TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — No. 6 Florida State (7-0) won a pair of games against Youngstown State (0-6) Saturday, beating the Penguins 24-2 and 7-4 to sweep the weekend series. Freshman Robby Martin finished the day 7-for-8 with 8 runs batted in, three doubles and his first collegiate home run. Through seven games, Martin leads FSU with a .536 batting average (15-for-28) with 17 RBI.
Game 1 – FSU 24, Youngstown State 2
In game one, Florida State scored 24 runs on six home runs, with 16 runs batted in by freshmen (Martin 6, Elijah Cabell 5, Nander De Sedas 3 and McGuire Weaver 2). Martin, Cabell and De Sedas each homered for FSU, as did Reese Albert, Drew Mendoza and junior college transfer Carter Smith.
The Penguins took a 1-0 lead in the first inning before FSU rallied back to score seven in the bottom of the inning. FSU also scored a run in the second, four in the third, three in the fourth and nine in the sixth inning before the teams agree to shorten the game to seven innings.
Martin set a career high with four hits and six RBI. Leadoff hitter Mike Salvatore tied a career high with three hits and was a home run shy of the cycle.
Four Seminoles (Weaver, Alec Sanchez, Tim Becker and Chase Haney) recorded their first career hits. In addition to a season high 18 hits and 24 runs, FSU drew 11 walks and was hit by four pitches.
On the mound, CJ Van Eyk (2-0) allowed two runs in five innings and Conor Grady came in for the final two frames.
Of Note
- Reese Albert and Drew Mendoza hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning. It was both players second home run of the season and the second in two games against YSU for Mendoza.
- The last Seminoles’ to hit back-to-back home runs were Mendoza and Steven Wells against Mount St. Mary’s last season.
- Freshman Robby Martin added a two-run home run in the first inning, his first career HR. Martin added an RBI double in the second inning and a three-run double in the third inning. Martin was the first Seminole with 6 RBI in a game since Mendoza in 2017.
- FSU hit three first-inning home runs, its first three-HR inning since Stetson in 2018.
- Mike Salvatore hit a three-run triple in the first inning, the second triple of his career. He tied a career high with three hits and was a home run shy of the cycle.
- FSU’s 7 first-inning runs tied a season high (7 in 7th inning against Maine, 2/17). It broke that mark with a 9-run sixth inning.
- Starting pitcher CJ Van Eyk retired nine straight batters from the first to third innings. He improved to 9-0 in his career.
- Catcher Jonathan Foster threw out a runner in the fourth inning, FSU’s first runner caught stealing this season. Foster added his first hit of the year in the bottom of the inning.
- C. Flowers was hit by a pitch twice, the second time this year he has two HBPs in a game (Maine, 2/16).
- As a team, Florida State hit four doubles, a triple and six home runs, drew 11 walks and was hit by four pitches.
- Tim Becker singled in two runs during his first official at-bat (had previously walked and was HBP). Becker is a graduate school walk-on that joined that team in the fall.
- Freshmen Alec Sanchez and McGuire Weaver also recorded their first career hits. Redshirt junior pitcher Chase Haney singled in his first career at-bat in the sixth inning.
- FSU’s 24 runs are its most since also scoring 24 against USF in 2015.
Game 2 – FSU 7, Youngstown State 4
FSU’s bullpen did not allow a hit in 8.0 innings against the Penguins, giving up a run on five walks and striking out 11 in FSU’s 7-4 win. Shane Drohan (1-0) earned his first career win, pitching 2.1 innings in relief as FSU rallied from an early 3-0 hole.
Catcher Mat Nelson hit his first collegiate home run and tied the game at four on a sacrifice bunt in the fifth inning.
Jeff Wehler hit a two-run home run in the first inning, giving Youngstown State its third first-inning lead of the weekend.
In the sixth inning, Robby Martin’s sacrifice fly gave FSU a 5-4 lead and J.C. Flowers extended that to the final margin with an insurance two-run single in the eighth inning.
Chase Haney earned his first career save, striking out two batters in a perfect ninth inning.
Of Note – Game 2
- Robby Martin added two more RBI in the night cap and leads FSU with 17. He finished Saturday 7-for-8 with three doubles, a home run and eight RBI.
- Freshman Mat Nelson hit a second-inning home run, the first of his career.
- Jonah Scolaro pitched 3.0 innings in relief of Austin Pollock, the ninth relief outing of his career of 3.0 IP or more.
- For the weekend, Florida State’s bullpen pitched 15.0 innings, allowing just four hits, five walks and striking out 15. J.C. Flowers and Chase Haney earned the first saves of their careers. Combined, the unit allowed just one earned run (0.60 ERA).
Up Next
Florida State will play its first road game of the season Tuesday at USF (6:30 p.m. on BullsVision). FSU’s first scheduled road game last week at Jacksonville was postponed due to weather.
The Seminoles will throw LHP Antonio Velez (2-0, 1.12 ERA).
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).
