Seminoles' bullpen falters in 9-5 loss to Clemson

Clemson scored the final six runs Saturday to beat Florida State 9-5 and even the weekend series at Dick Howser Stadium.

Elijah Cabell hit his fourth career grand slam for the Seminoles (27-19, 18-14 ACC), but Clemson (24-22, 16-16) had four hits, three walks, two hit batters and four runs against the FSU bullpen.

Cabell’s grand slam flipped Clemson’s 3-1 advantage to a 5-3 FSU lead. It was his 14th home run of the season. Logan Lacey’s fifth home run of the year got FSU on the board in the first inning.

Starting pitcher Conor Grady pitched 5.1 innings and allowed four earned runs with seven strikeouts.

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Clemson took the early lead with three runs on four hits in the first inning. Sam Hall and Kier Meredith led off with back-to-back singles before James Parker plated a pair on a double in the left field corner.

Bryar Hawkins made it 3-0 Tigers with a single to left.

Lacey answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the first against Keyshawn Askew. Lacey has a six-game hitting streak, three extra-base hits and four RBI in the series against Clemson.

Cabell’s 14th home run of the season, a fifth-inning grand slam, turned the tide for the Seminoles and gave FSU a 5-3 lead. The two-out, two-strike home run came on Askew’s 100th pitch of the game and was Cabell’s fourth career grand slam. FSU loaded the bases on a Tyler Martin walk and back-to-back singles from Lacey and Mat Nelson.

The Tigers tied the game in the sixth on a passed ball and wild pitch but Jonah Scolaro stranded runners on the corners to prevent any further damage. Clemson scored three more in the seventh after the first four batters reached against Wyatt Crowell (1-2). Tyler Ahearn and Davis Hare also pitched in the inning.

OF NOTE:

- Logan Lacey hit his fifth home run of the season, extending his hit streak to six games. In two games against Clemson, the junior is 4-for-8 with two doubles, a home run, a single and four runs batted in.

- Lacey has 15 multi-hit games, second-most on the team. Lacey has at least two hits in three of his past four games.

- Mat Nelson doubled in the third inning, his team-high 14th of the season. He has a 17 game streak of reaching base and leads FSU with 18 multi-hit games.

- Elijah Cabell hit his fourth career grand slam, giving FSU a 5-3 lead. Cabell has 14 home runs this season and has reached base in 33 of his past 34 games.

- Cabell tied a career high with three hits.

- Tyler Martin drew his 42nd walk of the season, which leads the ACC. He has reached base in 56 of his 60 career starts.

- Nander De Sedas has been hit by 22 pitches in his career, but Saturday was his first time with two HBP in a game.

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