FSU baseball's late power surge leads to comeback, 7-6, win over Miami

Yahoo Sports1h ago17 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

FSU baseball rallied from a five-run deficit to defeat Miami 7-6, thanks to Eli Putnam's two-run home run in the ninth inning. The Seminoles scored six runs in the final two innings to secure the victory in extra innings.

Key points

FSU baseball won 7-6 against Miami
Eli Putnam hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning
FSU trailed 6-1 entering the eighth inning
The victory was secured in extra innings
The game took place on May 14

FSU SeminolesMiamiEli Putnam

FSU baseball's late power surge leads to comeback, 7-6, win over Miami

Eli Putnam was the hero for Florida State baseball as his ninth-inning, pinch-hit two-run home run helped the Seminoles erase a five-run deficit and beat Miami, 7-6, in extra innings on Thursday, May 14.

Trailing 6-4, Putnam pinch hit for Will Bavaro with a runner on first base and one out in the ninth inning. He barely gave the No. 11 Seminole (37-15, 18-10 ACC) fans standing in the stadium a chance to finish listening to his walk-up music before he crushed a two-run home run 104 MPH off his bat and deep into the night to tie the game at six and send it to extra innings.

FSU trailed 6-1 entering the eighth inning, but turned things around with a trio of home runs and clutch, late hitting. After his ninth-inning heroics, Putnam hit a single in his second at-bat that moved Ben Barrett from first base to third base.

Two batters later, Brayden Dowd walked home the winning run to end an instant classic.

Putnam was 2-for-20 in his last six games coming into the at-bat and had been replaced in the lineup by Barrett at first base. His home run was the third Miami reliever Lyndon Glidewell gave up in his relief appearance. Glidewell had given up just two home runs in his 25 prior appearances.

Wes Mendes had an up-and-down start, with a four-run fourth inning that featured a three-run home run from Miami's Alonzo Alvarez. He struck out six and allowed eight hits, and he didn't issue a walk with 96 pitches thrown. Mendes got out of trouble in the third inning with a double play. He caught a line drive hit right at him before throwing to third base to end the inning and the scoring threat.

FSU struggled against Miami's Rob Evans, who tossed seven innings, struck out seven, issued two walks, and allowed one run on six hits in his start. The lone run Evans gave up came in the second inning, a solo home run from Hunter Carns.