April 24, 2009

Box Score | Box Score in PDF Format

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida State's Mike McGee went 3-for-4 at the plate with six RBIs and five runs scored to lead the 21st-ranked Seminoles to a 15-6 victory over Wake Forest on Friday night at Dick Howser Stadium.

Wake Forest falls to 20-21 overall and 6-16 in ACC play, while Florida State improves to 28-12 and 13-7 in ACC play.

Dustin Hood led Wake Forest at the plate with two hits and a career-high four RBIs. Micah Jarrett added two hits and scored a run. Tyler Smith went 1-for-2 at the dish with two runs scored.

McGee had a career night at the plate for the Seminoles with three hits and recorded new career highs in RBIs (6) and runs scored (5). Stephen Cardullo added three hits for Florida State and scored four runs. Stuart Tapley drove in three runs and had two hits.

Freshman Sean Gilmartin earned the win to improve to 8-1 on the season. Gilmartin threw five innings and allowed four runs on six hits. Garrett Bullock suffered the loss for the Demon Deacons to drop to 1-2. Bullock gave up four runs on four hits in 2 2/3 innings.

Wake Forest had scoring chances throughout the game, putting the leadoff runner on base in seven of the nine innings. The Deacs left nine men on base for the game.

The Demon Deacons struck first with a run in the top of the first. Steven Brooks led off the game with a double off the wall in right-center field. Shane Kroker advanced Brooks to third with a groundout to second. Hood hit the first pitch he saw through the left side to score Brooks.

FSU answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the first. Cardullo reached on an infield single with one out and moved to second when McGee walked. Cardullo and McGee each moved up a base on a double steal. Bullock got Jason Stidham to fly out to shallow left to keep runners at second and third. Tapley cleared the bases with a two-RBI double to the alley in left-center field.

The Deacs had a great chance to tie the game in the top of the second. Smith led off the inning with a hard-hit single to center and moved to second on a stolen base. Jarrett hit a deep fly ball to center to advance Smith to third. Gilmartin worked his way out of the jam by striking out Evan Ocheltree and Brooks to end the inning.

Wake Forest tied the game with a run in the top of the third. Kroker led off the inning with a single through the left side and moved to second on a wild pitch. He advanced to third when Hood grounded out on a slow chopper to the third baseman. Mike Murray plated Kroker on a groundout to second.

Florida State regained the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third. Cardullo hit a one-out double and moved to third on a stolen base. McGee brought in Cardullo with a double of his own to make the score 3-2. McGee stole third and came home to score on a wild pitch.

The Deacs got a run closer with a run in the top of the fourth. Smith was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and moved to second on a single to center by Jarrett. Ocheltree drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. Brooks scored Smith on a ground out to short to make the score 4-3. With runners at second and third and one out, the Deacs could not score the tying run as Kroker grounded out to third and Hood lined out to short to end the threat.

The Seminoles stretched their lead to five runs with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Ohmed Damesh doubled off the wall in right-center field to lead off the inning. A single to left field by Rafael Lopez moved Damesh to third. After Holt popped out to third for the first out of the inning, Cardullo hit a liner that went off Michael Dimock and into shallow right field, allowing Damesh to score and sending Lopez to third. McGee followed with his 14th home run of the season, a three-run jack over the left-center field fence to make the score 8-3.

Wake Forest trimmed the Florida State lead to two with three runs in the top of the sixth thanks to clutch hitting from Hood. The Deacs load the bases with no outs. Brooks struck out swinging for the first out and Kroker popped out to second for the second out of the inning. Hood poked a bases-clearing double that landed just inside the right-field line to make the score 8-6.

Florida State extended the lead back to five with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Holt led off the inning with a single. Cardullo drew a walk. Holt was running on ball four and moved to third when Murray's throw to second went into center field. McGee hit a ground ball to short and Holt was thrown out at the plate for the first out of the inning. Stidham doubled down the right-field line to score Cardullo for FSU's ninth run of the game. A sacrifice fly to center scored McGee. Stidham made the score 11-6 when he scored on a wild pitch.

The Seminoles broke the game open with four runs in the bottom of the seventh. With the bases loaded and two outs, McGee chopped a double over the head of Kroker at third to score Danesh and Lopez. Holt came across to score on a wild pitch. McGee closed the scoring by crossing the plate on a passed ball.

Wake Forest and Florida State continue the three-game series on Saturday at 6 p.m. Phil Negus (2-3, 8.52) will take the mound for the Deacs, while the Seminoles will give the ball to Brian Busch (2-2, 3.91). The game will be available on ACC Select.