FSU baseball: 4 major takeaways from Noles Super Regional win over UConn

FSU Bullpen

The FSU bullpen pitched 10.1 innings in the Super Regional against UConn. However, 3.2 innings were with the game well in hand as the Noles had a large lead for the entirety of game one. FSU used some guys who haven't pitched many innings, but it was good to see them eat up a few outs without issuing multiple walks and allowing UConn to build some offensive confidence for game two. That wasn't the case in game two. Brennen Oxford entered the game with a 6-4 lead, with two runners on base and one out. He got a pop-up for the second out before walking the next batter to load the bases. The next batter hit a double off the wall to clear the bases and give UConn a 7-6 lead. Oxford settled in nicely afterward, sitting UConn down in order in the seventh and getting two outs in the eighth before walking a batter and exiting the game for Joe Charles. Charles promptly threw a ball into rightfield on a pickoff attempt, putting a runner at third base with two outs. FSU intentionally walked a batter before Charles got the third out with a fly ball to right field with the game tied at 7-7 off of a Jaxson West home run. That was a big out by Joe Charles after pitching in Friday's game. The next decision by Link Jarrett nearly backfired, bringing Conner Hults into the game to start the top of the ninth.

UConn did just that and hit a game-tying home run off a hanging curveball. I didn't understand the decision when UConn is a right-handed dominant hitting team, and they had already seen Hults the day before. I don't know why Joe Charles wasn't left in to start the ninth, or why Conner Whittaker didn't start the ninth if he was available. It all worked out, but FSU would have been at a severe disadvantage had they had to play a game three on Sunday. Nevertheless, the FSU bullpen showed it could get some big outs in high-leverage situations. It's an area they struggled with at times in the regular season.