings of work. VT didn’t have any big innings but they scored a run in almost half of the innings they batted and consistently answered FSU’s scores. Drue Hackenberg pitched a complete game for the Hokies on 116 pitches and while he pitched well FSU batter’s insistence on seeing the least amount of pitches possible helped out too.

The Hokies picked up a run in the second off of three singles, the third of which was with two outs. The Seminoles answered with a run on three straight singles of their own, all with two outs. The next inning Tech picked up another run on an error by Nander DeSedas at short stop and a double. They stretched the lead to 3-1 with a couple of walks and a single in the fourth.

FSU got one back in the sixth on a James Tibbs single and Jaimie Ferrer double but VT answered with a double and single off of new pitcher Andrew Armstrong in the seventh. In the eighth Ferrer picked up his second double of the day and moved up to third with a passed ball but Cam Smith struck out and McGwire Holbrook grounded out to end the threat.

Florida State made the game interesting in the bottom of the ninth showing this team has not quit. DeSedas and Titan Kimaka both singled with Nander scoring on DeAmez Ross’s single making the score 4-3. Colton Vincent struck out and the runners moved up to second and third on a wild pitch with two outs to James Tibbs. Unfortunately Tibbs flied out to end the game and FSU’s losing streak continued.

Friday, April 21

‘Noles pitching is completely inept in loss to Hokies

Despite a glut of home runs FSU (13-24, 4-25) found a way to lose to VT (22-13, 9-9) 24-9. The Seminoles grabbed a big early lead but used a variety of shaky pitching and bad decisions to drop another game. FSU now has lost it’s last two games in which they hit three home runs in each.

Florida State wasted literally no time in grabbing the lead from Virginia Tech as James Tibbs took the first pitch in the bottom half of the first over the right field fence for a solo shot. Two batters later Cam Smith did the same to left field. Nander DeSedas did the same as Tibbs and early in the second FSU had a 3-0 lead. Smith’s home run was his fourth in the last three games. He wasn’t done there though. In the fourth Jaimie Ferrer led off the inning with a walk and Smith sent a no doubter to left center. Smith was expected to contend for freshman of the year in the ACC, if not the country, and fans are starting to see why. Cam Smith accounted for three of FSU’s five run to give the ‘Noles a 5-0 lead in the third.

Jackson Baumeister started off well for the Seminoles striking out six in the first three innings despite two walks. In the bottom of the fourth Baumeister gave up a single to start the inning and then a dying single that might have been catchable but Tibbs took a bad route to the ball and it fell in and bounced past him scoring a run and leaving a runner on second with no outs.

From there Baumeister completely lost control walking two batters and loading the bases after a fly out. An infield single to a diving Nander DeSedas scored a run and a bases clearing triple past a diving DeAmez Ross tied the game at five. Baumeister bounced back for his seventh strike out of the game and a line out at first to end the frame but walks and poor fielding ceded FSU’s lead.

Baumeister proved he was back on track in the fifth sandwiching a couple of strike outs between a nice play by Smith at third. Smith fielded a swinging bunt with his bare hand and fired a strike to first to get the ground out. That was about as far as Baumeister would go as his day ended after a walk to start the sixth. Baumeister once again showed glimpses of being a very good pitcher while still reminding fans that he’s still just a sophomore. The nine Ks in five innings is great but the five walks and five runs is less so.

Andrew Armstrong would come in and get a strike out before giving up two singles giving VT the lead 6-5. A stolen base and another single stretched the lead to 8-5. A walk to put two runners on would end the game for Armstrong and bring in Brennen Oxford. When it rains it pours. A weak line drive landed in front of second base and slipped up a DeSedas’s glove as he didn’t get the high hop he expected and another run would score. Oxford got a strike out to end the inning but the second big inning by VT left FSU down 9-5.

Oxford would start the next inning with a strike out but two singles and a home run left the ‘Noles down 12-5. Oxford would get a strike out and a fly out to himself to end the frame and handing the game to Ryan Dennison. Two errors and a walk loaded the bases in the eighth inning and a fielders choice and home run would score four more for the Hokies giving them a 16-5 lead.

The Seminoles would use a series of walks and singles to pick up four more in the eighth but the difference was too much to match and FSU fell to VT. The ‘Noles did empty the bench and gave younger and less used pitchers a shot but none of them looked like they were ready to play and Tech score another eight runs in the ninth.

Up Next: FSU hosts Stetson before traveling to Notre Dame for the weekend.