Seminoles win fourth straight, outlast Jacksonville

The Florida State Seminoles (19-28, 6-18) are now winners of four straight for the second time this year after beating the Jacksonville Dolphins (29-19, 13-11) 6-4. The ‘Noles recorded 13 hits on the day with four doubles and a home run and were led by DeAmez Ross and Jaimie Ferrer, both with three hits.

Ross got things started connecting on the second pitch of the game and sending it over the left field fence giving FSU a 1-0 lead. The lead was not long-lived as the Dolphins had a two-run homer themselves after an error to start the inning. Outside of the one home run, Jaime Arnold pitched well. He gave up just one hit and an earned run, striking out two over 3.1 innings.

FSU would tie up the game in the fifth with Ross starting the inning with a single and moving up on a James Tibbs walk. He would come around one batter later when Cam Smith doubled to left field. Unfortunately, the ‘Noles could not take any more advantage and struck out twice with runners at second and third.

Ben Barrett took over for Arnold in the fourth and pitched a solid 2.2 innings (three hits, three strikeouts, no walks). In the seventh Jacksonville started the inning and moved up 60 feet on a wild pitch during a sac bunt attempt. Doug Kirkland came on and did surrender a run on a sac fly but also struck out three in three innings of work and gave up just one hit.

The Seminoles used a bit of two-out magic with a Tibbs walk, Smith single, and Treyton Rank double to left field tying the game. Smith would score one batter later on a wild pitch giving FSU a 4-3 lead. The very next batter was a Jacksonville home run once again tying the game, this time at four.

Despite the struggles this team has seen they haven’t given up and they didn’t give up on this night either. Colton Vincent got on base to start the inning by way of an error and moved up to second on Connor Moore’s sac bunt. After Jordan Carrion flew out to center Ross once again came up big. Ross sliced a bloop single over the shortstop giving FSU the lead and then padded it when Jaimie Ferrer’s fly-out was lost in the lights in right field. Kirkland pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure the game for Florida State.

As a group, the FSU pitching staff kept Jacksonville largely at bay with only five hits recorded. Two of those five hits were home runs and another was a double. While most of the hits were extra bases Seminole pitchers only walked two batters and hit none limiting the damage that could be done on those extra-base hits.

Up Next: Florida State has a very big test, hosting the No. 1 Demon Deacons for its last home weekend series.