TAMPA, Fla. – Quincy Nieporte, who finished 3-for-4 from the plate with three RBI, and Hank Truluck added a three-run home run to lead Florida State to a 12-4 victory over in-state foe USF on Tuesday evening.
Nieporte’s performance included his second double of the season and a pair of singles in the first and fourth innings. Meanwhile, Truluck (1-3), who replaced Taylor Walls in the fourth inning, collected his three RBI on a towering home run to left field in the eighth inning. The home run, Truluck’s first in the collegiate ranks, plated Ben DeLuzio and Matt Henderson.
Also key at the plate for Florida State (9-3) were Ben DeLuzio (2-5, run), Darren Miller (2-4, RBI) and John Sansone (1-2, three runs). Sansone moved his on-base streak to 25 games.
Freshman right hander Chase Haney grabbed his first win after holding the Bulls (6-6) to one hit over two innings. He also struck out four of the nine USF batters that he faced.
Fellow newcomer Tyler Holton, making his second start for the Noles, tallied six strikeouts in three innings on the mound. He yielded three hits and three runs in the no decision.
The combination of Ed Voyles, Will Zirzow and Tyler Warmoth combined for six strikeouts and limited the USF offense to one run on four hits.
“Tyler Holton didn’t pitch poorly, he just struggled with his control,” said head coach Mike Martin. “Haney and the bullpen of Voyles and Zirzow were also impressive for us tonight. Quincy is really starting to see the ball well and he was very instrumental in this win.”
Nieporte put the first run on the board for the Noles in the first inning with a single to right past the USF defense that scored Taylor Walls from second for the early 1-0 advantage.
After a bases clearing double by David Villar in the third provided USF with a 3-1 advantage, Nieporte delivered a single to left centerfield for Florida State, scoring Henderson from second. Two batters later, with the bases loaded, Gage West capitalized on a throwing error by Jonah Garrison to bring home Sansone and Nieporte for the 4-3 Seminole lead.
Florida State tacked on three runs in the fifth inning, taking advantage of a walk, a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt and consecutive hit batters in succession to score the first run. Cal Raleigh brought home Truluck for the three-run advantage on a fielder’s choice. The Seminoles stretched the lead to 7-3 after Sansone slid past the tag of USF catcher Levi Borders on a wild pitch.
Florida State followed a scoreless sixth by adding one run in the seventh. With one out Sansone drew a walk and moved to third on a double to left by Nieporte. Raleigh followed with a walk, loading the base pads, before a Gage West sacrifice fly to centerfield scored Sansone for the lone run of the inning.
The Seminoles will quickly trek back to Tallahassee to face Toledo (1-9-1) on Wednesday at Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium at 6 p.m.
The meeting with the Toledo, a first between the two programs, will feature Florida State’s Cobi Johnson (0-0, 7.11 ERA) and the Rockets’ Kyle Slack (0-1, 15.75 ERA).
Seminole fans can always stay up-to-date with the Florida State Baseball team by following the official twitter page of the Seminoles (@FSUBaseball).
---Courtesy: Seminoles.com---
