FSU knocks off Wake Forest, will play for ACC Championship

The Florida State baseball team is now one victory away from winning the ACC Championship. And the Seminoles might already have done enough to claim a Top 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

With FSU already projected by D1Baseball.com to claim one of those important Top 8 seeds after recording wins against Georgia Tech and Virginia in pool play of the ACC Tournament, the Seminoles picked up another important win Saturday in the semifinals against Wake Forest.

Paced by a huge game from leadoff hitter Max Williams, who went 3-for-5 with a home run and 4 RBIs, Florida State rolled to a 9-6 victory Saturday and will play for the ACC Championship on Sunday at noon.

The Seminoles will face Duke, which knocked off Miami in the other semifinal.

FSU improved to 42-14, while Wake Forest fell to 38-20.

Other top hitters for Florida State were Daniel Cantu (2-for-4, 1 RBI) and Drew Faurot (2-for-4, 2 RBIs).

The Seminoles used five pitchers to get through the nine innings, including freshman John Abraham, who picked up the win to improve to 5-1 after pitching two scoreless innings.

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Release from FSU:

Charlotte, N.C. — Five-seed Florida State beat nine-seed Wake Forest, 9-6, Saturday afternoon at Truist Field to advance to the ACC Championship Game. With the win, the Seminoles will face either Duke or Miami in the title game.

Florida State (42-14) used five pitchers in the contest, including 2.0 scoreless, hitless innings from freshman John Abraham (5-1). Abraham has won two of FSU’s games in the ACC Championship. Junior Conner Whittaker earned his first save of the year, pitching the final 2.2 innings with three hits allowed.

Centerfielder Max Williams was 3-for-5 with a career-high four RBI for the Seminoles, including a two-run home run that extended FSU’s lead to 7-4 in the sixth inning. Daniel Cantu and Drew Faurot both had two hits and combined for three RBI and four runs.

Wake Forest (38-20) took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning, but the Seminoles answered immediately with three of their own in the bottom of the inning. Faurot’s two-run single in the third inning gave FSU a lead they would not relinquish.

After a solo home run in the sixth inning, Williams’ ninth home run of the year in the bottom of the frame extended FSU’s lead to three runs. The teams traded two runs in the seventh and eighth innings before Whittaker closed things out for FSU’s 19^th save of the year, most in the conference.

• Florida State has reached the ACC Championship Game for the 15^th time in 31 tournament appearances. FSU’s eight ACC titles are the most since joining the league in 1992.
• FSU improved to 10-4 in the ACC Championship against Wake Forest.
• FSU’s 42 wins are tied with regular season champion North Carolina for the most in the ACC.
• Florida State has scored 33 runs in the 2024 ACC Championship, its most in an ACC Championship since 2010 (34 in four games).
• The Noles are 7-0 in neutral site games this year.
• Max Williams had his fifth three-hit game of the season, going 3-for-5 with an RBI single and a two-run home run, his ninth of the year. He added an RBI groundout, setting a career high with four RBI.
• FSU has 105 home runs this season, a 50-home run improvement from last year. The Seminoles have a home run in 30 of the past 31 games and 51 of 56 games this season.
• Daniel Cantu tripled for the second consecutive game, his first two triples of the year. As a team, FSU has 16 triples, third in the ACC. Cantu has a nine-game hitting streak, matching his season long.
• Drew Faurot hit a two-run single and tied a career high with two stolen bases, improving to 10-for-10 on the season. Faurot is 8-for-11 with two doubles, a home run, six RBI and five runs scored in the ACC Championship.
• Cam Smith walked in the second inning, extending his on-base streak to nine games. He has reached in 55 of 56 games this year.
• Marco Dinges hit his 10^th double of the season, the seventh Nole in double digits.
• Jaime Ferrer was hit by a pitch for the 15^thtime this year, most on the team. His 44 career HBP are fifth in FSU history.
• Alex Lodise and Smith were both hit by a pitch for the eighth time, second on the team. Lodise has reached safely in 13 consecutive games, a career high.
• James Tibbs III was intentionally walked for the eighth time this year, most on the team. He has reached safely in a team-high 14 straight games.
• Conner Whittaker became the ninth Seminole with a save this season. FSU’s 19 saves are the most in the ACC.

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