The Florida State baseball team put the pressure on Miami early and the Seminoles’ bullpen shut the Hurricanes down late on the way to a 6-3 win in Charlotte, N.C. at the ACC Tournament.

FSU used bursts in the first and fifth innings in the win to close out pool play.

After both schools lost to underdog No. 9 seed Duke over the past two days, FSU (30-22, 20-16 ACC) and the Hurricanes knew they were eliminated from the ACC Tournament semifinals.

That didn’t matter. This was FSU–Miami, one of the fiercest rivalries in college baseball.

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Florida State came out strong, avenging Wednesday’s first-inning disaster against the Blue Devils. Designated hitter Dylan Simmons followed up left fielder Robby Martin’s RBI single with a two-run double in the gap to take an early 3-0 lead.

Intensity from both sides gradually increased as Miami cut into FSU’s lead by way of one-run innings in the second and fourth. A Parker Messick wild pitch in the second got the Hurricanes on the board, while designated hitter Raymond Gil cranked a solo homer two innings later to make it 3-2.

Messick, who won both ACC Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors earlier in the week, made a few mistakes but kept things in control and the lead on the Seminoles’ side.

FSU extended its lead back to three runs in the fifth. Jackson Greene scored from second on a bunt from Tyler Martin, then Mat Nelson worked a sacrifice fly to bring home Ryan Romano. Romano, a redshirt sophomore who coming in had just two at-bats since April 25, started at third base.

Things got chippy when Miami freshman reliever Alejandro Rosario ended the inning by striking out Simmons, and the two exchanged words on the way back to their respective dugouts. Messick, who had seven punchouts in five innings, answered back with a message of his own to Miami’s dugout on the way to the sixth.

Following a rain delay, Messick was replaced, and Florida State’s bullpen held up the next three innings. Logan Lacey continued his ninth-inning hot streak while pushing Florida State’s lead to four with a solo home run.

Miami loaded the bases and got the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, but the ‘Canes had just one run to show for their late rally.

FSU will learn its 2021 NCAA Regional fate Monday at noon, when the field is picked live on the selection show on ESPN2. It will be the Seminoles’ 43rd consecutive postseason appearance.

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