Walk-Off Homer Pushes No.5 FSU Past No.10 Louisville, 8-7

Friday, March 30

Tallahassee, FL

6:00 PM

University of Louisville

18-8, 4-7

Florida State

22-6, 7-4

Louisville

Florida State

Tyler Fitzgerald had three hits, one RBI and scored twice in Friday's game at FSU.

Photo by: Jeff Reinking | Louisville Athletics

Walk-Off Homer Pushes No.5 FSU Past No.10 Louisville, 8-7

March 30, 2018 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Pinch hit, two-run homer from Jonathan Foster in the ninth inning propels Seminoles to series-clinching win

By: Garett Wall

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Pinch hitter Jonathan Foster connected on a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift No.5 Florida State to an 8-7 walk-off win against the No.10 Louisville baseball team on Friday night at Dick Howser Stadium.

Facing a one-run deficit, the Seminoles (22-6, 7-4 ACC) had a runner at first base in Nick Derr and one out when Foster, who entered the game one home run among his two hits in 11 at-bats this season, powered a 3-1 offering from Cardinals (18-8, 4-7 ACC) junior righthander Sam Bordner over the left field wall for the game-winner. The walk-off home run, preceded by a single up the middle by Derr, clinched the series-victory for FSU.

The loss was the first career defeat for Bordner, who dropped to 1-1 on the season after surrendering two runs on three hits in 1.1 innings of relief. Prior to Friday's home run, Bordner had allowed just three earned runs in his last 55.2 innings (0.48 ERA) dating back to the start of the 2017 season.

The Cardinals were led at the plate by sophomore Tyler Fitzgerald, who finished 3-for-4 with a double, two stolen bases, two runs scored and one RBI. Junior Josh Stowers tripled, walked, drove in two runs and scored twice, while sophomore Logan Wyatt was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Sophomore Jake Snider added a RBI single and two walks.

Louisville opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning against FSU lefty Drew Parrish. Sophomore Justin Lavey doubled off the wall in right field and moved to third on a single by Fitzgerald before scoring on a RBI sacrifice fly to center off the bat of Stowers. Later in the inning, Fitzgerald scored the second run on a bases loaded walk to Wyatt.

The Seminoles answered in the bottom of the third when Mike Salvatore followed a trio of walks by launching a grand slam for a 4-2 lead. After sophomore righthander Shay Smiddy issued walks to Reese Albert, Steven Wells and Cooper Swanson to begin the inning, Salvatore sent a 1-0 pitch over the left field wall for his first home run of the season.

The Cardinals evened the score at 4-4 with a pair of runs in the fifth inning. Stowers led off with a walk, moved to second on a throwing error, took third on a groundout to the right side and scored on another throwing error. Later in the inning, Wyatt drove junior Devin Mann home with a two-out RBI double to right center.

After Florida State moved back ahead at 6-4 in the sixth inning on Rhett Aplin's two-out, two-run single up the middle, Louisville regained control with a three-run eighth inning. Following an error by the Seminoles to put Lavey on base, Fitzgerald sent him home with a RBI double down the left field line. Stowers followed with a RBI triple to center field to plate Fitzgerald for the game-tying run. Snider made it three hits in a row for the Cardinals as his RBI single up the middle scored Stowers to put Louisville ahead 7-6.

Bordner entered the game in the bottom of the eighth and twirled a scoreless frame with one strikeout to keep take the one-run lead into the final inning. Friday's result marked the first time since 2016 the Cardinals have lost a game when entering the ninth inning with a lead.

Louisville and Florida State will conclude the weekend series on Saturday at 1 p.m., ET.

Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter at @UofLBaseball and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ulbaseball.

2018 LOUISVILLE BASEBALL TICKETS
Season ticket packages as well as single game tickets for the 2018 University of Louisville baseball season are on sale now and can be purchased online at GoCards.com/bsbtickets, by phone at 502-GO-CARDS or by visiting the Louisville Cardinals Ticket Office, located near Gate 2 at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium (2800 South Floyd Street) on weekdays from 9 a.m., until 5 p.m., ET.