TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – No. 18 Florida State (15-3) had to overcome a three-run deficit on three difference occasions Wednesday night using a seven-run seventh to grab the lead for good as the Seminoles defeated No. 10 UCF (14-4) 15-11 on Wednesday night to sweep the two-game mid-week series against Knights on Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium.
“Our guys weren’t satisfied with only getting a win on Tuesday,” Florida State head coach Mike Martin said. “Florida State got after it; a seven-run inning, a credit to our team. They played solid; they never gave up on themselves. It was exciting to see a team play like they did against a very good UCF team.”
Quincy Nieporte had a monster night at the plate going 4-for-4 with two home runs and a pair of singles as he finished the game with three runs scored and seven RBI. The sophomore first baseman drove in all seven runs in his first two at-bats after seeing just two pitches.
Nieporte became the first Seminole to record at least seven RBI in a game since Buster Posey knocked in seven against Miami on April 28, 2007
Florida State’s four-run lead was short lived as UCF scored seven unanswered over the fourth and fifth innings off reliever Drew Carlton to take a 10-7 lead.
Enter Alex Deise, who was called upon with no outs and a runner on in the fifth, to cool down a fired up UCF offense. After the first two Knight hitters reached on a single and a fielding error, Deise recorded a strikeout and an inning ending double play to retire the side.
Deise (1-0) would give up just two more hits the rest of the way en route to a masterful 5.0 innings in relief in which he finished with a career-high six strikeouts. The only run he allowed came off the bat of Logan Heiser, who deposited a 1-2 pitch out to left in the seventh for his second home run of the night.
“I was hoping that he could give us 2.2 innings and get us into the seventh,” said Martin. “He just kept his poise the whole time even when the guy (Heister) hit the home run. It was a good pitch (that he threw). But what did he do, he kept his poise, pitched five innings and gave up three hits, that’s quite an accomplishment.
With the win, Florida State improved to 30-6 all-time against UCF and 7-0 when facing a ranked Knights’ team. The Seminoles also extended their win streak to 11 straight and remained perfect at home with a 14-0 mark
Florida State wraps up its 14-game home stand this weekend with a three-game conference series against Wake Forest.
*FSU Sports Information
