FSU Baseball falls to No. 3 Florida after nightmare eighth inning

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Noles247) - Florida State baseball (12-9, 3-3 ACC) fell to No. 3 Florida (19-4, 2-1 SEC) by a score of 9-5 on Tuesday night at Dick Howser Stadium. The Seminoles led 5-1 through four innings, but the bullpen allowed eight runs over the next five innings as UF took the first rivalry matchup of 2023. The Gators plated five runs in the eighth to overcome FSU’s early lead. Florida State has lost three straight games and six of the last seven.

UF: 9 runs / 14 hits / 1 error

FSU: 5 runs / 9 hits / 0 errors

WP: P. Abner (1-1), LP: J. Arnold (1-2)

RECAP

Freshman Ben Barrett made his second career start on the hill for the Seminoles. The right-hander worked around a two-out single for a scoreless first before producing a 1-2-3 second. He had two strikeouts through two scoreless.

Cam Smith was back in the lineup for FSU, hitting fifth and playing third, after missing the series against BC with a back injury. Smith led off the second with a double into left. Then, Nander De Sedas drove a double into the left-center gap to plate Smith and open the scoring. De Sedas scored on an E6 to give FSU a 2-0 lead through two.

Barrett worked around a one-out double in the third for another scoreless frame. The Gators got on the board in the following frame. Following a Josh Rivera double, Ty Evans doubled with two outs to score a Gators’ run. The freshman limited the damage to one as Jordan Carrion snagged a liner to end the frame. Barrett posted a final line of 4 IP (career-high), 4 H, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 R, and 56 pitches.

FSU’s sophomore captain came through in the bottom half. Following singles from Carrion and Rank, DeAmez Ross drew a walk to load the bases for Jaime Ferrer with two outs. Ferrer ripped a 1-1 pitch into the right field corner to clear the bases as Ross evaded a tag at the plate to put the Seminoles ahead 5-1 through four innings.

Doug Kirkland replaced Barrett in the fourth. The right-hander walked a pair of batters to put two on with two outs. Jac Caglianone ripped a two-out single to right to plate a UF run. A groundout to sixth stranded two Gators on base and kept FSU’s lead at three.

Conner Whittaker took the hill in the sixth. The sophomore threw two innings out of the pen. In the sixth, a two-out triple from Colby Halter cut the lead to two. Next inning, Caglianone snuck a double down the first base line to drive in his second run of the night and trim FSU’s lead to 5-4. The left-handed slugger ran into an out at third to help Whittaker get out of the inning with a lead.

The Seminoles threatened in the bottom half. Smith and Carrion produced back-to-back singles to put two on with one out. But Phillip Abner K’d both De Sedas and Treyton Rank to strand both Seminoles on base. FSU led 5-4 through seven.

Link Jarrett turned to freshman Jamie Arnold with a one-out lead to begin the eighth. BT Riopelle led off the frame with a full-count single before Ty Evans reached on an infield single. Arnold’s second walk loaded the bases with one out and ended his night.

Friday starter Jackson Baumeister replaced the southpaw. Pinch-hitter Matt Prevesk slapped a single to left to tie the game at five. Then, Michael Robertson lined a single just out of the reach of Ferrer’s glove to give UF a 6-5 lead. Caglianone produced Florida’s second infield single of the frame to extend the lead to two. Rivera put the cherry on top of FSU’s nightmare inning as he snuck a two-run single through the left side of the infield to put the Gators up four.

UF closer Brandon Neely took over on the mound in the eighth. Neely struck out two Seminoles and set the side down in order.

Brennen Oxford stranded two Gators in scoring position with a strikeout of Riopelle to keep the deficit at four for the heart of FSU’s order. Neely returned to the mound for the bottom half. Titan Kamaka was doubled off first base to end the game.

Up Next: FSU travels to Charlottesville this weekend to take on the No. 8 Virginia Cavaliers for a three-game set.