FSU baseball: Late offensive barrage sends Noles past Mercer

FSU baseball (13-8, 8-7 ACC) almost wasted an outstanding start from pitcher Jackson Anderson Wednesday evening.

Anderson had a perfect game through 6.2 innings, but a homerun with two-outs took away the no-hitter, shutout, and perfect game.

However, the FSU offense responded in the bottom half of the frame to give the Noles an 8-1 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Anderson finished the game with six strikeouts and zero walks. The FSU bullpen came in and allowed two consecutive hits and a walk before getting out of a bases-loaded jam to end the threat.

The FSU defense was solid and made all of the routine plays behind him. However, the FSU offense continued to struggle early, and two baserunning miscues cost them scoring opportunities.

Tyler Martin was picked off first base when the batter pulled the bat back on a called ball. The catcher snapped a throw down to first and got him out. He was originally ruled safe, but the replay showed he was out.

The Noles had runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the third when Tyler Martin hit a line drive to right field for an out and doubled up Colten Vincent off second base for the double play.

The runner on third would have scored easily on the sacrifice fly, and FSU would have had a runner on second base with two outs.

FSU got hot in the bottom of the seventh inning, with Robby Martin hitting a rocket up the middle for a single. Elijah Cabell hit a towering no-doubt home run to give the Noles a 2-1 lead.
Reese Albert singled, and Wyatt Crowell hit a triple to centerfield to score Albert, which gave the Noles a 3-1 lead. Vincent Smith lifted a flyball to the outfield for a sac-fly to score Crowell to make it 4-1.

Colton Vincent walked and advanced to second base on a wild pitch, and Tyler Martin singled to centerfield to score Vincent to make it 5-1. The Noles scored another run on a wild pitch with the bases loaded, and Elijah Cabell got his second hit of the inning and drove in two runs to make it 8-1.

Cabell finished the game 2-4 with four RBI’s, and Jackson Greene chipped in with two hits.

The Noles were without Matheu Nelson and Nander De Sedas, and Logan Lacey continues to be out of the lineup with a hamstring injury.

The Noles will resume ACC play Friday at 6 p.m ET in Tallahassee against North Carolina.