Cam Leiter strikes out eight in five innings as FSU takes game 1 from WCU
Cam Leiter’s second start for FSU was electric, albeit not one where he was in full command.
The right-hander pitched five innings, striking out eight and giving up two runs (one earned). He hit 96 mph at one point in the second inning but also hit a batter and issued three walks.
But Leiter gave FSU a quality start and Drew Faurot hit his first home run in garnet and gold as the Seminoles defeated Western Carolina 8-2 on Friday night in the opener of a weekend series.
"I thought he found his breaking ball," FSU coach Link Jarrett said. "Last week it was more of a fastball-dominant outing. Today, he started dropping the big breaking ball in there, which was good. Some good sliders. The fastball maybe not as efficient as it was the last go around."
Leiter gave up runs in each of the first two innings. He left after throwing 90 pitches (47 strikes). He has 21 strikeouts in his first two starts.
While WCU plated early runs, FSU (4-0) pushed across a pair of runs in the second. McGwire Holbrook had an RBI single and DeAmez Ross had a sac fly to give FSU a 3-2 lead.
Cam Smith went 3 for 4 with an RBI single in the fourth and a run scored. He extended his career-high hitting streak to eight games and on-base streak to 14 games.
"To hit some of those balls to right field and right-center field that hard, you don’t see that kind of swing and stroke and bat speed," Jarrett said. "Especially to the opposite field."
Faurot added his home run in the sixth, a two-run shot in the sixth inning. Max Williams scored two runs.
Ben Barrett had three strikeouts in three shutout innings.
"I wanted to get him in the game today," Jarrett said. "He was one of the guys that we did extend to prepare to start and lengthen it out. I thought he had all three pitches in play."
While the night was mostly positive, FSU committed two errors. One was by Daniel Cantu on a pickoff attempt by Leiter where the ball went right off the first baseman’s glove.
The game did end with a flash of the leather, as shortstop Cal Fisher ranged into shallow left field to grab a would-be bloop single. James Tibbs earlier charged a ball and slid to make the grab in right field.
Up next
FSU plays host to Western Carolina on Saturday at 2 p.m. (ACC Network Extra).
LHP Jamie Arnold will make his second start of the season for Florida State after striking out a career-best nine batters in 5.0 innings last weekend against Butler.
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