AUBURN, ALA. (Seminoles.com) — Fifth-year senior Jonah Scolaro allowed just one run and struck out a career high nine batters, but UCLA (40-23) got a ninth-inning home run to knock off Florida State (34-25) 2-1 Sunday in an elimination game at the Auburn Regional.
Scolaro was making his 120th career pitching appearance – fourth in FSU history – but just his third start. His nine strikeouts and 6.1 innings pitched were career highs, and the sole run allowed was a seventh inning home run to Kyle Karros.
After teams traded zeros through five innings, freshman Jaime Ferrer broke the scoreless tie with a solo home run in the sixth against Kelly Austin. Karros tied the game on the first pitch of the seventh inning.
Wyatt Crowell and Davis Hare (1-4) each threw 1.1 innings for the Seminoles, with Hare allowing a solo home run to Carson Yates in the ninth inning that proved to be the game winner.
James Tibbs singled to start the ninth against Alonzo Tredwell (4-1), but pinch runner Isaiah Perry made it only as far as second base before back-to-back strikeouts ended the game and Florida State’s season.
SCORING SUMMARY:
B6 | UCLA 0, FSU 1 Ferrer home run
T7 | UCLA 1, FSU 1 Karros home run
T9 | UCLA 2, FSU 1 Yates home run
OF NOTE:
- Fifth-year senior Jonah Scolaro made his 120th career pitching appearance – fourth most in FSU history – and his third career start. He threw six scoreless innings before a home run in the seventh inning, the first earned run he has allowed over 13.1 innings in those three starts.
- Scolaro set career-highs with 6.1 innings pitched, 9 strikeouts and 91 pitches.
- Jaime Ferrer got FSU on the board with his ninth home run and leads FSU with 70 hits, the most for a Seminole freshman since DJ Stewart had 82 in 2013. Stewart is also the last Seminole to lead the team in hits.
- Ferrer extended his hitting streak to 10 games, tying his career high and the longest active streak on the team. He has reached safely in 13 straight games.
- Ferrer is the first Seminole since Taylor Walls in 2015 to start every game in their freshman season.
- Tyler Martin singled in his first at-bat and has a five-game hitting streak in the NCAA Tournament. He has reached safely in 24 of his 26 games this season.
- Brett Roberts singled and has a hit in his first three career NCAA Tournament games.
- James Tibbs had two hits – his 12th multi-hit game of the season – and his fourth outfield assist (and second of the NCAA Tournament).
