CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – In a top-20 matchup with a semifinal spot on the line, the No. 10 nationally-ranked Florida State Seminoles used a seven-run seventh inning to overcome four home runs by No. 16 Virginia in a 12-7 win on Friday at the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Championship at Truist Field.
The seven-run top of the seventh proved vital in the No. 5-seeded Seminoles’ win, as the No. 4-seeded Cavaliers scored five runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning.
ACC Player of the Year James Tibbs III led the FSU offense, going 2-for-5 with a home run, sacrifice fly, walk and five RBI in the win. First baseman Daniel Cantu was 2-for-5 with a triple, two RBI and two runs scored, while both Alex Lodise and Drew Faurot finished with three hits and an RBI for the game.
The top three hitters in the Virginia lineup had six of the team’s nine hits, as Griff O’Ferrall was 3-for-5 with a home run, RBI and two runs scored in the lead-off spot. The next hitter, Bobby Whalen, was 2-for-4 with an RBI, while the three-hole hitter Casey Saucke was 1-for-4 with a solo home run. Designated hitter Ethan Anderson and third baseman Luke Hanson also homered in the loss.
Starting pitcher Jamie Arnold (10-3) picked up the win for the Noles, as the left-hander gave up two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out nine UVA hitters over 6.0 innings. The save went to Brennan Oxford (5), who threw 3.0 innings with one run on two hits and three strikeouts.
After both starting pitchers controlled the game over the first two innings, combining for six strikeouts between the two of them, the Virginia offense broke through first in the bottom of the third inning with an RBI double from Whalen to put the Cavaliers in front 1-0.
Florida State quickly answered with two runs of its own in the next half inning, as Tibbs III singled through the left side of the infield to plate two Seminoles and give Florida State a 2-1 lead midway through the fourth inning.
The Seminoles loaded the bases with three singles to start the top of the fifth inning before tacking on two more runs on an RBI ground out and a bases-loaded walk to extend the lead to 4-1.
Virginia got one run back in the bottom of the sixth inning, as O’Ferrall blasted a home run off the batter’s eye in straightaway center field to trim the Seminoles’ lead to two at 4-2 heading into the seventh inning of play.
Florida State added to its lead again in the top of the seventh inning, as the Seminoles again loaded the bases before scoring three straight runs on a sacrifice fly and back-to-back RBI singles to take their largest lead of the game at 7-2.
The inning continued when Cantu hit a ball deep to left-center field, where the Virginia center fielder leaped into the wall to make the catch for the third out, only to be deemed to not have controlled the ball upon an umpire review and allowed Cantu to clear the bases with a two-run triple and blow the game open at 9-2.
The floodgates opened after that, as the Seminoles’ bats followed with an RBI double by Lodise and an RBI single from Faurot to push the lead to nine at 11-2.
The Cavaliers refused to back down and went to the long ball to get back into the game, blasting three home runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to climb back into the contest at 11-7. Anderson started the home run onslaught with a two-run home run to left-center field, while two batters later, Hanson ripped a two-run shot of his own over the left-field wall. Saucke capped the inning with a tape-measure shot to left field to keep the Cavaliers alive.
Tibbs III decided to join the home run brigade, as he hit a ball into the bleachers in right-center field in the top of the eighth inning to put the Seminoles back on top by five at 12-7.
Both teams would strand a runner in the ninth, as the Seminoles held on for the tournament win.
Florida State (40-15) will take on the winner of No. 1 seed North Carolina (42-12) and No. 9 seed Wake Forest (37-19) in the first of two semifinal games on Saturday, May 25. First pitch will be at 1 p.m. on ACC Network.
