FSU baseball avoids choke job, Lodise hits grand slam for the cycle to walk off Gators

FSU baseball (21-3, 5-1 ACC) had a 3-2 lead going into the ninth inning, and a lead-off walk scored on a two-out double to tie the game before another single gave Florida a 4-3 lead.

The FSU offense loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth on two walks and a hit-by-pitch, and Alex Lodise hit a grand slam to walk off the Gators with an 8-4 win.

It was good to see the lead-off walks scoring went both ways.

That grand slam gave Lodise the cycle, with a single, double, triple, and home run in the game. He had four of the eight FSU hits and four RBI.

Florida has ONE hit going into the ninth inning and was gifted the two runs they scored on walks and passed balls.

FSU batters struck out 14 times and had eight hits and five walks. They scored one run in the bottom of the first and two in the bottom of the fourth on a Brody DeLamielleure home run.

The bats went silent after that, with Florida pitchers racking up tons of strikeouts. Florida's Alex Philpott struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth before getting rattled in the bottom of the ninth to take the loss.

That was a win FSU desperately needed, even more so after having the lead for nearly the entire game and nearly choking the game away with only allowing three hits. The perception would have been the best team in the ACC can't beat a team that's winless in the SEC.

John Abraham 2.2 innings, allowing one hit, one earned run, two walks, and three strikeouts. Joe Charles went three innings, allowing one earned run, two walks, and four strikeouts. Chris Knier went three innings, allowing two earned runs, two walks, and three strikeouts.

Hudson Rowan got the final out for the Noles in the top of the ninth to relieve Knier.

It was good to see the team didn't fold under the pressure against a major rival. They easily could have quit and found a way to win.