TALLAHASSEE, Florida – Making his first career start, Wyatt Crowell struck out a career-high 10 batters over 6.0 innings as Florida State (11-3, 2-0 ACC) clinched its series with Pitt (7-8, 0-2) with a 5-3 win Saturday in front of a sell-out crowd of 6,300 at Dick Howser Stadium.
Crowell (3-0) allowed three hits in six shutout innings, lowering his season ERA to 0.87. His 10 strikeouts are the most for a Seminole this season, and the junior became the fourth Nole to earn his first career start on the mound this season, joining freshmen Ben Barrett and Jamie Arnold and junior David Barrett.
After retiring Buster Posey’s jersey in a pregame ceremony – just the fourth in program history – the Seminoles raced out to a 4-0 lead after an inning of work. Titan Kamaka and James Tibbs III walked, followed by a Jaime Ferrer RBI single; a Jordan Carrion RBI double; and a two-run Cam Smith single. Pitt starter Kyle Mosley (0-2) allowed just two more hits and no more runs over 5.1 innings.
The Panthers best opportunity against Crowell came in the fourth inning, when they had the bases loaded and no outs after a pair of walks and a base hit. Crowell responded by striking out the next two hitters looking and forcing a dribbler to the mound, retiring the runner at the plate and escaping with the shutout in tact.
Pitt got on the board with a pair of runs against the FSU bullpen in the seventh inning, but freshman Jamie Arnold left the bases loaded with a strikeout to maintain the 4-2 advantage. The Noles answered with an unearned run on a throwing error in the bottom of the inning.
The Panthers scored a run and loaded the bases in the ninth inning, but Andrew Armstrong earned his second career save by striking out the final batter of the game.
SCORING SUMMARY:
B1 | Pitt 0, FSU 1 Ferrer singled, Kamaka scored
B1 | Pitt 0, FSU 2 Carrion doubled, Tibbs scored
B1 | Pitt 0, FSU 4 Smith singled, Ferrer & Carrion scored
T7 | Pitt 1, FSU 4 Melendez home run
T7 | Pitt 2, FSU 4 Hess walked, Duff scored
B7 | Pitt 2, FSU 5 Kamaka struck out, reached on passed ball; De Sedas scored on throwing error by c
T9 | Pitt 3, FSU 5 Hess singled, Funk scored
UP NEXT:
The series finale between the Seminoles and Panthers is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Sunday on ACCNX.
OF NOTE:
- Junior Wyatt Crowell made his first career on the mound, in his 46th pitching appearance. He pitched 6.0 innings and struck out 10 batters, both career-highs. He is the first Seminole with a double-digit strikeout game this season, and his ERA dropped to 0.87 for the year.
- Freshman Jamie Arnold tied his career high with five strikeouts in 2.0 innings. Andrew Armstrong earned his second career save.
- James Tibbs III walked in his first plate appearance and has reached safely in 56 of his 59 career starts. He leads FSU 16 walks, including five this weekend against Pitt.
- Jordan Carrion doubled in the first inning and is tied with Colton Vincent for the team lead, with seven. Carrion and Cam Smith each had two of FSU’s seven hits, and Carrion leads FSU with 22 hits on the season.
- Freshman Titan Kamaka earned his second career start (and first as DH). He walked and scored a run in the first inning.
- Nander De Sedas singled and stole his team-high fourth base of the year. His four stolen bases are a career high.
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 and TikTok (@NoleBaseball).
