Messick, Seminoles drop ACC opener at Wake Forest, 9-3
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest (13-1) scored nine consecutive runs in Friday’s series opener against No. 8 Florida State (8-5), topping the Seminoles 9-3 at Couch Ballpark in the conference opener for both teams.
The game was moved from its scheduled start time at 6 p.m. to 3 p.m. due to the threat of inclement weather later Friday.
Parker Messick (2-1) struck out 11 Wake hitters, but three fifth-inning runs dealt the left-hander his first loss since February 2021, a span of 17 starts and 10 decisions.
The Seminoles led 2-0 through four innings, with a run against Wake Forest starter Rhett Lowder (4-0) in the second and third inning. The Noles took a 1-0 lead on Colton Vincent’s bases-loaded walk in the second and Logan Lacey plated Brett Roberts on a double in the third.
Messick struck out 11 Wake Forest batters, his most in a road game in his career. He worked around trouble in the first inning, but after Danny Corona’s solo home run cut the lead in half, Adam Cecere lined a two-out, two-strike single to right field that gave Wake a 3-2 lead.
Wake Forest added four runs in the sixth inning on three singles and a three-run home run from Corona, his second of the game. Corona finished with six RBI after a two-run single in the eighth inning.
Brock Mathis hit his second home run as a Seminole to lead off the ninth inning. He entered in place of Vincent behind the plate in the seventh inning.
SCORING SUMMARY:
T2 | FSU 1, Wake 0 Vincent walked, Lacey scored
T3 | FSU 2, Wake 0 Lacey doubled, Roberts scored
B5 | FSU 2, Wake 1 Corona home run
B5 | FSU 2, Wake 3 Cecere singled, Bennett & Turconi scored
B6 | FSU 2, Wake 4 Reinisch singled, Tinsman scored
B6 | FSU 2, Wake 7 Corona home run, Kurtz & Reinisch scored
B8 | FSU 2, Wake 9 Corona singled, Kurtz & Hawke scored
T9 | FSU 3, Wake 9 Mathis home run
UP NEXT
Florida State and Wake Forest will play Saturday at 1 p.m. FSU’s Bryce Hubbart and Wake Forest’s Josh Hartle will both be looking for their fourth win of the season. The game will air in Tallahassee on Bally Sports Sun.
OF NOTE:
Parker Messick struck out 11 batters, his eighth career game and third this season with double-digit strikeouts. It was his most in a road game, topping the 10 he had at Miami last season.
Messick’s loss was his first since beginning 2021 0-2. He had won 10 consecutive decisions over 17 starts, and FSU was 15-2 in those 17 games.
FSU pitchers struck out 12 batters Friday. For the season, FSU has reached double-digit strikeouts in 12 of 13 games.
Logan Lacey doubled in his first two plate appearances, the fourth game of his career with two doubles. He now leads FSU with 15 RBI and 12 runs scored. Lacey’s eight extra-base hits (3 doubles, triple, four home runs) lead the team. Lacey has an active seven-game hitting streak.
Brett Roberts singled and scored a run in the third inning. Roberts has a nine-game hitting streak, the longest on the team, and he has a hit in 12 of 13 games this year. Roberts also stole his second base of the year.
Alex Toral and James Tibbs both drew walks in the first three innings. Those two are the only Seminoles that have reached safely in all 13 games this season. Toral leads FSU with 12 walks on the year.
Toral finished 1-for-2 in the game with two walks and is now 11-for-21 in his career against Wake Forest.
With the bases loaded, Colton Vincent drew his first walk of the year to give FSU a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Vincent later threw out a baserunner, his fourth caught stealing of the year.
Brock Mathis hit his second home run as a Seminole and the 15th of his career. He also hit a solo home run last weekend against Cal.
Reach Jim Henry at jjhenry@tallahassee.com.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Messick, Seminoles drop ACC opener at Wake Forest, 9-3
