No. 5 Florida State Powers Back for 7-4 Victory vs. No. 8 Clemson

April 6, 2001

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Ryan Barthelemy went 2 for 4 with four RBIs from a double and a triple to lift #5 Florida State in a 7-4 comeback win against #8 Clemson in front of a crowd of 4,180 at Dick Howser Stadium.

Clemson posted three runs in the top of the second inning thanks to a two-run home run by designated hitter Jarrod Schmidt. His seventh homer of the season scored Chad Coder who had reached on a walk. Michael Johnson scored the Tigers’ first run when Coder stole second. The throw by FSU second baseman Bryan Zech to the plate was errant and Johnson scored and Coder advanced to third base.

Florida State scored one run in the bottom of the fourth when Clemson starter Steve Reba balked to score Michael Futrell. The Seminoles led of the inning with back-to-back base hits by Futrell and Karl Jernigan. Nick Rogers reached on a fielder’s choice that sent Futrell to third. Jernigan was out on the play and then Reba balked to score Futrell and advance Rogers to second. A ground out and a strike out got the Tigers out of the inning.

John-Ford Griffin singled to lead off the fifth inning and then was knocked in by Ryan Barthelemy who tripled to right-center field to inch the Seminoles to within 3-2.

Florida State took a 7-3 lead with five runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Seminoles led off the inning with consecutive before Reba recorded his fifth strike out. He walked the next batter to load the bases before getting pulled in favor of Paul Harrelson. Harrelson got Tory Richie to ground into an apparent double play, but Ryan Riley bobbled the ball allowing the tying run, Jernigan, to score. Griffin singled to score Rogers and then Barthelemy doubled off the wall in right-center to plate three runs.

Schmidt homered to left-center field in the top of the seventh, earning one run back and pull within 7-4. In all, five Seminoles had at least two hits as Florida State improved to 29-7overall and 12-1 in the ACC. The Tigers slipped to 21-10 and 5-2.

Reba went 5 1/3 innings, giving up seven hits and five runs, all earned, while walking three and striking out five. It was his first loss of the season against five wins. Blair Varnes went 7 innings, allowing four runs, all earned, on seven hits. He walked two runners and struck out five to improve to 6-1 this season.

The series continues Saturday at 7:00 PM in a game that will be televised on the Sunshine Network. Clemson sophomore Matt Henrie (3-0, 2.08 ERA) will start on Saturday against Florida State right-handed pitcher Marc LaMacchia (5-0, 3.89 ERA). The game will be broadcast on the Clemson Tiger Network.