TALLAHASSEE, Fl. — No. 3 Texas Tech (11-1) completed its two-game sweep of No. 14 Florida State (8-3) Sunday afternoon with a 4-3 win in front of 4,279 fans at Dick Howser Stadium. The Red Raiders scored a run in the seventh and eighth innings after Elijah Cabell gave the Noles a 3-2 lead in the fifth on a home run.
Despite having just two hits in the game, the Noles had at least one runner on base in each of the first eight innings. Both hits came in the fifth inning when Tyler Martin singled, Mat Nelson was hit by a pitch and Cabell hit his fourth home run of the season to give FSU a 3-2 lead.
Cole Stilwell hit a solo home run in the second inning off Conor Grady to get the scoring started for the Red Raiders. Tech added a second run in the inning when Cody Masters scored on a groundout by Cal Conley.
Florida State used six pitchers out of the bullpen – Antonio Velez (2.2 IP), Davis Hare (1.2 IP), Jonah Scolaro (0.1 IP), Chase Haney (0.1 IP), Clayton Kwiatkowski (0.2 IP) and Doug Kirkland (0.1 IP).
Conley tied the game for the Red Raiders in the seventh on a solo home run off Hare (0-1), his third of the season. Texas Tech took the lead in the eighth inning when Brian Klein doubled, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly from Masters.
Austin Becker allowed two hits and three runs in 4.1 innings, leaving the game after Cabell’s home run. Relievers Jakob Brustoski, Ryan Sublette (1-0) and Andrew Devine (save) combined to allow just two walks in 4.2 innings pitched to close out the game.
NOTEWORTHY
- Junior college transfer and Tallahassee native Logan Lacey made his first start as a Seminole Sunday. The rightfielder doubled off a runner at first base in the fourth inning, FSU’s first outfield assist of the year.
- Elijah Cabell was hit by a pitch in the first inning, his 13th HBP of the year. He has been hit by a pitch in 9 of the past 10 games and has matched his freshman year total of 13 in just 11 games (played 58 games as a freshman).
- Cabell also hit his fourth home run of the season to give FSU a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning. Three of Cabell’s home runs in 2020 have been three-run blasts; his fourth was a grand slam. As a freshman, six of Cabell’s seven home runs were solo or two-run shots.
- Shortstop Nander De Sedas and designated hitter Robby Martin each set a career high with three walks. The two combined for all six of FSU’s walks Sunday.
- Mat Nelson was hit by a pitch twice, the fourth time in his career he has been plunked multiple times in a game. He has reached base in 23 consecutive games.
- Chase Haney made his third appearance of the weekend and eighth of the season. His 103 appearances are eighth in FSU history; he is seventh in relief appearances (all 103).
- Texas Tech attempted to steal home with two outs in the ninth inning. Pitcher Doug Kirkland threw out Dru Baker at the plate, FSU’s first caught stealing of the season.
UP NEXT
Florida State heads to Mercer (11-0) at 6 p.m. Tuesday for the first road game of the season. FSU is 63-8 all-time against the Bears, including a three-game sweep in Tallahassee in 2019. FSU is 11-4 at Mercer but has not played in Macon since the 1997 season.
