No. 2 Florida State scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to snatch the lead away from the Diamond Heels and win 5-4 in the regular-season finale for both teams Saturday afternoon in Tallahassee.
Carolina trailed for much of the day after the Seminoles struck for three runs in the bottom of the first inning against Aidan Haugh. Haugh was able to limit the damage after that, but only lasted 4.2 innings before giving way to freshman Ryan Lynch. Lynch and fellow freshman Walker McDuffie combined to hold Florida State scoreless until the eighth, giving UNC time to rally.
An Alex Madera single in the second cut the deficit to 3-1, and that score held until the top of the seventh. After Tyson Bass drew a one-out walk and Florida State made a pitching change, freshman Sawyer Black greeted the new Seminole hurler with a two-run blast to right field, tying the game at 3-3.
McDuffie worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the inning to set the stage for Gavin Gallaher in the eighth, who sent a solo shot over the right-center field wall to give UNC its first lead of the day.
But FSU’s rally started immediately, with the leadoff man reaching against McDuffie and advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt. Camron Seagraves came into the game and recorded the second out before intentionally walking the Seminoles’ Alex Lodise, the league’s leading hitter at .429. The move came back to bite the Diamond Heels, as Florida State tied the game with a single in the next at-bat. Lodise then scored on another single to give the Seminoles a 5-4 lead.
Black drew a one-out walk in the top of the ninth, but UNC couldn’t find any more late-inning magic.
With the loss, UNC ends the regular season 39-12 overall and 18-11 in ACC play. The Diamond Heels have clinched a double-bye in next week’s ACC Tournament but cannot be the No. 1 seed. NC State’s loss to Stanford earlier in the day guarantees the Wolfpack the No. 4 seed. Carolina’s seed depends on the result of Georgia Tech’s game at Duke. If the Yellow Jackets beat the Blue Devils, UNC will be the No. 3 seed, with Georgia Tech No. 1 and Florida State No. 2. If Duke wins, UNC will be the No. 2 seed, Florida State will be No. 1 and Georgia Tech will be No. 3.
The ACC Tournament begins Tuesday, May 20 in Durham.
Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications
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UNC Baseball Drops Series Finale at No. 2 Florida State, Awaits ACC Tournament Seed Chapelboro.com.
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