⚾: Lacey’s Grand Slam Not Enough at NC State

RALEIGH, N.C. – Florida State’s Logan Lacey tied the game at NC State with a seventh-inning grand slam, but the Seminoles (28-20, 19-15 ACC) fell 6-4 at Doak Field Thursday night in the opening game of the final regular season series.

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Luca Tresh hit two home runs for NC State (27-14, 18-13), including a two-run walk-off in the ninth inning against Hunter Perdue (1-2).

Bryce Hubbart pitched 5.0 innings, surrendering a leadoff home run in the second inning to Tresh. The Wolfpack added a run on a passed ball in the fourth inning before a two-run home run from Jonny Butler, the ACC’s leading hitter, gave NC State a 4-0 lead in the fifth inning.

Hubbart struck out six batters and walked three.

Reid Johnston struck out a career-high 13 over 6.2 innings. Johnston was perfect over the first three innings and FSU could not capitalize in the middle innings, stranding five runners that reached base on singles.

Lacey’s grand slam tied the game on Johnston’s 115^th pitch of the game. After Dylan Simmons and Nander De Sedas singled, Tyler Martin drew FSU’s first walk of the game before Lacey’s sixth home run of the season evened the score in the seventh inning at 4-4.

Tyler Ahearn recorded two outs in relief of Hubbart and left in the sixth inning with the bases loaded. Ross Dunn forced a first-pitch fielder’s choice to keep NC State up 4-0. After Lacey’s grand slam, the Wolfpack got two runners on to start the seventh off Dunn, but Hunter Perdue entered and struck out the next three batters, touching 97 to keep the score tied 4-4.

Perdue worked out of trouble in the eighth as well, stranding two runners in scoring position with his fourth strikeout.

Butler led off the ninth inning with a double before Tresh’s second home run of the night.

SCORING SUMMARY:

B2 | FSU 0, NCS 1    Tresh home run
B4 | FSU 0, NCS 2    Torres scored on passed ball; Tatum advanced to third
B5 | FSU 0, NCS 4    Butler home run, McDonough scored
T7 | FSU 4, NCS 4    Lacey home run, Simmons, De Sedas & T. Martin scored
B9 | FSU 4, NCS 6    Tresh home run, Butler scored

OF NOTE:

• Mat Nelson had two hits, his 19^th multi-hit game of the year. Nelson leads FSU with a .323 batting average and has reached base in 19 straight games. He also stole his fourth base of the year and threw out his 16^th runner of the season.
• Logan Lacey had two hits, including his sixth home run of the season and first career grand slam. Lacey has three of FSU’s last five home runs and the Seminoles have hit seven grand slams this year.
• Lacey has 16 multi-hit games this year, trailing only Nelson. His eight-game hitting streak is a career high.
• Nico Baldor and Dylan Simmons extended their hitting streaks to four and three, respectively. Simmons had his second multi-hit game of the year.
• After allowing two earned runs in his first appearance, freshman Ross Dunn has now thrown 11.0 innings over nine outings without allowing an ER.
• Hunter Perdue struck out four batters in two relief innings, tying a career high.
• Tyler Martin drew his ACC-best 44^th walk of the season and has reached base in 58 of 62 career starts. Robby Martin was hit by a pitch for the sixth time in his career (third in 2021).

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).