Noles Double Up Eagles to Sweep Series
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The No. 19 FSU Baseball team picks up the sweep in its first ACC series this season. The Noles double up Boston College in Game 3 of the series with an 8-4 win Sunday afternoon at Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium.
The Seminoles pushed their win streak to nine straight following Sunday’s victory and remained undefeated at home winning their first 12 games in Tallahassee to open the 2015 season.
“We played very well today,” Florida State head coach Mike Martin said. “We did improve our defense this weekend. We didn’t give them extra outs, turned a couple double plays today. It was a good win; a well-played game. We had some good at-bats, a home run, we pitched well and played good defense. You might say we played a complete game today.
“Every game in our league is important. It was a good start for our ball club.”
FSU starter Cobi Johnson (2-1) picked up the win as the freshman right hander allowed three runs on five hits in 5.2 innings. After BC jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage, Johnson seemed to find his groove inducing two inning ending double plays while retiring 10 straight Eagle hitters at one stretch before leaving the game with two outs in the sixth.
“I struggled early on but thought I settled down after that,” said Johnson. “I just couldn’t get the off-speed over. I started to focus on getting a lot of fastballs over for strike one and strike two. I didn’t have my best stuff out there today, probably could have done a better job.”
“I thought Cobi showed a lot of resolve,” added Martin. “He got out there and struggled early. He fought back and when you look at his numbers, I was pleased that he found it there in the middle part of the game.”
Dylan Silva worked 1.2 scoreless innings in relief, while Derek Vail pitched the final 1.2 innings to secure the sweep.
Gage West paced the Seminole offense in the win with two hits as the sophomore designated hitter was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate with a pair of singles and a walk. He tied a career-high with three RBI as two of those RBI came on a fourth inning single to tie the game at 2-2.
Dylan Busby also drove in three runs thanks to his second home run of the season. He launched three-run shot in the fifth.
BC’s Justin Dunn (2-1) suffered the loss as the sophomore right hander gave up six runs, five earned, on four hits as he walked six and struck out five in 4.1 innings.
For the second day in a row, Boston College ran out to an early two-run lead as the Eagles plated a pair in the top of the second off Johnson. Joe Cronin led off the inning with a walk and scored all the way from first a batter later on an RBI double down the line in left by Donovan Casey. After a balk by Johnson moved Casey to third, the Eagle left fielder scored the second run of the inning on an RBI single to left center by Stephen Sauter.
The Seminoles responded with a four-run fourth to grab their first lead of the afternoon at 4-2. DJ Stewart opened the inning drawing a walk off Dunn and moved to third on a double to the wall in left by John Sansone. West brought both runners home with a two-run single through the right side to tie the game at 2-2. A pair of two out walks would come back to haunt Dunn as both Josh Delph and Ben DeLuzio would score on an RBI single by Danny De La Calle and a passed ball, respectively, to give the Garnet & Gold a two-run cushion.
Florida State added four more runs in the fifth to extend its lead to 8-2. All four runs came on two outs as West delivered an RBI single to center followed by Busby’s three-run home run off the scoreboard in left.
BC put together a little two-out rally of its own in the sixth to score a run and cut the Seminole lead to 8-3. Chris Shaw got things going with a single through the left side. Michael Strem then blooped a single to short center followed by an RBI double to left by Cronin.
Cronin’s hit ended the afternoon for Johnson who went 5.2 innings in making his fourth career start. Silva came on in relief and got the Seminoles out of the jam as Casey lined to short to retire the side.
The Eagles added a run in the ninth on an RBI groundout by pinch hitter Nick Colucci. Casey scored on the play after leading off the inning with an infield single to third off Vail.
***FSU Baseball
