13-Run Second Inning Powers Run-Rule Win
TALLAHASSEE – The No. 20 Florida State baseball team scored 13 runs in the second inning on its way to a 22-5 win in seven innings over Mercer on Wednesday night at Dick Howser Stadium.
FSU’s 13 runs are tied for sixth-most in a single inning in school history and the most since scoring 15 on March 4, 2007, in the seventh inning of a 22-3 win over Siena College.
The Seminoles (10-2) won their sixth in a row and second in as many days to wrap up their only two-game midweek of the season. FSU concludes a stretch of five games in five days, with another three coming up this weekend after a Thursday off day to conclude a nine-game homestand. Wednesday’s game was the Seminoles’ third run-rule contest of the season as they improved to 8-0 overall at home.
Florida State hands the Bears (11-2) just their second loss of the season after the visitors took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. FSU answered with 13 in the second, added four in the fourth and five in the fifth. MU scored one in the sixth and three in the seventh.
Freshman third baseman Will Bavaro made his first career start and hit a three-run home run to cap the second inning. It was his first career hit and RBI after he entered the contest with one collegiate at-bat. Bavaro had two hits, three RBI and three runs scored in the win. Sophomore right fielder Noah Sheffield also hit his first career home run in the fourth inning, a three-run shot as part of a four-RBI, two-run day. At the top of the order, freshman left fielder John Stuetzer had two hits, three RBI and three runs scored.
As the Seminoles scored 22 runs on 13 hits, 10 players recorded at least one hit and seven had at least one RBI, with five driving in at least two runs.
Meanwhile, the FSU pitching staff held the Bears to five runs on 11 hits. Junior left-hander Cooper Whited made his first start as a Seminole and earned the win to improve to 1-0. In 3.0 innings, he allowed one run on five hits with two strikeouts and no walks.
In the all-time series, the Seminoles snap a two-game losing streak against the Bears and improve to 69-11 overall and 58-6 at home.
Mercer took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a two-out RBI double. Whited got a lineout to end the inning and leave two on. He struck out one in the second to strand a runner on second, setting up FSU’s 13-run bottom half.
Florida State’s 13 runs in the second inning came on four hits, with one error, four walks and four hit batters. A sac fly scored the first run and a bases-loaded walk gave FSU a 2-1 lead. Stuetzer’s two-RBI double made it 4-1, and a hit batter loaded the bases. Two more hit batters followed to score a pair of runs, and a fielding error brought in another to make it 7-1.
Consecutive singles both scored a run and put two on for Bavaro, who homered to left field. The three-run shot made it 13-1 to punctuate the inning.
Whited pitched a scoreless third and junior right-hander Cole Stokes fired a shutout fourth and did the same in the fifth, with a fielder’s choice groundout to strand the bases loaded.
The Seminoles added four runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 17-1. Stuetzer singled in the first run and Sheffield followed with his first home run. While bringing in three runs, Sheffield’s blast went to left and hit off the scoreboard.
Florida State scored five more in the fifth to extend the advantage to 22-1. With the bases loaded and no outs, Stuetzer reached on a fielding error to score the opening run, and Sheffield’s sacrifice fly scored the next. Then it was an RBI double by senior second baseman Carter McCulley and a two-run single from freshman designated hitter Kelvyn Paulino Jr.
A home run in the sixth got a run back for Mercer, and the Bears scored three in the seventh before the final out was recorded to secure the 22-5 win.
Florida State wraps up a nine-game homestand with a weekend series against Northern Kentucky from March 6-8. The series begins on Friday at 6 p.m. ET, with game two set for Saturday at 2 p.m. Sunday’s finale is at 1 p.m. Tickets are available at Seminoles.com/Tickets.
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).
FSU’s 13 runs are tied for sixth-most in a single inning in school history and the most since scoring 15 on March 4, 2007, in the seventh inning of a 22-3 win over Siena College.
The Seminoles (10-2) won their sixth in a row and second in as many days to wrap up their only two-game midweek of the season. FSU concludes a stretch of five games in five days, with another three coming up this weekend after a Thursday off day to conclude a nine-game homestand. Wednesday’s game was the Seminoles’ third run-rule contest of the season as they improved to 8-0 overall at home.
Florida State hands the Bears (11-2) just their second loss of the season after the visitors took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. FSU answered with 13 in the second, added four in the fourth and five in the fifth. MU scored one in the sixth and three in the seventh.
Freshman third baseman Will Bavaro made his first career start and hit a three-run home run to cap the second inning. It was his first career hit and RBI after he entered the contest with one collegiate at-bat. Bavaro had two hits, three RBI and three runs scored in the win. Sophomore right fielder Noah Sheffield also hit his first career home run in the fourth inning, a three-run shot as part of a four-RBI, two-run day. At the top of the order, freshman left fielder John Stuetzer had two hits, three RBI and three runs scored.
As the Seminoles scored 22 runs on 13 hits, 10 players recorded at least one hit and seven had at least one RBI, with five driving in at least two runs.
Meanwhile, the FSU pitching staff held the Bears to five runs on 11 hits. Junior left-hander Cooper Whited made his first start as a Seminole and earned the win to improve to 1-0. In 3.0 innings, he allowed one run on five hits with two strikeouts and no walks.
In the all-time series, the Seminoles snap a two-game losing streak against the Bears and improve to 69-11 overall and 58-6 at home.
Mercer took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a two-out RBI double. Whited got a lineout to end the inning and leave two on. He struck out one in the second to strand a runner on second, setting up FSU’s 13-run bottom half.
Florida State’s 13 runs in the second inning came on four hits, with one error, four walks and four hit batters. A sac fly scored the first run and a bases-loaded walk gave FSU a 2-1 lead. Stuetzer’s two-RBI double made it 4-1, and a hit batter loaded the bases. Two more hit batters followed to score a pair of runs, and a fielding error brought in another to make it 7-1.
Consecutive singles both scored a run and put two on for Bavaro, who homered to left field. The three-run shot made it 13-1 to punctuate the inning.
Whited pitched a scoreless third and junior right-hander Cole Stokes fired a shutout fourth and did the same in the fifth, with a fielder’s choice groundout to strand the bases loaded.
The Seminoles added four runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 17-1. Stuetzer singled in the first run and Sheffield followed with his first home run. While bringing in three runs, Sheffield’s blast went to left and hit off the scoreboard.
Florida State scored five more in the fifth to extend the advantage to 22-1. With the bases loaded and no outs, Stuetzer reached on a fielding error to score the opening run, and Sheffield’s sacrifice fly scored the next. Then it was an RBI double by senior second baseman Carter McCulley and a two-run single from freshman designated hitter Kelvyn Paulino Jr.
A home run in the sixth got a run back for Mercer, and the Bears scored three in the seventh before the final out was recorded to secure the 22-5 win.
Florida State wraps up a nine-game homestand with a weekend series against Northern Kentucky from March 6-8. The series begins on Friday at 6 p.m. ET, with game two set for Saturday at 2 p.m. Sunday’s finale is at 1 p.m. Tickets are available at Seminoles.com/Tickets.
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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