TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Behind a third straight dominant outing by starting pitcher Drew Parrish, Florida State (27-14, 13-9 ACC) topped Wake Forest (25-18, 11-11) 13-2 Friday evening at Dick Howser Stadium. In front of 3,840 fans, Parrish (6-3) struck out 10 batters in seven innings, giving up just three hits and a walk. Over his last three games, Parrish has not allowed an earned run in 21 innings.
The Seminole bats came to play as well Friday, scoring eight runs in the fifth and sixth innings, with Robby Martin hitting his second home run of the year and J.C. Flowers adding three hits and two RBI. Martin and Elijah Cabell also had a pair of runs batted in. FSU iced the game with four runs in the eighth.
The Noles struck first against Wake Forest starter Colin Peluse (3-6), taking a 1-0 lead in the third inning. With two outs, FSU loaded the bases and Nico Baldor battled from an 0-2 hole, eventually getting hit by a pitch to score Drew Mendoza.
Florida State added three runs in the fifth inning to end Peluse’s 11th start of the year. Mendoza earned his second walk of the game and Martin made it a 3-0 game with his second home run of the year, a shot to right-centerfield on the eighth pitch of the at-bat. Peluse allowed back-to-back singles to Flowers and Baldor, the latter including an error in center to allow Flowers to score.
Down 4-0, Wake Forest went to the bullpen for Morgan McSweeney with a runner on first and no outs in the fifth inning. McSweeney struck out two batters to get out of the inning without further damage.
FSU batted around in the sixth inning, scoring five runs on two hits, two walks, a hit by pitch and a Wake Forest error. Flowers and Cabell had two-run singles in the inning off Shane Muntz.
Parrish continued to dominate in the late innings, retiring his final 11 batters faced. The junior threw just 98 pitches and lowered his earned run average to 3.99. Before his current run of 21 innings without an earned run, Parrish’s ERA was at 6.21.
Clayton Kwiatkowski relieved Parrish to start the eighth, allowing two runs (one earned) on a hit and two FSU errors. Chase Haney notched the final out of the eighth to keep the score 9-2 Seminoles.
Cooper Swanson, who entered in the field in the top of the inning, hit a towering home run over the left field scoreboard. Swanson has seven home runs on the season after hitting just two as a freshman. FSU added the final two runs on a groundout and the first career double for McGuire Weaver.
The Noles allowed just two runs and five hits to the Demon Deacons Friday. Wake Forest entered the game 10th nationally in runs and 12th in hits.
OF NOTE
- Parrish extended his streak without allowing an earned run to 21 innings after allowing just three hits and a walk while striking out 10 Friday. In that span, he has struck out 28 batters and allowed just 11 hits, lowering his ERA from 6.21 to 3.99.
- Friday was the second time this season, and seventh time in Parrish’s career, that he has struck out at least 10 batters.
- Drew Mendoza walked three times Friday and has a team high 48 on the year. He entered the weekend fifth in the country in base on balls.
- C. Flowers hit his first triple of the season and third of his career. FSU has hit 10 triples on the season and 5 in the past five games. Flowers tied a season high with three hits Friday.
- Reese Albert tied his career high by reaching base for the ninth straight game with a third inning single. He finished 2-for-6 Friday night.
- Robby Martin hit his second home run of the season and first since February 23 against Youngstown State.
- Cooper Swanson hit his seventh home run of the season. FSU has hit 54 home runs on the season.
- FSU scored in 10 or more runs in back-to-back games for the second time this season and the first since Opening Weekend against Maine. Half of FSU’s 8 double-digit scoring games this year have come in the past two weeks.
UP NEXT
Game two between Florida State and Wake Forest is scheduled for Saturday at 2:00 p.m. in Mike Martin Stadium. RHP CJ Van Eyk (5-3) is looking for his third straight win, while the Demon Deacons will throw LHP Jared Shuster (4-2).
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).
