For the fourth weekend in a row the Florida State Club Baseball team hosted a series in Tallahassee, this time with conference foe Florida International University coming into town.  Although FIU's roster status was in question, the Seminoles showed no mercy putting up a weekend run total of 45 runs and utterly dismantling the Panthers.  Ace Andrew Kunkler took the mound for Game 1 per usual and weathered a stretch of sloppy defense to again allow zero earned runs in his four innings of work.  Kunkler struck out four Panther batters and was relieved by Evan Cannan.  FIU's bats came alive late to pick up several runs, but Cannan was able to shut the door and the Noles took Game 1 by a score of 11-6.  At the plate, the Noles offense took care of business with yet another ten-plus run performance.  The 1,2,3 hitters in the lineup Clay Gilman, Tim Becker, and Brett Gilman combined for 7 RBI's while the 7,8,9 hitters Sean Malynn, Nathan Grant, and Sam Nadel scored six of the Noles' eleven runs.  Freshman Sam Nadel was beaned by a league-leading ninth pitch and reached base three of his four times to the plate including a frozen-rope double to left-center field.  

Game 2 pitching duties were split between Keaton Cederstrom, Chase Doczi, and Brett Carter, who battled through five innings of a tight zone to allow seven runs.  Cederstrom struggled with command, but was able to give the Noles 3 innings of work before handing the ball over to Doczi, who slammed the door in the 4th with a four pitch inning.  After a slight lull in production, the offense erupted like Mount Vesuvius in the bottom of the 4th for 13 runs, batting around the order twice.  Freshman sidewinder Brett Carter came in to close things out in the fifth, holding on to a healthy lead and the Noles took Game 2 by a score of 18-7.  Sean McClaskie sent another ball into orbit for his 2nd homerun of the season and contributed to his 5 RBI performance.  IM referee duo Brett Gilman and Ryan McElroy were a great 1,2 punch, scoring five runs and driving in four in a combined five-for-eight effort.  Joe 'I Always Score' Daidone broke out of his slump for a 2-3 day with a pair of RBI's, stolen bases, and runs, living up to the legend that he "always scores".  Pitcher-only Ray Espinosa picked up a bat as the designated hitter in Game 2 and put on a clinic going a perfect three-for-three with two RBIs.  

Carmelo Barone made the first start of his club baseball career in Game 3 and delivered a gem, allowing just one earned run in 4 and 2/3 innings.  Sam Nadel took over on the mound in the fifth and threw 1 1/3 innings of shutout baseball, striking out two and letting just one batter reach base via a walk.  Fifth-year club baseball flamethrower Brett Gilman came in to close out the game and faced the minimum number of batters in his one and only club pitching appearance.  Joe 'I Always Score' Daidone hit the first pitch he saw over the left-field fence for his first club homerun and scored both tiemes he reached base.  Sean Malynn starred with four stolen bases and a pair of RBI's during a three-for-four perfomance.  Rookie Chase Coffman recorded his first club hit, a double in the gap, for the Noles and pitcher Andrew Kunkler skied a ball to the "warning-track"  (just out of the infield) in his first club at-bat.  Ryan McElroy again came out to play with a three-for-four day, scoring three runs.  The Noles put together a true team performance this weekend with every player on the roster seeing the field and contributing.  We will be back in Tallahassee after a one-month hiatus to face Florida Gulf Coast March 25th and 26th.  Be on the lookout for player features in the meantime!

Pitchers of the Series:  Carmelo Barone & Andrew Kunkler

Carmelo delivered the Noles a stellar 4 2/3 inning start in Game 3 allowing just two earned runs on four hits.  This was Barone's first start of his young club career and his longest appearance of the season.  Kunkler was fantastic yet again for the Noles, registering 4 more innings and not allowing an earned run for the fourth straight start.  Andrew's electric stuff was on display this weekend striking out four more batters and limiting FIU's production despite sloppy defensive play.

Offensive Players of the Series:  Ryan McElroy, Joe Daidone, & Sean McClaskie

The first ever trifecta for offensive player of the week was given out this week because of three stellar performances.  Ryan McElroy put on a run scoring clinic, crossing the plate 7 times over the weekend and batting .500 for the series.  Joe Daidone filled up the stat sheet registering a 4-for-8 weekend with a homerun, double, 3 RBIs, 4 runs scored, and a pair of stolen bases.  Sean McClaskie blasted a homerun for the second weekend in a row, coupled with two doubles and SIX runs driven in during the two games he played.  Sean was named the South Atlantic South Division Offensive Player of the Weekend.