No. 14 Florida State surged to an early lead and held on late to complete a doubleheader sweep of Pitt with an 8-5 win Saturday night at Dick Howser Stadium.
The Seminoles (32-14, 14-9 ACC) scored five runs in the first two innings and answered Pitt’s four-run third with timely power and pitching. Florida State had earlier won the opener 10-1 to clinch the series and will go for the sweep Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
Nathan Cmeyla and Hunter Carns hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning to push the lead to 7-4. Cmeyla finished with two hits and a season-high-tying three RBI, while Carns added two hits, an RBI and two runs. Gabe Fraser had three hits and two RBI.
Junior left-hander Trey Beard (5-1) earned the win, allowing four runs on seven hits in six innings with eight strikeouts. John Abraham pitched the final three innings for his team-leading sixth save, giving up one run on two hits and striking out five.
Florida State built a 3-0 lead in the first inning on a run-scoring fielder’s choice by Cmeyla and a two-run single from Fraser, then added two more in the second.
Pitt (28-17, 10-13 ACC) cut the deficit to one with two home runs in the third inning but never tied the game. Florida State added another run in the seventh before Pitt homered in the ninth. Abraham struck out the final two batters to seal it.
How to watch FSU baseball vs. Pitt
Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics and Big Bend Preps for the Tallahassee Democrat. If you like to pitch a story on a high school athlete, don’t hesitate to get in touch with him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Back-to-back homers lift No. 14 FSU baseball to doubleheader sweep
Reporting by Peter Holland Jr., Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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