TALLAHASSEE, Florida – Clemson evened its weekend series against Florida State Friday, beating the Seminoles 8-1 at Dick Howser Stadium.
Starting pitcher Conner Whittaker was tagged with the loss despite a career-high 7.1 innings pitched, the most for a Seminole this season. Whittaker allowed eight hits – all singles – and struck out four batters.
The Sarasota native made 98 pitches, a career-high, in the longest outing by a Seminole this season. He also didn’t concede any extra base hits in his outing and forced two double plays.
Clemson took the lead off an RBI single in the fourth and put together a series of singles and sacrifice plays to add onto their lead in the sixth. The final two innings saw them pull away further, ending the scoring with a solo home run in the ninth.
Florida State had six hits on the night, three coming in the final inning when James Tibbs III singled and scored on Ben Barrett’s single up the middle. Tibbs III accounted for a single in the first and final inning with two hits in the game. Cam Smith hit a leadoff double off the right field fence for FSU’s lone extra base hit.
SCORING SUMMARY:
T4 | CU 1, FSU 0 Wright singled, Ingle scored
T6 | CU 2, FSU 0 Wright singled, Taylor scored
T6 | CU 4, FSU 0 Bertram sacrifice bunt, Grice & Wright scored
T8 | CU 5, FSU 0 Grice doubled, Taylor scored
T8 | CU 6, FSU 0 Wright singled, Grice scored
T8 | CU 7, FSU 0 Wright scored on a wild pitch
T9 | CU 8, FSU 0 Cannarella home run
B9 | CU 8, FSU 1 B. Barrett singled, Tibbs scored
UP NEXT:
Saturday’s series finale will begin at 11:00 am on ACCNX.
OF NOTE:
- The start of the game was delayed two hours due to lightning.
- Pitcher Conner Whittaker threw a career-high 7.1 innings, topping Jackson Baumeister’s 7.0 IP Thursday performance for longest outing this season. The last time FSU had back-to-back seven-inning outings from a starter was in March 2022, when Carson Montgomery (vs. UCF), Parker Messick (vs. Duke) and Bryce Hubbart (vs. Duke) all threw 7.0 innings.
- Jordan Carrion and Cam Smith extended their hitting streaks to four games; McGwire Holbrook extended his hitting streak to three games, a season high.
- Smith hit his fifth double of the season, most among FSU’s freshmen. He has 12 total extra-base hits – five doubles, two triples and five home runs.
- Florida State turned two double plays Friday and have 27 for the season. The Noles have turned multiple double plays eight times this year, including a season-high four at Miami.
- DeAmez Ross retired a runner at the plate in the eighth inning, the first outfield assist of his career and sixth for FSU this year.
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 and Facebook (@FSUBaseball) & Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
