TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (SEMINOLES.COM) — No. 17 Florida State, back in the rankings after a sweep of in-state rivals Florida and Miami, extended its win streak to six with a walk-off walk Wednesday against UCF. The Seminoles (11-6) were hit by two pitches and drew three walks to score a pair of runs in the bottom of the 10th against the Knights (9-11), who scored on a throwing error in the top of the inning.
Florida State’s top three hitters fueled the Seminoles Wednesday, accounting for five of FSU’s six hits, five RBI and five runs scored.
Leadoff hitter Tyler Martin was 3-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored. His fifth-inning home run came with two outs and was the first of his career. Catcher Mat Nelson, hitting in the two-hole, followed Martin’s home run with his eighth of the year, tied for the most in the ACC. Nelson has a home run in five of the past six games and the Seminoles have hit back-to-back home runs three times in the past five games.
Nelson’s infield fly pop up in the 10th inning, with the bases loaded, allowed Ryan Romano to score and tie the game at 5-5. Three batters later, Reese Albert drew a bases loaded walk for the win.
Carson Montgomery had half of FSU’s 18 strikeouts, allowing a pair of runs with nine strikeouts in four innings. Six pitchers followed Montgomery, capped off by Hunter Perdue in the 10th to earn his first career win.
FSU has struck out at least 10 batters in 14 straight games, and has at least nine in all 17 games this season.
Robby Martin started the scoring with a two-run, two-out double in the third inning off UCF starter Kenny Serwa. The Knights responded in the next inning on Pablo Ruiz’s two-run single that tied the score.
After Tyler Martin and Nelson’s home runs in the fifth, UCF tied the game again in the eighth inning on an RBI single and groundout. Davis Hare worked around a runner on third with just one out to keep the game tied.
UCF took its first lead in the 10th inning on a throwing error from Nander De Sedas that allowed the lead runner to score. It snapped a span of 37 innings without an error.
Romano was hit by two pitches, the second starting off the 10th inning by reliever David Litchfield (2-2). Pinch hitter Elijah Cabell followed with a hit by pitch and Tyler Martin walked to load the bases for Nelson. His infield fly allowed Romano to score, Robby Martin was intentionally walked and Albert won the game on the bases loaded walk.
The three walks from UCF in the 10th inning were their first allowed of the game.
FSU is back in action Friday night for a three-game series against Wake Forest (6-8). All three games will stream on the ACC Network Extra, with Friday’s opener starting at 6:00 p.m. at Dick Howser Stadium.
For more information on Florida State baseball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, or keep up with the team on social media through Twitter (@FSUBaseball), Facebook (/FSUBaseball), and Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
