TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Despite dropping a wild Sunday finale 16-12 that saw a combined 28 runs and 28 hits, Florida State claimed its third straight series victory this weekend against Wake Forest. The Seminoles (28-15, 14-10 ACC) got home runs from Reese Albert and Robby Martin Sunday, while the Demon Deacons (26-19, 12-12) used a grand slam and two bases-loaded doubles to secure the win. Martin had a game-high four hits.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| WF | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 12 | 1 |
| FSU | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 16 | 2 |
FSU scored in five straight innings, and seven of nine, but Wake Forest scored four runs in the third, sixth and seventh innings and added three crucial runs in the ninth. Bobby Seymour and Shane Muntz, Wake’s four and five hitters, had 11 combined RBI in the contest.
The Noles struck first against Ryan Cusick, with Nico Baldor doubling to right-center field and scoring on Mat Nelson’s RBI single.
Wake Forest answered in the third on Muntz’s first career grand slam. The Demon Deacons loaded the bases on a single, a walk and an intentional walk before Muntz’s two-out home run. Starting pitcher Conor Grady (6-4) lasted three innings, allowing four runs on four hits and striking out one.
Albert hit his fourth home run of the season in the third inning. Since returning from an injury last Thursday against Virginia, Albert is hitting .387 with seven RBI and 10 runs scored.
Shane Drohan relieved Grady in the fourth, giving up an infield single and three walks in two-thirds of an inning. Down 5-2, Antonio Velez came in with the bases loaded and got Chris Lanzilli to fly out to the warning track to end the inning.
Cusick allowed a Cooper Swanson single and walked Nander De Sedas before Mike Salvatore brought in Swanson on an error by third baseman Jake Mueller. That ended Cusick’s day, turning the mound over to Bobby Hearn. Hearn hit Albert with a pitch to load the bases, but Drew Mendoza popped up as FSU stranded three.
Martin hit his third home run of the season, and second of the weekend, to lead off the fifth inning and cut the deficit to 5-4. The Noles scored in four straight innings from the second through fifth innings.
Both teams put up four spots in the sixth inning, maintaining Wake Forest’s one-run lead. The Demon Deacons faced three FSU pitchers in the inning. Velez left after a walk and a fielding error; Seymour hit a bases loaded double to score three runs and Michael Ludowig tripled to score Seymour against Chase Haney; and Tyler Ahearn struck out Logan Harvey to end the inning with FSU down 9-4.
FSU hit around in the bottom of the inning, with an RBI single from Mendoza; a two-run single from Baldor and an RBI single from pinch-hitter Alec Sanchez that cut the lead to 9-8. The Demon Deacons also used three pitchers in the inning. Antonio Menendez (6-1) did not allow a run in 1.2 innings pitched to earn the win.
Wake Forest iced the game in the seventh, scoring four more runs on another three-run double from Seymour and an RBI single from Muntz. Those two combined for 11 runs batted in Sunday.
Sanchez added a two-run single against William Fleming in the eighth, and Nelson hit a double to make the score 13-11 through eight innings, but the Noles could not get closer. Wake Forest scored three runs in the ninth, and Salvatore doubled and scored FSU’s final run in the 16-12 game.
UP NEXT
Florida State will take the week off for final exams, next playing this Friday against Pitt (14-28, 4-17 ACC). The Panthers are led by former Florida State pitcher and associate head coach Mike Bell.
Friday and Sunday’s games will stream on ACC Network Extra. Saturday’s game will air nationally on regional sports networks. Check Seminoles.com for local listings.
For more information on Florida State baseball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, or keep up with the team on social media through Twitter (@FSUBaseball), Facebook (/FSUBaseball), and Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
