No.8 Florida State baseball (29-14, 12-9) imploded in the bottom of the ninth and was walked by Stanford (21-19, 10-11), 7-4, the second time in as many days that the Cardinal walked off FSU. Today’s defeat also means the Noles were swept by Stanford, closing out a disastrous road trip for Florida State that almost certainly sinks its chance of a top-8 national seed.
The ninth inning could not have started off any better for Link Jarrett’s team as Eli Putnam, batting ninth, smashed a 401-foot solo
homer to left, handing FSU a 4-3 lead. However, things quickly unraveled for the Seminoles in the bottom half. Brodie Purcell entered the game trying to protect a one-run lead, but allowed back-to-back singles, prompting a quick hook from Jarrett. The head coach turned next to Gabe Nard, who walked the only batter he faced after getting ahead 0-2. Kevin Mebil then came on with the bases loaded and nobody out, fell behind 2-0, and left a pitch over the plate that Rintaro Sasaki pounded for a walk-off grand slam, ending FSU’s chance of salvaging the series.
After a disappointing ending to Saturday’s game, the Seminoles jumped out in front with two runs in the top of the first. Chase Williams reached base with one out on a double that ricocheted off the third-base bag before getting driven in on a half-swing single from Hunter Carns. Later in the frame, Carns moved into scoring position on an error and scored on two wild pitches in the same at-bat to put the Noles ahead, 2-0.
Bryson Moore, who missed last week due to injury, hit the first batter he faced, but retired the next three Cardinal in order. He cruised through the first two batters of the second, but an error extended the inning and put a runner on second, before an RBI single brought home the first Stanford run to make it a 2-1 game.
The Noles threatened in the third as Hunter Carns started the inning with a double and Nathan Cmeyla reached on an error, but FSU could not cash in, a theme in today’s game, stranding both runners.
Moore posted another zero in the third, but allowed Stanford to tie the game in the fourth as he put Charlie Bates on with a walk before he came around to score on an RBI double. Moore’s day ended after four innings and 77 pitches, which would make it seem that his pitch count was somewhere around 75-80. He was relieved by Chris Knier who did not allow a baserunner across 2.0 innings of work, and continues to be a bright spot in the bullpen.
Florida State retook the lead in the top of the sixth as Gabe Fraser began the frame with a lead-off triple and came home on an infield single from Cal Fisher. Ahead 4-3, the Noles put two on with nobody out in the top of the seventh, but a strikeout and double play did not let FSU push the advantage out further. In the ensuing inning, back-to-back walks put two men on, making it the third-straight inning with a Seminole in scoring position, yet Florida State could not push out further. The Noles went 3-19 (.158) with runners on base after going 5-9 leading off.
Stanford tied the game in the bottom of the seventh on a fluke play that continues happening to FSU. After Cade O’Leary picked up the first two outs of the inning, a double kept the frame alive. With two gone and Sasaki at the plate, O’Leary got the first baseman to swing and miss for a strikeout, but the ball got away, allowing the Cardinal runner to score and tie the game at three on a dropped third strike. Once again, unsavvy defensive play did the Seminoles in and kept them from ever taking control of the game.
It will be a long travel day home for Florida State tomorrow as the Noles head back to Tallahassee winless on their California road trip. While the Georgia Tech series could be considered a mulligan, nothing can excuse what happened this weekend.
