Photo Courtesy FSU Athletics
TAMPA — Florida State (9-3) took advantage of 18 free passes, 15 walks and 3 batters hit by a pitch issued by USF pitching, to come away with a 12-4 win over the Bulls in front of a crowd of 2,431 at USF Baseball Stadium.
Senior Michael Clarkson got the start for the Bulls and worked the front 3.2 innings allowing four runs, two earned, on four hits. He walked nine on 96 pitches and took the loss.
Dylan Burns, Kyle Cross and Garret Bye combined to finish the last 5.1 innings.
The Bulls held a 3-1 lead early after Freshman David Villar ripped a three-run double to left in the third. FSU answered back in the top of the fourth, with three runs of their own aided by three more walks and a USF throwing error, to take a 4-3 lead.
FSU added three more runs in the fifth, a single run in the seventh and four more in the eight including a three run home run by Seminoles second baseman, Hank Truluck.
FSU left an additional 15 runners on base.
Quincy Nieporte finished 3-for-4 from the plate with three RBI for FSU.
Chase Haney got the win for the Seminoles win after holding the Bulls to one hit over two innings. He also struck out four of the nine USF batters that he faced.
The Bulls will hop on a bus and travel tomorrow afternoon to play Jacksonville, the second of five games this week.
USF begins a three-game home series against Holy Cross on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Game Notes:
The Good -
USF Freshman David Villar went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and raised his average to .394. He has two homers, five extra-base hits and 10 RBIs in 10 games and continues to show he can compete at this level.
“We don’t care how old you are. You’re good or you’re not. He’s shown that he can play at this level, period,” USF Head Coach Mark Kingston said.
Garret Zech hit leadoff for the first time in his D1 career and went 2 for 4 with 2 stolen bases and run scored.
The Not So Good -
I may have watched games in the my life where 15 batters walked, but I can’t remember when. Throw in three errors and its clear the Bulls have some work to do.
USF left 10 runners on base and hit .071 as a team with runners in scoring position tonight.
“You’re not going to beat anybody much less Florida State with 18 free passes” said Kingston afterwards. “I’ve never seen that at any level and that needs to improve one way or another”
