Dinges blasts grand slam to help FSU Baseball roll past Louisville, 8-3
A fifth-inning grand slam from designated hitter Marco Dinges gave the Florida State baseball team some breathing room, and the Seminoles’ pitching staff suffocated Louisville for most of the night in an 8-3 victory Thursday at Dick Howser Stadium.
The grand slam was one of three hits on the night for Dinges, who also delivered two doubles and 5 RBIs. The win, in the first game of a three-game ACC series, lifted FSU’s record to 21-3 (4-3 in the ACC) while Louisville falls to 16-10 (2-5).
“Clearly you have to have guys deliver at [key] moments if you’re going to play the game at a high level and be a competitive team,” Florida State coach Link Jarrett said. “Somebody’s got to deliver, and Marco did that today.”
Sophomore right-hander Cam Leiter picked up the win on the mound to improve to 5-1 on the year. He allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits in 5 2/3 innings, and 12 of the 17 outs he recorded were by strikeout. It was a solid bounce-back effort after a disappointing performance last weekend at Clemson.
Junior right-hander Joe Charles earned the save for Florida State by pitching three scoreless innings to end the game. He struck out four while allowing no hits or walks.
Charles actually entered the game with the bases loaded and no outs in the seventh inning, and he recorded back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout to end the threat.
“The difference in the game was Joe Charles,” Jarrett said. “You have the bases loaded and nobody out, and somebody’s got to answer and respond. … He owned that moment today, and it was the difference in the game.”
As a staff, Florida State’s pitchers recorded 17 strikeouts while allowing four walks.
Dinges led the Seminoles’ offense by going 3-for-4, and he was helped by leadoff batter Max Williams (2-for-5) and third baseman Cam Smith (2-for-4).
Florida State and Louisville will square off in Game 2 of the series on Friday at 6 p.m.
Here are additional notes courtesy of FSU Sports Information:
- FSU’s six grand slams are two shy of the school-record eight hit in 1996.
- Dinges set or tied career highs with two doubles, five RBI, three runs, three hits and eight total bases. Dinges accounted for all three of FSU’s extra-base hits.
- Max Williams led off the game with a bunt single to extend his hitting streak to a career-long five games. He added a second infield single in the third inning and had FSU’s first two hits of the night.
- Cam Smith singled and drew a walk, extending his on-base streak to 34 games. Jaime Ferrer was hit by a pitch in the third inning to push his on-base streak to 30 games.
- Faurot and Smith extended their hit streaks to four games; Dinges has reached safely in six straight.
- DeAmez Ross made his 52nd appearance for the Seminoles but first off the bench. Ross had missed the previous seven games due to injury. He scored on Dinges’ seventh-inning double from first base.
- FSU has a home run in 21 of 24 games this season.
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