FSU baseball: Arnold shines again, Max William's home run lifts Noles over Miami

FSU baseball (28-5, 8-5 ACC) used another great outing from starting pitcher Jamie Arnold and a two-run home run from Max Williams in the bottom of the seventh to defeat Miami (16-17, 6-10 ACC) 5-4 in the opening game of their series Friday night. Arnold went seven innings, allowing three earned runs, four hits, two walks, and nine strikeouts to earn the win. FSU held a 5-3 lead when Andrew Armstrong entered the game in the top of the eighth and gave up a solo home run and hit a batter before Joe Charles relieved him. Charles got the first guy to fly out before inducing a 3-6-1 double play to get out of the jam. Charles pitched a flawless ninth inning to earn the save. FSU got on the board first in the bottom of the third inning.

Drew Faurot led the inning off with a double, and Alex Lodise executed a sac bunt to move him to third before Max Williams hit an RBI single. Cam Smith singled to centerfield, and James Tibbs walked to load the bases. Jaime Ferrer hit a big chopper to third, and the third baseman made an errant throw home to score Williams. Jaxson West lifted a sac-fly to center field to score Cam Smith for the 3-0 lead. Miami wouldn't go quietly, as they answered in the top of the fifth with three runs on three hits. Things were quiet until the bottom of the seventh when Alex Lodise reached on an error, and Max Williams launched a home run opposite field to take the lead for good. I mentioned Miami's record was deceiving in my preview, and it's the fourth consecutive loss by one run in ACC play for them. The Noles will send Brady Louck to the mound Saturday to try and clinch the series. Friday's game will begin at 6 p.m. and will air on the ACCNX channel.