TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State freshman catcher Cal Raleigh connected on his sixth homerun of the season, but it was a solid outing by Louisville’s (24-6, 10-4 ACC) Drew Harrington that provided the fourth-ranked Cardinals with a 7-1 victory over eighth-ranked FSU (21-8, 8-2).
Raleigh (1-4, RBI, run) was one of two Seminole hitters, along with John Sansone (1-4), to record a hit against Harrington. It is only the second time this season that Florida State was held to two hits, the other coming in the final game of the series against Pittsburgh on March 20.
Seminoles starter Drew Carlton (4-2) went five strong innings, surrendered three runs on five hits and finished with three strikeouts. He gave way to Tyler Holton who pitched through the eighth, striking out three Cardinal batters and allowing two earned runs. Ed Voyles closed out the game in the ninth, yielding two runs on three hits.
Louisville countered with the tandem of Harrington (7-1) and Zack Burdi. Harrington notched his sixth consecutive win after striking out five FSU hitters in 7.2 innings, where he scattered two hits, one earned run and four walks. Burdi came out of the bullpen to record the last out of the eighth before recording a pair of strikeouts in the ninth to secure the win.
“Baseball will humble you and Harrington did just that,” said head coach Mike Martin. “That was a beautifully pitched ball game and he spotted all of his pitches and put on a dominating performance. If you put your team in that position (allowing only two hits), they have a very good chance.”
Louisville broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth inning after Devin Mann led off the frame with a double down the left field line. Two batters later, Mann scored the first Cardinal run on a FSU throwing error following a bunt single by Devin Hairston. A ground out by Blake Tiberi coupled with a fielder’s choice by Danny Rosenbaum provided the Cards with a 3-0 advantage.
Raleigh was responsible for the first Florida State run of the game when he sent a 1-2 pitch over the left field wall for his team-leading sixth homerun of the season. It also marked the second time in his freshman campaign that he has had homeruns in back-to-back contests.
The score remained 3-1 until the top of the eighth when Louisville’s Tiberi sent a one-out single past the right side of the infield. After a Will Smith walk put two runners on for the Cardinals, Rosenbaum sliced a double down the left field line to clear the bases for a 5-1 lead.
The Cardinals tacked on two runs in the top of the ninth inning after Brendan McKay extended the frame with a two-out triple past a diving Ben DeLuzio. McKay scored on a single up the middle by Hairston, who advanced home on a Tiberi double off the right field wall for the 7-1 final.
The series concludes on Sunday at 1 p.m. when FSU’s Cole Sands (3-3, 4.56 ERA) takes the mound against Kyle Funkhouser (3-2, 4.29).
