Tag: Florida State Seminoles

Florida embarrassed in Tally as FSU completes sweep

Florida baseball got embarrassed Tuesday night by in-state rival FSU in a run-rule victory to give the ‘Noles the season sweep.

Florida’s low point in 2024 just got a bit lower and there’s no sign of the freefall subsiding after a 19-4 run-rule loss to No. 10 Florida State on Tuesday night in Tallahassee.

Things looked good early on. The Gators wasted no time getting on the board. Cade Kurland and Jac Caglianone hit back-to-back homers off Florida State starter John Abraham to start the game, but it was all FSU from there.

That 2-0 lead evaporated immediately, and Florida State went up 5-2 on a fielding error that knocked starter Ryan Slater out of the game. Fisher Jameson was first out of the bullpen, followed by Alex Philpott in the second, Robert Satin and Grayson Smith in the fourth and Reilly Witmer in the sixth.

Philpott had the worst night, giving up five runs (all earned) on seven hits and a hit batter over 2 2/3 innings. Both Philpott and Smith gave up two a pair of homers. Florida State went deep five times in total. Witmer was the only Florida arm to end the night without giving up a run.

Florida State put up a crooked number in four of the first five innings, jumping out to a 19-3 lead. Florida tacked on a run in the second, but the bats went cold after that.

While it’s usually polite to call a game like this a “run-rule win,” this was truly a “mercy-rule” kind of game. Things aren’t looking good for the Gators, who fall to 17-15 overall.

A weekend series at home against South Carolina is the last chance for Kevin O’Sullivan to get the team right ahead of the toughest portion of the schedule.

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Augusta National Women’s Amateur champ Lottie Woad chooses LPGA major over ACCs

Woad, ranked No. 4 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, hasn’t finished outside the top 8 in college golf this season.

Lottie Woad faced a tough decision in the aftermath of her Augusta National Women’s Amateur. The victory comes with special invitations to four major championships, including next week’s Chevron Championship, which overlaps the ACC Championship.

Woad, a 20-year-old sophomore at Florida State, has opted to make her major championship debut at the Chevron April 18-21 at The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas, in what will be her first LPGA start.

“I wasn’t really going to turn down a major,” said Woad, who had full support form her Seminole coaches.

The Englishwoman delivered a finish for the ages on Saturday in the final round at Augusta National, making birdie on three of the last four holes to beat USC’s Bailey Shoemaker by one stroke.

“If I’d been told before this week that I’d be two back with four to play, I would have been like, yeah, perfect, that sounds great,” said Woad. “To be in the mix on the back nine at Augusta is something that everyone dreams about.”

Woad, ranked No. 4 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, hasn’t finished outside the top 8 in college golf this season, with co-medalist honors at the Annika Intercollegiate.

With her parents and English national coach/caddie back home in England, Woad will be on her own in Texas, though former FSU player Frida Kinhult did have an extra room in her Airbnb. Woad is in the process of trying to find a local caddie for next week.

On Sunday at Augusta, Woad met Nancy Lopez and Tom Watson as she handed out awards at the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals. She also met 2016 Masters champ Danny Willett for the first time in the clubhouse.

It’s back to class for Woad this week in Tallahassee. On Tuesday night, she’ll throw out the first pitch in the sold-out FSU vs. Florida game on ESPN2. While Woad hasn’t played baseball, she did play cricket back home in England.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda headlines the field at Chevron after winning her fourth consecutive start on Sunday at the T-Mobile Match Play. Korda is the first American to win four consecutive starts on the LPGA since Nancy Lopez won five consecutive starts in 1978.

Woad received a warm welcome-home reception when she returned to Tallahassee. Kinhult made cupcakes. Check out the photos from the surprise gathering:

 

Duke moves up to No. 7 in latest D1 Baseball poll after five straight wins and a weekend sweep of Miami

Duke baseball back on the rise in latest D1Baseball poll.

The Duke Blue Devils have found their groove.

After a 4-0 week, the Duke baseball team has won its previous five games. If you look further past that, the Blue Devils won eight of their last nine baseball games.

Duke dominated Liberty midweek on the road 9-4 before returning to Durham and sweeping the Miami Hurricanes for the first time in Duke baseball history. They took care of Miami with some heroics, too, walking off the Hurricanes on both Friday and Sunday and overcoming a six-run deficit in the final game.

Duke enters week eight of the season after moving up two spots to No. 7 in the latest D1 Baseball poll for their efforts. They moved up two spots from ninth and are now knocking on the door to cracking the top five.

 

The rest of the ACC remains well-represented in the Top 25, as Clemson remains steady as the second-ranked team in the poll. Florida State is now the 10th-ranked team, while Virginia and UNC are 11th and 13th, respectively. Wake Forest, the preseason No. 1, has started to play much better and is back up to 14th. Virginia Tech rounds out the ACC’s involvement as they place 16th.

Duke closes out this four-game homestand with William & Mary on Tuesday and is scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch. They return to ACC action next weekend with a three-game road series against the Pitt Panthers.

Duke softball makes program history rising to No. 1 in latest Softball America poll

Duke Softball is the new No. 1 team in the country.

After a crazy weekend in softball that saw the sport’s premier team, Oklahoma, lose a tough series to its fiercest rival, Softball America has a new number-one squad, and it resides in Durham, North Carolina.

That’s correct; the Duke Blue Devils are the No. 1 softball team in the country, according to Softball America’s latest poll.

Duke’s ascension to number one marks the first time this season that a team other than Oklahoma has topped SA’s poll. It also marks the first time in Duke softball’s short history that it has been ranked as a number one team.

Duke entered last week as the No. 2 team, and after beating UNC-Charlotte 6-1 in a midweek matchup and sweeping their Tobacco Road rivals, UNC, Duke is now the nation’s top team.

Oklahoma has an early season win over Duke, but things have changed for both programs since that game.

Duke is joined by Virginia Tech (16), Florida State (20), Virginia (24), and Clemson (25) as the ACC accounts for 20% of the poll.

Duke returns to action this week when it travels to Greenville, N.C., for a non-conference matchup with East Carolina. The first pitch is slated for 5 p.m. at Max R. Joyner Family Stadium.

After securing second ACC series over UVA, Duke moves up to No. 9 in latest D1Baseball poll

Duke pushes back into top 10 in latest D1Baseball Poll.

Duke baseball is back in the top 10.

After a little bit of a bump in the road, Chris Pollard’s team desperately needed a big week on the diamond to shift the momentum. They got just that with a 3-1 week that saw them take down ACC foe UVA for the Blue Devils’ second ACC series win of the season.

The week started with the Blue Devils hammering in-state opponent Campbell 11-1 on Tuesday. The Blue Devils got back after it on Thursday when they hosted a top-25 Virginia team. Ace pitcher Jonathan Santucci dazzled, working five innings of two-hit baseball to improve his record to 5-0, and Duke won 9-4.

On Friday, UVA bounced back with a 7-3 win to even the series at one game apiece. Another Duke comeback spearheaded Saturday’s rubber match. After the Blue Devils were down 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, they exploded for five runs in the seventh and pulled out a 7-4 win to take the series.

Joined by UNC and Clemson, Duke now gives the ACC three teams ranked in the top 10. Arkansas remains number one for another week, Clemson is number two, and Texas A&M rose from fourth to third.

The fourth spot belongs to Tennessee with the fifth going to Oregon State. Virginia Tech (11), Florida State (14), Virginia (15), NC State (19), and Wake Forest (21) make up the rest of the ACC teams on this week’s poll.

Duke was named the No. 9 team in the country by Baseball America and the No. 7 team by Perfect Game.

The Blue Devils will be back in action on Tuesday to take on Liberty in Lynchburg, Va., for a midweek game before returning home to host Miami for ACC play at Jack Coombs Field next weekend.

Florida State sophomore Baba Miller to enter transfer portal, test NBA draft

Florida State sophomore Baba Miller will reportedly enter the transfer portal, while opting to test the 2024 NBA draft.

Florida State sophomore Baba Miller will reportedly enter the transfer portal, while opting to test the 2024 NBA draft, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Miller averaged 7.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 blocked shots on 44.9% shooting from the field in 33 games this season. He scored in double figures eight times, including a season-high 14 points, three rebounds and three blocks on Jan. 9.

He finished 10th in the ACC in total blocks (37).

Miller projects to be one of the top players in the transfer portal and will likely have several programs interested in landing him. He will test the pre-draft process and have the opportunity to meet and work out with prospective teams.

Miller opted to return to Florida State after an up-and-down freshman campaign. He was limited to 15 games with the Seminoles due to an offseason injury and a suspension stemming from a rules infraction committed in 2020.

He was previously highly recruited as a four-star prospect and ultimately chose the Seminoles over Gonzaga. Miller, standing at 6 feet, 11 inches, is highly touted for his versatility, athleticism and ability to defend with his 7-foot-2 wingspan.

Miller previously represented Spain in the 2023 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup. He averaged 9.4 points, six rebounds and 1.3 assists in seven games, helping Spain win the gold medal.

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ACC legal battles could open door for more Big Ten expansion

If the ACC crumbles, the Big Ten could be ready to pounce on a few potential members.

If you thought the Big Ten was going to settle in an 18-team membership following this year’s additions of Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington, you are probably fooling yourself. Expansion could be looming on the horizon once again if things in the ACC continue on the path they seem to be heading.

Florida State previously opened a significant legal battle challenging the ACC on its grant of rights. If Florida State is successful, it would open the doors for a potential mass exodus from the ACC to the Big Ten or SEC in a similar fashion to what happened in the Pac-12, although perhaps not quite as devastating in the grand scheme.

Florida State is not alone in its legal challenge of the ACC, however. Clemson officially joined the battle this week with its own lawsuit filed in South Carolina, potentially opening the door for Clemson and Florida State to carve a path to leave the ACC in search of greener pastures in the Big Ten or SEC. And if Clemson and Florida State do force their way out, then it stands to reason others in the ACC would explore their options as well, including North Carolina.

And, of course, this somehow all gets back to the future of Notre Dame as well.

SEC Network analyst and radio host Paul Finebaum created a stir suggesting Notre Dame is inching closer and closer to having to make a big decision on its future with football independence or conference membership. As Finebaum suggests, and something I’ve been saying for years, at some point Notre Dame’s leaders will have to realize that it is far more profitable and beneficial for the school to be a member of a conference than it is to be an independent. Considering the revenue shares that Big Ten and SEC schools receive compare to the revenue Notre Dame football generates, it has to fiscal sense to at least strongly consider ditching football independence in the evolving world of college sports.

This would especially be true if the ACC cracks with its membership. Notre Dame is a member of the ACC in most of its other sports (although it is a Big Ten school in ice hockey), but if members start leaving the ACC, it would make sense for Notre Dame to look for a more stable future.

The Big Ten would be the natural landing spot for Notre Dame, one might think. This is especially true if a crumbling ACC loses Stanford and Cal to the Big Ten amid potential realignment changes. The Big Ten adding Stanford, Cal, North Carolina, and Notre Dame would be a decent haul overall.

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LSU to host 5-star Florida State OL commit Solomon Thomas this weekend

Solomon Thomas is the top interior offensive lineman in the 2025 class.

LSU already has the No. 1 class in the 2025 cycle at the moment, and it could get even better if it can pull off a colossal flip this weekend.

The Tigers are hosting five-star Florida State offensive tackle commit [autotag]Solomon Thomas[/autotag], as was first reported by Tom Loy of 247Sports. Thomas has also locked in upcoming visits with in-state programs Florida and Miami.

The Raines (Jacksonville, Fla.) prospect ranks as the No. 1 interior offensive line prospect in the nation and No. 2 player in the state of Florida. The 247Sports Composite Rankings slot him as the No. 13 overall player nationally.

He received an offer from LSU in September but pledged to the Seminoles in December. Still, he’s doing his due diligence and continues to take visits.

LSU added a commitment from blue-chip interior offensive lineman Tyler Miller a few days ago, and now it’s looking to continue to bulk up its future offensive line recruiting.

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Duke slides in latest D1Baseball rankings after series loss to Clemson; remains in top 10

Duke lost its first series of the year, an ACC matchup with Clemson, and slid down three spots to ninth in latest D1Baseball poll.

The Duke Blue Devils have lost a series for the first time all season. It wasn’t as if they lost a team to be ashamed of, but this is the first series loss Chris Pollard and his team will have to bounce back from.

The Clemson Tigers came to Durham for Duke’s home ACC opening weekend, and the Tigers spoiled it, taking the Saturday and Sunday games to claim the series. With that series loss, the Blue Devils have slid in the latest D1Baseball rankings. Duke remains a top-10 team, but they are now ninth after their three-spot slide.

Arkansas continues to cruise atop the rankings, while Oregon State and Vanderbilt round out the top three. The Commodores jumped six spots.

Clemson shot up six spots to fourth, now the highest-ranked ACC team in the poll. A slew of SEC teams follow with LSU and Florida at fifth and sixth, respectively, and Texas A&M and Tennessee rounding out the teams in front of Duke.

Fellow North Carolina-based team ECU officially cracked the top 10 for the first time this season.

Florida State debuted at 12, joining the ranks of ACC teams inside the top 25. The Seminoles have reeled off 18 straight wins to start the season and are the only undefeated team in the poll.

Virginia is 14th after taking a series from Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons continue to slide after their second straight series loss. They are now 16th after holding the seventh spot last week.

Virginia Tech also enters the poll after being unranked last week. They are 19th, one place ahead of UNC at 20. After a week that saw them go winless, getting swept by Georgia Tech, the NC State Wolfpack are officially out of the poll.

Duke will end its six-game homestand on Tuesday when it hosts Towson at Jack Coombs Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Notre Dame baseball has rough weekend against former head coach, FSU

The Irish want a redo against Jarrett

It wasn’t the weekend the Notre Dame baseball wanted to have as they faced off at Florida State against its former head coach Link Jarrett.

The Irish got swept, losing each game of the series. Friday night was the least competitive game of the weekend, as Notre Dame dropped the contest 8-4. Saturday was much closer, but still a loss at 4-2, while Sunday hurt the most as the Irish held a close lead but lost it take falling 4-3.

The losses weren’t just significant due to Jarrett being in the other dugout, it was the fact that Notre Dame has now started the ACC portion of its schedule at 0-6, 11-8 overall.

The Irish get the chance to right the ship on Tuesday as they host Western Michigan at 4:30 p.m. EST.

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