Clemson vs Florida State Baseball Recap

Clemson 8, (7) Florida State 3

The Clemson Tigers’ ACC Atlantic Division title run started Thursday night with a three-run rally in the eighth inning. Saturday, it finished with an emphatic blowout of the Florida State Seminoles to complete the division championship-winning sweep. 

Clemson jumped on the Seminoles early with three runs in the first inning. FSU starter John Gast threw two wild pitches that scored two Clemson runs in the inning. He would never settle down as long as he remained in the game. 

In the third inning with two outs and a runner on second, Gast got the strikeout he needed to end the inning. Unfortunately for him, his pitch sailed to the catcher’s left during the batters’ swing and flew to the backstop, allowing the hitter to reach safely and sending the Clemson runner to third. After a walk loaded the bases, Tigers catcher John Nester worked another walk and got an RBI as a result. After the Seminoles made a pitching change, Tigers shortstop Brad Miller came to the plate and nailed a 2-run single, boosting Clemson to a commanding 7-2 lead at the end of third. 

Clemson starter Dominic Leone went 3 1/3 innings with 3 earned runs and 2 strikeouts, but reliever Alex Frederick was the real story in this one. For the win, Frederick allowed 1 hit and struck out 5 in 4 2/3 innings of relief. Tiger’s reliever Tomas Cruz finished the Seminoles off with a strikeout and drawing a 6-4-3 double play to end the game. 

> Check out a great selection of Clemson Tigers Apparel & Merchandise & be sure to follow the 2010 College World Series with DFN Sports Sites!

The slumping eighth-ranked Seminoles dropped to a 5 seed in the ACC Tournament after they held a 3-game lead on Clemson before the series. They will be paired with the Virginia Cavaliers, Miami Hurricanes, and Boston College Eagles in the round-robin ACC Tournament starting next Wednesday.

The Tigers earned a 2 seed with the series sweep and will play the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Virginia Tech Hokies, and North Carolina State Wolfpack starting Wednesday. 

The Tigers spread the wealth offensively with 8 hits from seven different batters. Miller continued his hot streak at the top of the Tigers lineup with a 2 for 3 day, knocking in 2 runs. 

The Seminoles threw seven different pitchers in Saturday’s game while giving up 8 earned runs on 8 hits. FSU starter Gast took the brunt of the punishment, giving up 6 runs in 2 2/3 innings.

By: Brandon Rink
DFN Sports Guest Writer