Eagles stun No. 4 Noles 11-8 in 10
TALLAHASSEE – Behind a trio of home runs by Jake Noll and Tyler Selesky on Wednesday, the FGCU Eagles pulled off one of their biggest upsets with an 11-8 victory over No. 4 Florida State in 10 innings.
After Noll’s second home run of the game in the top of the eighth extended the Eagles’ lead to 8-4, the Seminoles (32-15) countered with a pair of runs in each of their next two at-bats to force extra innings.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Matt Henderson doubled to right-center before Taylor Walls hit his second homer of the game over the fence in right to tie the game 8-8.
In the 10th, Matt Reardon drew a one-out walk and advanced all the way to third when Tyler Warmoth’s pickoff attempt skipped past first base. Three pitches later, Jake Smith, who went 3-for-5 and extended his hit streak to six games, hit a sac-fly to score Reardon and give the Eagles (22-25) the lead back 9-8.
With two outs, Noll singled through the left side of the infield ahead of Selesky’s homer to make it 11-8.
The win is the Eagles’ second in a row over the Seminoles at their home ballpark. The Eagles also claimed a 5-0 win over then-No. 7 FSU last season.
Additionally, with FSU appearing at No. 4 in Collegiate Baseball’s latest poll, the Noles are the highest-ranked opponent FGCU has defeated since winning 5-1 over then-No 2 FSU in 2012.
“Our guys just kept grinding and were able to find a way to get things done,” said Eagles coach Dave Tollett. “We had a plan going in of never letting them see the same guy twice and were able to hold them to seven hits. We’ve swung the bats well the last few games, and it was big to be able to get this win today.”
FGCU didn’t waste any time in getting on the scoreboard as 10 Eagles stepped to the plate in the top of the first inning as the Eagles built a 5-0 lead. With the bases loaded and one out, three runs crossed on a fielder’s choice, walk and error before Gage Morey hit a two-out, two-run single to left.
In the next at-bat, Noll added to the early advantage by hammering a 1-2 pitch to left that wound up in the parking lot beyond the visitor’s bullpen. It was Noll’s ninth home run of the season and second in as many games.
After retiring the first eight batters of the game, FGCU starter Kenton Hering gave up two runs as Walls homered over the right field fence to cut the lead to 6-2.
FGCU freshman relievers Ryan Lang and Cory Weiand combined to hold the Noles scoreless in the three middle innings.
Clint Knoblauch (5-0) earned the win by stopping the bleeding in the bottom of the ninth and closed the door with a perfect 10th. Knoblauch has not allowed an earned run and has given up just four hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in nine appearances since March 25.
FGCU travels to Lipscomb (24-23, 8-7 A-Sun) for a three-game series against that starts Friday.