April 25, 2009

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida State pitcher Brian Busch threw a strong 6 2/3 innings and the 21st-ranked Seminoles held off a Wake Forest rally in the ninth inning to win 6-4 and clinch the series on Saturday night at Dick Howser Stadium.

Wake Forest falls to 20-22 and 6-17 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, while Florida State improves to 29-12 and 14-6 in league play.

Trailing 6-4 entering the ninth inning, Wake Forest was able to rally and load the bases with one out, but couldn't push across any runs. Tyler Smith struck out swinging to lead off the inning. Mike Murray hit a pinch-hit double down the right-field line. Evan Ocheltree came on as a pinch hitter and struck out swinging. The strike three pitch got by the FSU catcher, allowing Ocheltree to reach at first. Steven Brooks drew a walk to load the bases. Austin Stadler struck out looking for the second out of the inning. Dustin Hood grounded into a fielder's choice as Brooks was retired at second to end the game.

Wake Forest assistant coach Jon Palmieri was ejected in the ninth inning for arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire Ken Couch.

Brooks led Wake Forest at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Hood added two hits for his 15th multi-hit game of the season. Hood also recorded the 250th hit of his career in the game, placing him a tie for eighth with Tommy Gregg on the Wake Forest career hits list. Ian Tomkins hit his second home run of the season in the game.

Stuart Tapley led Florida State with two hits and also scored two runs. Mike Meschke drove in two runs on his first home run of the season.

Busch earned the win on the mound for FSU to improve to 3-2 on the season. Busch allowed four runs on five hits in 6 2/3 innings, while striking out six. Jimmy Marshall picked up his seventh save of the season by tossing a scoreless ninth.

Phil Negus suffered the loss for the Demon Deacons to fall to 2-4 on the year. Negus gave up five runs on six hits, struck out five and walked two. Ryan McGrath and Zach White each turned in scoreless relief appearances.

Florida State jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the bottom of the second. Tapley hit a one-out double down the left-field line and came around to score when Tommy Oravetz singled off the right-field fence. After Ohmed Danesh flied out to center for the second out of the inning, Meschke hit his first home run of the season over the right-center field fence to make the score 3-0.

The Deacs got a run back in the top of the third. After Busch retired the first seven Demon Deacon batters, Tomkins hit a 2-2 pitch to the opposite field and over the right-center field wall for his second home run of the season to make the score 3-1. Micah Jarrett and Brooks followed with consecutive bunt singles to put runners at first and second with one out. Shane Kroker grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Wake Forest was able to cut the lead to one with a two-out rally in the top of the fourth. Carlos Lopez started the rally with a hit by pitch. Bentley Heyman ripped a single to center field to advance Lopez to second. Smith drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases. A wild pitch from Busch allowed Lopez to score and make the score 3-2.

The Seminoles answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jason Stidham led off the inning with a double down the left-field line. Negus came back to strike out Tapley and Oravetz. Danesh singled through the right side to bring home Stidham for Florida State's fourth run of the game.

Florida State added a run in the bottom of the sixth. After the first two batters of the inning were retired, Tapley lined a single into left-center field and moved to second on a stolen base. Oravetz and Danesh walked to load the bases with two outs. Tapley touched home when Negus threw a wild pitch to give the Seminoles a 5-2 lead.

Wake Forest struck for two runs in the top of the seventh. Heyman led off the inning with a walk. Smith and Tomkins each popped out for the first two outs of the inning. Jarrett fell behind 0-2 in his at-bat, but battled back to draw a walk in a nine pitch plate appearance. Brooks laced a two-out, two-RBI double to the left-center field alley to score both Heyman and Jarrett and cut the lead to 5-4.

The Seminoles added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Rafael Lopez opened the inning with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. Holt reached on a bunt single to advance Lopez to third. Cardullo hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Lopez to make the score 6-4.

Wake Forest had a chance to claw back in the game in the top of the eighth but good defense from Florida State kept the Demon Deacons off the scoreboard. Hood reached on a single to center, the 250th hit of his career, to lead off the inning. Weldon Woodall reached on a fielder's choice as Hood was thrown out at second for the first out of the inning. Carlos Lopez drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Heyman hit a line drive to right-center field but Holt raced over to make the catch and threw Woodall, who had already rounded third and was headed home, out at second to end the inning.

Florida State missed a scoring chance in the bottom of the eighth. Tapley led off the inning with a walk and moved to third when White threw wildly to first on a failed pickoff attempt. White threw a pitch that got past Tomkins, but he was able to get the ball and throw home to White to retire Tapley who was attempting to score. White got the next two batters to strike out to end the inning.

The Demon Deacons and Seminoles conclude their three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m. Wake Forest has yet to announce a starter for the series finale, while Florida State will send Mike McGee (3-2, 4.58) to the hill.