FSU’s DeLuzio, Raleigh spark win over BGSU
Florida State planned to not take the Bowling Green State University baseball team lightly.
But the Seminoles needed some late-game magic to outlast the visiting Falcons on Friday night.
Ben DuLuzio’s triple highlighted a six-run outburst in the bottom of the eighth inning, and Ed Voyles picked up the victory in relief as FSU beat BGSU 6-1 in front of 3,737 people at Dick Howser Stadium.
The Seminoles were well on their way to a puzzling loss at home until they batted around the order in the penultimate frame of the game.
DeLuzio drove in Quincy Nieporte and Dylan Busby after Nieporte got the scoreless Seminoles on the board with an RBI double that was nearly caught by a diving Kory Brown in center field for the Falcons.
“Those are the times when you have to battle through adversity and stay composed,” said Deluzio, who was 2 for 4 on the night.
Cal Raleigh, who led off the inning with a double high off the right field fence and advanced to third after a wild pitch, finished the game with two doubles.
DeLuzio scored on a pass ball, and John Sansone drove in two more runs with an RBI double to give the Seminoles their 30th victory of the season.
With runners in scoring position, Bowling Green took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning thanks to a slow comebacker up the third base side by left fielder Matt Smith.
FSU starter Mike Compton could have ended the inning earlier with a double play, but threw Taylor Walls off second base on the throw, resulting in an error. Compton was removed from the game after the run scored.
“We didn’t do anything that was out of the ordinary except we didn’t take the ball and throw it to second base like we’ve done for a long time,” FSU coach Mike Martin said.
BGSU tried to increase its lead in the sixth inning, but Brown was thrown out at home by Walls on a relay from left field.
BGSU skipper Danny Schmitz and Brown, who was running from first base, tried to plead their case to the home plate umpire, but Brown was ruled out.
“I haven’t looked at the replay. I don’t know if he’s save or out, but it was a bang, bang play,” Raleigh said. “The umpire made the call, and I thought it was a good call.”
Voyles came on in relief to keep the Seminoles in the game, and Tyler Warmoth came on in the ninth inning to strike out two of four batters.
Martin said Tyler Holton will start in Saturday’s game at 6 p.m., and freshman reliever Andrew Karp is also expected to see the mound against the Falcons.
“We’re going to try to get a lot of guys some work the next two days because we’ve got to,” Martin said. “We’re approaching the postseason.”
•Martin also said pitcher Jim Voyles, who was hit in the head after a comeback hit two weeks ago, will have a CAT scan on Monday to determine his playing status.
Florida State vs.
Bowling Green State
» When/Where: Today, 6 p.m.,
Howser Stadium
» Radio: 106.1 FM
Seminoles honored pregame
Twelve FSU student-athletes were honored before Saturday’s game with a quick graduation ceremony on the field.
FSU baseball coach Mike Martin had a heartfelt praise for school president John Thrasher, who was in New York with his wife, Jean, earlier in the day and barely made it back in town for the pregame festivities.
“They did everything they possible could to get here for the ceremony, and they got her right at the end of it,” Martin said.
“But how classy? How fitting to have the leader of our university scrapping to get to a baseball game to watch a graduation ceremony? It just goes to show you how lucky — how lucky — we are to have John Thrasher as our president. That’s over and above.”
FSU baseball players honored: Mike Compton and Tyler Warmoth for Master’s in Marketing, Matthew Kinney for Master’s in Sport Management, Hayden Kelly and John Sansone for Bachelor’s in Sport Management, Alex Deise earned a Bachelor’s degree in political science, and Nick Graganella earned a Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Social Science.
FSU softball’s Victoria East earned a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology while Alex Powers received a Bachelor’s degree in Sport Management.
Track & Field members Kellion Knibb earned a Bachelor’s in Editing, Writing & Media, Georgia Peel earned a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and Zak Seddon received a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology.