Lance Trippel's RBI single helps FSU walk off JU in the 11th
An unlikely hero ended a wild, final home midweek game of the 2024 season for the Florida State baseball team.
Lance Trippel hit a walk-off RBI single down the third-base line in the 11th inning as Florida State defeated Jacksonville 7-6 on Tuesday night. It was Trippel's seventh at-bat of the year, second hit and first RBI.
"It's really neat when a guy that works as hard as Lance works delivers the goods in a game like that," said FSU coach Link Jarrett, who noted Trippel was catching for pitchers who were throwing bullpen sessions. "... To hit the ball down the line, it's really cool for a kid that hasn't had many chances. And he understands that. We talked about it yesterday. There's a lot going on and he deserves to play. Today was his moment."
Cam Smith led off the inning with a walk. After James Tibbs III struck out, Marco Dinges drew a walk. Trippel then sent the 2-2 pitch down the third-base line and past a diving Tyler Hinrikus, touching off a wild celebration as FSU won a game that surpassed the four-hour mark.
FSU (36-10) had to rally from two runs down in the ninth to tie the game. Drew Faurot scored on a wild pitch, and DeAmez Ross came home with the game-tying run on a sac fly.
Ross also had a two-run home run, his first of 2024, for FSU in the third inning.
But JU maintained the lead for most of the game.
FSU trailed 6-4 going into the bottom of the ninth before rallying with the benefit of three walks and a wild pitch, which scored Faurot. Then an intentional pass to Tibbs loaded the bases, with Dinges' sac fly bringing home a sliding Ross.
John Abraham (3-1) pitched two scoreless innings for FSU, the 10th and 11th.
The Seminoles have swept the season series from JU, taking the first in March in Jacksonville 7-4 and the second in April in Tallahassee 5-3.
FSU drew nine walks in the final five innings of JU's relievers. The Dolphins fell to 22-24.
Tibbs made the best defensive play of the night for FSU, completing a double play by firing a rocket from right field to third to nail Will Gale at third base.
The Seminoles had to use six arms in a game that was a test of both teams' bullpens.
Andrew Armstrong started and gave up two runs. Ben Barrett got two quick outs in the third but ran into trouble and was tagged with two earned runs.
Joe Charles was effective, tossing 2.1 shutout innings. He allowed just one hit and no walks, striking out three.
Yoel Tejeda ran into some trouble, allowing two earned runs on three hits, two walks and a wild pitch. Brennen Oxford tossed 2.2 shutout innings, allowing one hit and a walk but striking out three.
Up next
FSU hits the road to play at Pittsburgh in a three-game series beginning on Friday. The Panthers are coached by Mike Bell, who was FSU's pitching coach for seven years before moving up to Pitt in 2018.
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