TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –The Noles finish off the sweep against Oakland on Sunday with a 5-1 win at Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium.
“It was a totally different Oakland team that we faced today; no errors, pitched better, I tip my hat to Oakland,” Florida State head coach Mike Martin said. “To do what they did (this weekend) and not having the opportunity to get outside, they were really, really impressive.”
Making his collegiate debut on Sunday, Cobi Johnson worked 5.0 shutout innings allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out six to earn his first career win. The freshman right hander retired the side in order in three of the five innings. Efficient afternoon, throwing just 75 pitches.
“Of course there is excitement but there is also some nervousness going through me,” said Johnson on making his first college start on Sunday. “But after that first inning, I felt like I settled down pretty good.”
With the Noles holding a 2-0 lead in the fourth and Oakland threatening with runners at second and third with two outs, Johnson calmly worked out of a jam getting Ian Yetsko swinging on strikes to retire the side.
“Cobi was certainly the secret so to speak,” said Martin. “He pitched five good innings, had a very good fastball…overcame that problem in the fourth and got himself into a very good rhythm. He showed great mound presence and was under control and put his team in a chance to win.”
Alec Byrd, Dylan Silva and Billy Strode combined to throw the final four innings to complete the sweep of the Golden Grizzlies. Byrd gave up an unearned run on two hits as he walked one and struck out one in 1.2 innings. Silva worked 1.1 shutout innings, while Billy Strode made his first appearance of the 2015 season and pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
“I was very proud of our young men in what they accomplished this weekend,” added Martin. “We know that every weekend from here out will be very, very tough, but I was very pleased with the way we played today and got it done.”
Eight Seminoles came through with at least one hit on Sunday as DJ Stewart and Gage West paced the offense with two hits apiece. Stewart registered two hits and two walks as he reached base in four of his five plate appearances. West finished with a pair of doubles. Darren Miller picked up his first career hit with a double to left in the sixth.
Florida State struck early in the second on a double by West and a walk to Taylor Walls. Both runners advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch with West scoring the first run of the game on an RBI groundout to short off the bat of Miller.
The Seminoles pushed their lead to 2-0 in the third on a two-out single to left by Dylan Busby. Stewart got things going with a two-out single to right, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. After John Sansone drew a walk, Busby brought home Stewart on his single to left.
FSU picked up a run in the fifth without collecting a hit. The Seminoles took advantage of three walks and a hit by pitch in the inning with Stewart scoring the lone run on a wild pitch to give the Garnet and Gold a three-run lead.
A fielding error by Florida State to open the seventh led to the only run of the game for the Golden Grizzlies. Mike Brosseau, who reached on the error, came around to score on an RBI single to left by Tyler Pagano.
The Seminoles added to their lead with two runs in the eighth for the final margin. Both Walls and Miller drew walks and came around to score on RBI singles by Danny De La Calle and Josh Delph.
Oakland’s Jake Morton took the loss on Sunday as the senior right hander allowed two runs on three hits in 2.2 innings of work. The Golden Grizzlies used seven different pitchers in Sunday’s series finale.
***FSU Athletics
