Florida State baseball drops game to bitter rival Florida

It was just one of those nights when a team was on the verge of breaking it open but just couldn't pull it together; it's baseball. And on Tuesday night, that team was Florida State.

In a game where the Noles out hit the Gators, they struggled to bring the runs across the plate as they drop their first meeting against their rivals, 3-1, Tuesday night, putting an end to a six-game win streak.

Peter Miller gave Florida State all they could have hoped for as he threw 5.1 innings allowing just two runs on three hits and striking out five batters. And the solo home run MIller gave up to Josh Tobias in the bottom of the third inning marked the only time a runner saw third base through the first five innings.

It was just one of those nights.

Jose Brizuela, who went 3-for-4 from the plate, was solely responsible for Florida State's lone run of the game after sending a solo shot of his own over the right field fence to then tie the game, 1-1. But the Gators would regain the lead in the bottom of that inning as they tallied two more runs on their way to the win.

For a team in Florida State that is top-five in the nation when it comes to drawing walks, the Gators pitching staff did a nice job Tuesday night as their three combined arms only issued one walk, forcing the Noles to find opportunistic hits. But they never came.

Florida State had a golden opportunity, though, in the third inning after loading the bases with no outs, but a pop out, strikeout and a ground out would end the Noles' threat.

DJ Stewart and Danny De La Calle would both finish their nights with a pair of hits, but it just wouldn't be enough.

Bryant Holtmann came in to pitch an inning for the Noles in relief of Miller allowing one run on two hits. Holtmann's first delivery would give the Gators the lead in the sixth inning -- a run credited to Miller.

Gage Smith would soon follow as he went on to throw two scoreless innings during his 15th appearance in only 19 games this season.

In the end, though, the Noles would only muster one run on their nine hits, while the opposing Gators would bring across three runs on just six hits.

That's baseball.

Florida State has a weekend series at Clemson beginning Friday night at 6:30 p.m. and the game will be carried on ESPN3.