⚾️: Offense Explodes to Complete Sweep

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State (3-0) finished the series with a 17-10 win to sweep James Madison (0-3) on Sunday afternoon on Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium. Doug Kirkland earned his first career win coming in relief for 2.1 innings while James Tibbs III and Jordan Carrion had perfect days at the plate with seven hits on seven combined at-bats.

Tibbs set career highs Sunday, going 4-for-4 with a double, triple, three runs and four RBI. His home run traveled 411 feet and the triple was the first of his career. Carrion continued his incredible opening weekend with a 3-for-3 day hitting a single, double, and triple in that order.

Jamie Arnold made his collegiate and Seminole debut as he started on the mound. The freshman ended the first frame with authority on a 3-2 swinging strikeout to end the inning, earning his first career punchout. He pitched for 2.2 innings on 52 pitches and finished with two strikeouts.

Kirkland came in for his first appearance since 2020 to finish off the third. He forced the flyout to Jaime Ferrer to end the frame and retired the next five batters to send it to the sixth inning. The Orlando native finished with 2.1 innings of work on 34 pitches, striking out one batter and allowing just one hit.

Andrew Armstrong made his second appearance of the season and retired the first four batters he saw. The junior pitched for a clean 2.0 innings with two punchouts and no hits. Freshmen Ryan Denison and Brett Barfield made their first appearances, Denison conceding just one hit on four batters. Brandon Walker closed for the final out.

Cam Smith broke the 3-3 tie with a crushing hit over the right field fence, his first career home run and third hit of the series. Freshman Titan Kamaka hit his long ball up 15-3 on his first career at-bat, also providing the first multi-run homer of the season.

Ferrer and Colton Vincent also had standout performances as both of them had two hits. Ferrer scored the game’s first run with a double and singled in the fourth while Vincent hit an RBI double for the game’s second and third runs before hitting a single to lead off the fifth inning.

SCORING SUMMARY:

B1 | JMU 0, FSU 1        Ferrer doubled down the left side, scoring Tibbs III

B2 | JMU 0, FSU 3        Vincent doubled to right, scoring Carrion and De Sedas

T3 | JMU 1, FSU 3        Mancini doubled down the left side, scoring Schiavone

T3 | JMU 2, FSU 3        Mancini scored on a groundout to first

T3 | JMU 3, FSU 3        Lee singled to shallow right, scoring Dunaway

B3 | JMU 3, FSU 4        Smith homered to right

B3 | JMU 3, FSU 6        Carrion doubled down the left side, scoring Tibbs III and Ferrer

B3 | JMU 3, FSU 7        De Sedas singled to right, scoring Carrion

B4 | JMU 3, FSU 8        Tibbs III homered to center

B4 | JMU 3, FSU 10      Carrion tripled to right, scoring Ferrer and Bush

B5 | JMU 3, FSU 13      Tibbs III tripled to right, scoring Vincent and Ross, Tibbs III scoring on a throwing error by 2B

B6 | JMU 3, FSU 15      Rank tripled to right, scoring Bush and Putz

B8 | JMU 3, FSU 17      Kamaka homered to left, scoring Rank

T9 | JMU 4, FSU 17       Steinburg scored on a groundout to first

T9 | JMU 5, FSU 17       Peifer singled to the mound, scoring Mancini

T9 | JMU 6, FSU 17       Dooley walked home on loaded bases

T9 | JMU 7, FSU 17       Peifer scored on a fielding error by SS

T9 | JMU 10, FSU 17     Steinburg doubled to left, scoring Trimble, Painter, and McDonald

UP NEXT:

Florida State will now take I-10 east to face Jacksonville on Tuesday at 6 p.m. before flying out to Fort Worth for a three-game weekend series against No. 15 TCU from February 24-26.

OF NOTE:

• Jordan Carrion had two more extra-base hits Sunday, with a two-run double and two-run triple. The triple was the second of his career and he hit 7-for-11 with three doubles, a triple, seven RBI and three runs scored in the series against James Madison.
• James Tibbs III hit his first home run of the season and the first triple of his career. He was 4-for-4 with four RBI and three runs – all career bests – and finished a double shy of the cycle.
• Treyton Rank also hit his third career triple to score two runs. FSU had three triples for the first time since April 24, 2019 vs. Stetson.
• FSU’s 20 hits are the most since the Noles had 20 vs. FAU in the 2019 Athens Regional.
• Dating to Saturday, Jaime Ferrer reached in five consecutive plate appearances, with two more hits and an HBP on Sunday.
• Designated hitter Cade Bush made his second career start – and first as DH. He recorded the first two hits of his career.
• Freshman pitcher Jamie Arnold made his first collegiate appearance and first start. He threw 2.2 innings with two strikeouts.
• Colton Vincent had a two-run double in the second inning. Through three games, Vincent is hitting 5-for-8 with three extra-base hits (two doubles, home run). In 58 games in 2022, Vincent had six XBH (all doubles).
• Doug Kirkland made his first appearance since 2020, pitching 2.1 innings for his first career win. Kirkland was injured prior to the 2021 season and his last game played was March 11, 2020 against Illinois State.
• Freshman Cam Smith broke a 3-3 tie with a solo home run to start the bottom of the third inning. He is the second Nole in two games to break a tie on his first career home run (Vincent).
• Freshmen Jude Putz, Lance Trippel, Ryan Denison, Titan Kamaka and Brett Barfield made their first career appearances. Putz and Trippel both drew walks in their first plate appearance in the sixth inning. Jordan Taylor earned his first career hit as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning, and Kamaka hit a two-run home in his first career at-bat in the eighth.

For more information on Florida State baseball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, and keep up with the team on social media through Twitter and Facebook (@FSUBaseball) & Instagram and TikTok (@NoleBaseball).