Florida State University Athletics
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Two eighth-inning runs propelled the No. 2 Florida State baseball team to a 5-4, comeback win over No. 4 North Carolina in the regular-season finale on Saturday afternoon at Dick Howser Stadium.
With the win, FSU earns the No. 2 seed in next week’s ACC Baseball Championship and secured a double bye in the single-elimination, 16-team event. Florida State will open play in the quarterfinal on Friday, May 23, at 3 p.m. ET. The championship is set for May 20-25 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, North Carolina.
The Seminoles (37-13, 17-10 ACC) are ACC runners-up and the No. 2 seed for the first time since 2014.
Freshman first baseman Myles Bailey drove in the winning run on Saturday afternoon with a two-out single in the eighth inning. The go-ahead base hit came right after junior center fielder Max Williams singled in the tying run. That followed the Tar Heels (39-12, 18-11 ACC) taking their first lead of the game with a solo home run in the top of the inning.
Bailey had a team-best four RBI on two hits in the game, with a three-run home run in the first inning to go along with his eighth-inning run-scoring single. Williams had three hits and an RBI to lead the team. Junior shortstop Alex Lodise also scored two runs, walked twice and had a hit to extend his reached-base streak to 15 consecutive games. He also started two inning-ending double plays and was in the middle of another to aid FSU’s defensive efforts.
On the mound, sophomore right-hander John Abraham got the win to improve to 4-0. He pitched the final 1.1 innings and did not allow a hit with three strikeouts and a walk. Sophomore left-handed starter Wes Mendes held UNC to two runs on four hits with three strikeouts and four walks in 6.1 innings.
Florida State scored its five runs on 10 hits and North Carolina scored four runs on seven hits. Both teams committed one error. FSU led 3-0 in the first inning and it was 3-1 after two until UNC tied it in the seventh and took its first lead in the eighth.
In a 3-3 ballgame, a two-out home run in the top of the eighth inning gave Carolina a 4-3 lead. Abraham then entered the game and got a groundout to end the inning and leave a runner on second.
In the bottom of the eighth, redshirt freshman designated hitter James Hankerson Jr. led off the inning with a single through the right side. A sacrifice bunt moved freshman pinch runner BJ Gibson to second, and a groundout sent him to third. With two outs, Lodise was intentionally walked to put runners on the corners with Williams coming up. On a 1-0 pitch, Williams roped a liner to right to easily score Gibson and send Lodise, the go-ahead run, to third. Up stepped Bailey, who singled up the middle on a 3-1 pitch. Lodise scored to give the Seminoles the lead again.
Abraham sealed the win in the ninth with three swinging strikeouts. The last two came after a walk, as UNC left the tying run on first.
Florida State took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on Bailey’s home run to right. The three-run shot with one out scored Lodise, who doubled, and Williams, who singled. It was his 12th homer of his freshman campaign.
North Carolina answered with a run to make it 3-1 in the second, but with two on and one out, a 6-4-3 double play ended the inning and kept FSU’s two-run lead.
Mendes retired the side in order in the third, just as he did in the first. A strikeout ended the fourth to leave a runner on third, and another 6-4-3 double play ended the fifth. The Seminoles loaded the bases in the fifth with two outs, but a groundout halted the threat.
Another double play helped Mendes complete the sixth, this time of the 4-6-3 variety. The Tar Heels tied the game at 3-3 in the seventh on a two-run home run after Mendes exited the game with a runner on. FSU loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but a strikeout ended the inning.
That set up the dramatic eighth inning and the game-ending ninth.
Florida State will head to Durham, North Carolina, to begin its postseason run.
For more information on Florida State baseball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, and keep up with the team on social media through Twitter/X and Facebook (@FSUBaseball) & Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
With the win, FSU earns the No. 2 seed in next week’s ACC Baseball Championship and secured a double bye in the single-elimination, 16-team event. Florida State will open play in the quarterfinal on Friday, May 23, at 3 p.m. ET. The championship is set for May 20-25 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, North Carolina.
The Seminoles (37-13, 17-10 ACC) are ACC runners-up and the No. 2 seed for the first time since 2014.
Freshman first baseman Myles Bailey drove in the winning run on Saturday afternoon with a two-out single in the eighth inning. The go-ahead base hit came right after junior center fielder Max Williams singled in the tying run. That followed the Tar Heels (39-12, 18-11 ACC) taking their first lead of the game with a solo home run in the top of the inning.
Bailey had a team-best four RBI on two hits in the game, with a three-run home run in the first inning to go along with his eighth-inning run-scoring single. Williams had three hits and an RBI to lead the team. Junior shortstop Alex Lodise also scored two runs, walked twice and had a hit to extend his reached-base streak to 15 consecutive games. He also started two inning-ending double plays and was in the middle of another to aid FSU’s defensive efforts.
On the mound, sophomore right-hander John Abraham got the win to improve to 4-0. He pitched the final 1.1 innings and did not allow a hit with three strikeouts and a walk. Sophomore left-handed starter Wes Mendes held UNC to two runs on four hits with three strikeouts and four walks in 6.1 innings.
Florida State scored its five runs on 10 hits and North Carolina scored four runs on seven hits. Both teams committed one error. FSU led 3-0 in the first inning and it was 3-1 after two until UNC tied it in the seventh and took its first lead in the eighth.
In a 3-3 ballgame, a two-out home run in the top of the eighth inning gave Carolina a 4-3 lead. Abraham then entered the game and got a groundout to end the inning and leave a runner on second.
In the bottom of the eighth, redshirt freshman designated hitter James Hankerson Jr. led off the inning with a single through the right side. A sacrifice bunt moved freshman pinch runner BJ Gibson to second, and a groundout sent him to third. With two outs, Lodise was intentionally walked to put runners on the corners with Williams coming up. On a 1-0 pitch, Williams roped a liner to right to easily score Gibson and send Lodise, the go-ahead run, to third. Up stepped Bailey, who singled up the middle on a 3-1 pitch. Lodise scored to give the Seminoles the lead again.
Abraham sealed the win in the ninth with three swinging strikeouts. The last two came after a walk, as UNC left the tying run on first.
Florida State took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on Bailey’s home run to right. The three-run shot with one out scored Lodise, who doubled, and Williams, who singled. It was his 12th homer of his freshman campaign.
North Carolina answered with a run to make it 3-1 in the second, but with two on and one out, a 6-4-3 double play ended the inning and kept FSU’s two-run lead.
Mendes retired the side in order in the third, just as he did in the first. A strikeout ended the fourth to leave a runner on third, and another 6-4-3 double play ended the fifth. The Seminoles loaded the bases in the fifth with two outs, but a groundout halted the threat.
Another double play helped Mendes complete the sixth, this time of the 4-6-3 variety. The Tar Heels tied the game at 3-3 in the seventh on a two-run home run after Mendes exited the game with a runner on. FSU loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but a strikeout ended the inning.
That set up the dramatic eighth inning and the game-ending ninth.
Florida State will head to Durham, North Carolina, to begin its postseason run.
For more information on Florida State baseball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, and keep up with the team on social media through Twitter/X and Facebook (@FSUBaseball) & Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
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