Skip to main content
florida-state logo

No. 4 Seminoles get blasted in run-rule loss at No. 19 Louisville, drop series

On3 imageby:Corey Clark•about 15 hours•

Corey_Clark

On3 image
Florida State outfielder Gage Harrelson reacts after scoring one of the Seminoles' two runs Sunday at Louisville. (Courtesy of FSU Sports Information)

For the second game in a row, the Florida State bullpen had itself a bit of a meltdown.

And for the second game in a row, the Florida State offense did virtually nothing after the early innings.

The result was a 14-2 run-rule loss at Louisville on Sunday that gave the No. 19 Cardinals the series win over the No. 4 Seminoles.

Florida State is now 31-9 overall and 12-6, while the Cardinals improve to 30-13 and 12-9.

And as bad as the bullpen was on Sunday, it wasn’t like starter Wes Mendes was outstanding. He started the game by walking the leadoff hitter on four pitches. The next four batters went: home run, home run, walk, home run. So, after five batters, the Seminoles were down 5-0.

Mendes would end up righting the ship and pitching four scoreless innings afterward, but a leadoff walk in the sixth led to another Louisville run, and then the Cardinals just poured it on from there.

Peyton Prescott gave up four runs in 1 2/3 innings of relief, and John Abraham didn’t retire a single batter while allowing three hits and four earned runs himself, the last one a walk-off grand slam to Louisville’s Lucas Moore.

While Florida State’s bullpen struggled for the second game in a row, the Louisville bullpen shut down the FSU offense for a second straight day. The combination of TJ Schlageter and Brennyn Cutts allowed just two hits and zero runs in 4 2/3 innings of work. Florida State’s hitters only struck out once all game, but they grounded into three double plays.

Louisville’s bullpen over the final two games managed to pitch 9 1/3 innings, striking out four, walking just one batter and allowing five hits and zero runs.

Meanwhile, FSU’s bullpen pitched a total of 4 2/3 innings, striking out one, walking eight and allowing 12 hits and 14 earned runs.

The only offense the last two games for Florida State came from All-America candidate Alex Lodise. The shortstop had 3 RBIs and scored a run in the 9-4 loss on Saturday, and then he delivered a two-run double to account for the Seminoles’ only runs of the game Sunday.

Lodise had seven hits in the series and continues his candidacy for ACC and National Player of the Year honors.

Florida State plays again on Friday night against No. 2 Clemson, which was swept by N.C. State this weekend. The series will be played at Dick Howser Stadium.

*Sign up for premium access to Warchant.com and theOn3 Network*

*Talk about this story with other die-hard Florida State baseball fans in the FSU Baseball Forum*

You may also like