Strong start, clutch Carson Dorsey help FSU earn series split vs. NC State
The weather-induced cancellation of Saturday's second game of the Florida State-NC State baseball series put a lot of pressure on the Seminoles for Sunday's series finale.
Win the finale and you split the two-game series. But lose the final game and you find yourself on the wrong side of a abbreviated weekend sweep, exactly the type of thing FSU is trying to avoid to preserve its postseason hosting resume.
Thankfully for the Seminoles, they left little room for doubt in Sunday's series finale. A four-run first inning and a remarkably clutch start from Carson Dorsey allowed the No. 7 Seminoles (35-10, 14-9 in ACC) to coast to an 8-1 win over the Wolfpack (26-18, 13-10) Sunday afternoon at Dick Howser Stadium.
"Clearly a big win," FSU head coach Link Jarrett said after the win. "They're a good team. You can see why and how they've beaten the people they've beaten this year."
In the bottom of the first, FSU took a 2-0 lead two batters into the inning. Third baseman Cam Smith smashed a two-run home run to left-center -- his 10th of the season -- after Max Williams led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch.
FSU added another run that inning on a botched double play and a fourth on a two-out double from Alex Lodise.
NC State bounced right back with a run in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly. But that wound up being the only run they tagged Dorsey for in his 5.2 innings of work.
That's not to say the Wolfpack didn't have myriad opportunities against the junior lefty. He allowed six hits, issued four walks and hit a batter. But time and time, Dorsey got out of the jams he found himself in, limiting NC State to one hit in 11 at-bats with runners on base (.091) and hitless in six at-bats with runners in scoring position.
"Some guys seem to dial it up (in adverse situations)..." Jarrett said of Dorsey's clutch pitching Sunday. "When he's gone in and started and had to deal some stuff, maybe the feel for the game and the rhythm of the game has helped him. He dealt with it today a lot."
After Sunday's successful outing, Dorsey now has a 3.10 ERA across his five starts since entering the weekend rotation at Boston College.
When Dorsey couldn't get the final out of the sixth inning and loaded the bases with a two-out walk, FSU turned to Connor Hults out of the bullpen. He allowed a line drive to center field off the bat of Eli Serrano III. However, a diving catch by a charging DeAmez Ross robbed him of a hit and got FSU out of another jam unscathed.
"The play of the game was DeAmez, the catch..." Jarrett said. "If he doesn't come up with that, that ball is sitting on the warning track in center field and is probably an inside-the-park home run. Game-changing moment."
Meanwhile, when FSU loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth, it didn't miss its opportunity. The Seminoles added three more runs on a bases-loaded fielder's choice where no play could be made, a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly.
Hults picked up right where he left off after getting out of the jam he inherited, setting down the first nine batters he faced over the seventh through ninth innings before allowing an infield single with two outs in the ninth. His 3.1 innings of one-hit relief work with four strikeouts earned him his fourth save of the season, making him the new team leader.
Cal Fisher, starting at second base in Sunday's series finale, also homered in the game. His fourth-inning solo homer was his fifth of the season and his fourth in 25 at-bats in ACC play.
Up Next
FSU stays at home for a midweek game vs. Jacksonville on Tuesday at 6 p.m. (ACC Network Extra) before hitting the road for the final weekend series away from home of the regular season next week at Pitt that begins Friday at 6 p.m. (ACCNX).
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