3/4/2023 baseball Edit

FGCU edges FSU in an 11-10 slugfest

McGwire Holbrook went 3 for 5 with three RBI in his FSU debut on Saturday. (FSU sports information)

Bob Ferrante • TheOsceola

Editor

Edrick Felix smacked a solo home run over the screen in right-center field in the ninth inning, lifting Florida Gulf Coast to an 11-10 win over Florida State on Saturday.

The day was far from a defensive clinic, as FGCU committed five errors and FSU committed three errors. Left-hander Jaime Arnold was an example of how the pitching was impacted, giving up six runs (but only two earned) in his 2.1-inning start.

"They battled from the very first pitch of the game to the last pitch," FSU coach Link Jarrett said. "The expectation of fighting through it, good. To see it necessary and we clearly had our chances. Not a clean game by any stretch of the imagination. It was tough to sit through moments of that on our side. I’m sure they’re probably saying the same thing.

"But they scored one more run than we did. And that’s what matters. They damaged mistakes. And when those go over the fence that was the difference in this one."

The Seminoles (7-3) have now committed 17 errors in 2023.

FSU started a rally in the ninth, with Colton Vincent and Treyton Rank hitting two-out singles. But Jordan Carrion grounded into a fielder's choice to end the game.

FGCU (10-1) won the series and will look to sweep on Sunday.

McGwire Holbrook went 3 for 5 with three RBI in his FSU debut. The designated hitter had an RBI single in the first, a two-run double in the third and a single in the sixth.

Colton Vincent had an RBI double in the fifth, extending his hitting streak to 14 games.

With the defense faltering around Arnold, who threw 61 pitches just a few days after he threw three innings against USF, Jarrett was again forced to turn to the bullpen. Conner Whittaker gave up three earned runs in 3.1 innings, while Ryan Denison allowed two runs in 3.1 innings.

Jarrett rolled the dice in Wednesday's game, extending Whittaker and Wyatt Crowell to be able to pull out a 7-6 win over USF in 13 innings. But it also left the bullpen in a tough spot going into the FGCU series.

"We knew this was entirely different group," Jarrett said. "You lose your entire weekend rotation and your most-used relievers, you have a lot of newness on the field. We knew this is what it was going to be. We’re razor-thin with our pitching depth. It’s razor-thin. This is the fewest number of pitchers I’ve had on a staff in five years."

There were a few other plays that were scored hits but could have gone for errors against the Seminoles. Treyton Rank misplayed a few deep fly balls, including an RBI double by Alejandro Figueredo.

FSU pitchers recorded 12 strikeouts, five by Arnold and Denison.

Up next

FSU will play host to FGCU on Sunday at 1 p.m. (live stream on ACC Network Extra).

Right-hander Carson Montgomery (0-0, 2.00 ERA) will be on the mound for the Seminoles.