FSU can't overcome 7-run deficit, sloppy pitching in loss to Mercer

In what was perhaps a bit of rivalry week hangover on the base paths, the Florida State Seminoles (30-6) could not overcome a seven-run 4th inning and lost their midweek matchup 13-6 against the Mercer Bears (19-17).

"Mercer played a better game today than we did," Head Coach Link Jarrett started off his postgame interview. "This game is about execution and they did a better job of that today. A majority of the games are decided when one team scores more runs in one inning than another team scores in a game. That was the case - their seven was more than our six. We could not consistently execute."

It was not a sharp night for the Seminoles’ pitching staff as a combined nine pitchers allowed 13 runs, 14 hits, and 10 walks. The 13 runs allowed was the most runs allowed by the staff since March 24 against Clemson, where they allowed 14 runs in the sweep-clinching loss. The loss on Tuesday night ends a five-game winning streak for the Seminoles.

Florida transfer Yoel Tejeda Jr. made his second start for the Seminoles and had a short, mixed bag outing. Hunter Rowan, Joe Charles and Brady Louck allowed nine runs in the middle innings as a 2-1 Seminoles lead was completely flipped into a 10-3 deficit by the end of the 6th inning. As is expected with a younger pitching staff, sometimes there will be some hiccups.

"It's tough to say why that happened today because every one of those kids that was out there - we've seen perform. You can endure one guy, maybe two guys not being on it. But it was the frequency with which we couldn't stay on the rails with our stuff," Jarrett said on the pitching performance.

Aided by Cam Smith's first triple as a Seminole, Florida State began to climb their way back into the ballgame with a three run seventh inning. Mercer answered in the 8th inning with a bases clearing double to secure a 13-6 lead.

Florida State travels to No. 14 Wake Forest on Friday for a weekend series with the Demon Deacons. They play on Friday at 6 pm and the game will be available on ACC Network Extra.