Florida State's potent offense powered a dominant series sweep, showcasing a barrage of home runs against Wake Forest.
Florida State turned the electric on as they blasted 10 home runs during the weekend, including four on Sunday in Game 3 to sweep the opening series of Atlantic Coast Conference play, at Wake Forest with a 12-6 victory.
On Sunday, Eli Putnam, Brayden Dowd, Myles Bailey and John Stuetzer touched them all for the Seminoles. For Putnam, it was his third round-tripper in the series and the second for Bailey.
Wake Forest finally touched home place against FSU, as Javar Williams hit a solo home run in the first inning.
Seminoles starting pitcher Bryson Moore picked up where Wes Mendes and Trey Beard left off in the first two games. He recorded seven strikeouts, gave up three walks, one earned run and allowed the Demon Deacons four hits before being pulled in the bottom of the sixth inning. He lowered his ERA to 3.57. He was replaced by Cade O’Leary.
O’Leary channeled his inner-Ricky Vaughn from the movie Major League, by throwing the ball over the catcher’s head and backstop, allowing a runner to advance to third.
The Demon Deacons continued to threaten by putting runners at first and second to load the bases with two outs. However, O’Leary struck out Blake Schaaf to get out of the jam.
At that point, Wake Forest was 0-6 with runners in scoring position.
The Seminoles’ bats then went dormant as the side was retired heading to the bottom of the seventh.
Wake Forest took advantage as Williams hit his second home run of the day, a two RBI shot to left-center field to cut FSU’s lead to 8-3, which resulted in O’Leary getting relieved by lefty Kevin Mebil.
In the top of the eighth, FSU's Kelvyn Paulino ripped his third hit of the day, followed by a single by Nathan Cmeyla. Will Bavaro was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the Seminoles. Wake Forest challenged the call, but it was upheld.
As rain began to fall in Winston-Salem, Cal Fisher stood in the batter’s box with the bags full of ‘Noles.
Fisher struck out looking.
It was freshman John Stuetzer’s turn at the plate, and he delivered. Stuetzer deposited a grand slam home run over the right field wall to increase the Seminoles lead to 12-3.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Demon Deacons just would not go away. They put two runners on at first and second with one out. A passed ball by Mebil advanced the runners into scoring position.
Mebil then walked JD Stein to load the bases for Wake Forest.
FSU made a pitching change and sent Mebil to the dugout, replacing him with Chris Knier.
Knier faced Williams, who promptly singed to center field to plate a run for the Demon Deacons and cut the lead to 12-4. Wake’s Kade Lewis hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored another run to make the score 12-5 heading to the ninth inning.
The Seminoles put runners at the corners with one out, but Wake Forest turned a double play to end the threat going into the bottom of the ninth.
Knier served up a home run ball to Demon Deacons' catcher Matt Conte, who hit it over the left center field wall to cut the lead to 12-6.
Later in the inning, Knier struck out Jimmy Keenan to end the game and secure the victory for the Seminoles (16-3, 3-0 in the ACC). Wake Forest fell to 15-5, 0-3 in conference play.
Moore got the win, his third of the season.
Next up for Florida State is Bethune-Cookman, whom they will host Tuesday night. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. EST.
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