Florida State vs NC State Baseball Recap

(10) Florida State 7, North Carolina State 5

After its 5-2 win on Friday, the upset-minded North Carolina State Wolfpack (32-18, 12-13) hoped to clinch a series win on Saturday over the No. 10 Florida State Seminoles (37-13, 16-9) on the Seminoles' home field. However, the first-place Seminoles came back to beat the Wolfpack at Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida. The ACC Atlantic Division leaders came up with a flurry of runs in the last two innings to dig out a hard-earned triumph.
 
FSU starting pitcher Brian Busch looked shaky early, giving up three runs in the first inning.  However, he settled down and held the Wolfpack scoreless for the next 5 1/3 innings to out-duel the NCSU starter, Cory Mazzoni.  The Seminoles tied up the game in the bottom of the seventh on a James Ramsey solo home run, and the Noles added two more runs to take a 5-3 lead. The big hit in the seventh was a tiebreaking two-run double by second baseman Devon Travis. A lashed shot down the left field line brought home Stephen Cardullo and Rafael Lopez to put the home team in front.
 
The Wolfpack scored two in the top of the eighth, as NCSU third baseman Andrew Ciencin smacked a game-tying RBI single off Seminole reliever Geoff Parker. The timely hit plated Drew Poulk and evened the score at 5-all, and the crowd at Mike Martin Field became distinctly uneasy.

However, the Seminoles would have an answer.

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FSU took the lead for good in the bottom of the eighth with two runs off Mazzoni, including a run scored on a throwing error by Ciencin, who immediately canceled out his clutch offense in the top of the frame. Ciencin scooped up a routine double-play ball, but his throw to second base was wild, and as a result of his errant toss, the Noles attained their final winning margin. FSU reliever Mike McGee earned his ninth save of the season, as the Noles held the Wolfpack scoreless in the ninth. N.C. State got the tying run to the plate, but couldn't mount a rally; the game ended with the visitors leaving a man on base. 

Parker (3-0) - despite giving up two runs in 1 2/3 innings of relief - picked up the win for Florida State. Mazzoni (7-3) pitched into the eighth, but he absorbed the loss for N.C. State.

The third and final game of the series will pit FSU starter Scott Sitz (5-0) against an N.C. State pitcher to be announced on Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern.

By: John Cary
DFN Sports Guest Writer