4/7/2023 baseball Edit

FSU flat in game 2 loss to Clemson

Bob Ferrante • TheOsceola

Editor

A night after Florida State ended a 10-game losing streak, the Seminoles’ bats went cold again.

FSU managed seven hits, but with just one going for extra bases, and the Seminoles struggled to get a hit with runners on base as Clemson took a 8-1 victory in game 2 of the series on Friday evening.

FSU (13-17, 4-10 ACC) had only a handful of chances but couldn’t push a run across. Even Cam Smith’s double to lead off the fifth didn’t generate a run. Smith advanced to third on a sac bunt by Nander De Sedas, but seconds later he was erased by a hidden ball trick.

"Cam unfortunately stepped off the bag," FSU coach Link Jarrett said.

Ben Barrett's RBI single in the ninth broke the scoreless drought. FSU was 0 for 6 with runners on base prior to Barrett's at-bat.

Jaime Ferrer's hitting streak ended at 20 games. Ferrer went 0 for 4.

Conner Whittaker (3-3) tossed a career-high 7.1 innings, allowing five earned runs on eight hits and three walks. Whittaker threw 98 pitches (68 strikes) and of the eight hits allowed, seven were singles.

"He’s given us all he’s got," Jarrett said. "He gives it out of the pen, he’s given it in his two starts. The ball is going to be in play. Clemson did a nice job of handling at times what he was doing and they made some good adjustments to his secondary pitches."

The sophomore right-hander faced the minimum through three innings, erasing a runner in the second and third with double plays. But Clemson scored a run in the fourth and blew the game open with a three-run sixth inning.

"The middle part of the game was not pleasant in any stretch," Jarrett said. "And coming off how well we played last night to have moments like we had in the game today and really no offensive true answer to it was very difficult. ... We had some moments where we had opportunities and the contact was not good enough."

FSU also had two runners on in the second inning, but De Sedas hit into a double play.

The Seminoles committed two errors, raising the total to 41 in 30 games.

Blake Wright went 3 for 4 with three RBI and two runs scored for Clemson (18-14, 3-8). Will Taylor and Caden Grice each scored two runs.

Clemson scores two runs on a sac bunt, Whittaker throws to first and then a second runner scores ahead of a tag at home.

FSU flat in game 2 loss to Clemson

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