WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Wake Forest (13-1) scored nine consecutive runs in Friday’s series opener against No. 8 Florida State (8-5), topping the Seminoles 9-3 at Couch Ballpark in the conference opener for both teams.
Parker Messick (2-1) struck out 11 Wake hitters, but three fifth-inning runs dealt the left-hander his first loss since February 2021, a span of 17 starts and 10 decisions.
The Seminoles led 2-0 through four innings, with a run against Wake Forest starter Rhett Lowder (4-0) in the second and third inning. The Noles took a 1-0 lead on Colton Vincent’s bases-loaded walk in the second and Logan Lacey plated Brett Roberts on a double in the third.
Messick struck out 11 Wake Forest batters, his most in a road game in his career. He worked around trouble in the first inning, but after Danny Corona’s solo home run cut the lead in half, Adam Cecere lined a two-out, two-strike single to right field that gave Wake a 3-2 lead.
Wake Forest added four runs in the sixth inning on three singles and a three-run home run from Corona, his second of the game. Corona finished with six RBI after a two-run single in the eighth inning.
Brock Mathis hit his second home run as a Seminole to lead off the ninth inning. He entered in place of Vincent behind the plate in the seventh inning.
