FSU Baseball Dominates Jacksonville in First Road Game
The Florida State Seminoles dominated Jacksonville in their first road game, securing a 13-3 victory in eight innings. This was their second consecutive run-rule win, showcasing a powerful offensive display. Every player in the starting lineup reached base, with 12 hits and 10 walks contributing to the team's success. Chase Williams, Brayden Dowd, and Cal Fisher each drove in multiple runs, while Myles Bailey's four plate appearances resulted in four base hits.
FSU's pitching staff also shone, with Payton Manca pitching three scoreless innings in his season debut. Manca's performance was crucial, as he limited his pitch count to 50, a strategic move to ensure Trey Beard's availability after a stomach bug kept him out the previous week. Manca's first inning was particularly impressive, as he stranded runners on the corners and erased a leadoff walk with a 6-4-3 double play.
The game's turning point came in the fourth inning. After a walk and back-to-back singles, FSU loaded the bases. An error by the first baseman, followed by a groundout and an infield single, resulted in three runs. Noah Sheffield and Cal Fisher then lined back-to-back singles, extending the lead to four.
John Abraham entered the game in the fourth and struck out the side in order, showcasing his dominance. He continued to retire batters in the sixth and seventh innings, keeping Jacksonville's offense in check.
The Seminoles' offense continued to pour in runs in the sixth inning. Williams led off with a walk and scored on a passed ball, stealing second and third before scoring. Dowd followed with a single, and the team scored three more runs on an infield single, bases-loaded walk, and RBI groundout.
Gabe Nard made his Seminole debut in the sixth inning, and Derek Bermudez launched a three-run homer, extending the lead to 10 runs. Nard's performance was solid, as he retired the next three hitters.
In the seventh inning, Bailey lined a single to right, scoring Dowd. Bailey then scored on a dropped pop-up, pushing the lead to 12-3. Jake Echols made his FSU debut in the seventh, striking out one batter.
The final inning saw John Stuetzer and Jace Estes deliver pinch-hit singles, with Estes driving in Williams. Kevin Mebil made his debut with a 13-3 lead, recording two outs and striking out one before being replaced by Ben Barrett, who ended the game with a strikeout.
Looking ahead, Florida State will travel to Arlington, Texas, for the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series. They will face Michigan, No. 9 Auburn, and Nebraska in three games at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers. The games will be streamed on FloSports, providing an exciting opportunity for fans to watch the Seminoles in action.
