Men’s College World Series Day 3: Florida State eliminates Virginia with 7-3 victory

Sunday was another exciting day of baseball at the Men’s College World Series, with Virginia and Florida State participating in a win-or-go-home game and North Carolina and Tennessee battling to advance.

Florida State 7, Virginia 3

Florida State struck early and often, holding off a late Virginia surge for the 7-3 win.

Florida State scored first, with a bases-loaded walk in the third inning followed by a solo homer from left fielder Jaime Ferrer in the fourth. But the fifth inning was when the Seminoles really shined: Designated hitter Marco Dinges hit an RBI single, immediately followed by Ferrer hitting a three-run home run to give Florida State a 6-0 lead. Shortstop Alex Lodise added another run with a solo homer in the sixth inning.

Virginia got two back in the seventh inning with a pair of RBI singles. After a short stoppage in play in the eighth to tend to the home plate umpire, who was clocked in the chin by a bouncing pitch, Virginia left fielder Anthony Stephan hit an RBI double to cut Florida State’s lead a little more.

Despite the late push from the Cavaliers, Florida State closed the ninth inning with a double play to finish off Virginia and stay in Omaha for another game.

Key stats

Florida State pitcher Carson Dorsey had a stellar day, throwing 106 pitches over seven innings with seven strikeouts and keeping the Cavaliers scoreless through six innings.

Virginia’s Jay Woolfolk started well on the mound, throwing three strikeouts, but he appeared to injure his right knee after Ferrer’s first home run and was pulled in the fourth inning.

Highlights

Although Virginia struggled on offense, there were a few defensive bright spots, including this run-stealing catch from Harrison Didawick in the second inning.

The biggest highlight was Ferrer’s second home run, which pushed Florida State to a demanding lead and increased Ferrer’s dominance on the night.

What they’re saying

“Hitting two [home runs] on Father’s Day is awesome, especially with my father in the stands,” Ferrer said postgame, adding that he and his dad were planning to get dinner afterward to celebrate.

What’s next

With the second loss, Virginia is eliminated and will head home, while Florida State will play the loser of North Carolina-Tennessee on Tuesday.