James Tibbs blasts two homers, leads Florida State to 12-4 win over USF
Release from Florida State Sports Information:
James Tibbs hit two more home runs and Cam Smith got his first of the season in Florida State’s 12-4 win over USF on Tuesday night at Dick Howser Stadium.
Tibbs leads Florida State with five home runs and has two home runs in consecutive games, while Smith notched FSU’s first four-hit game of the season.
Florida State starter Conner Whittaker allowed two runs in 6.0 innings with eight strikeouts for his first victory of the year. Ben Barrett tossed the final three innings for his first career save.
Smith singled in his first three plate appearances before his eighth-inning home run. Tibbs hit a home run in the first inning to plate Smith and went back-to-back with Smith in the eighth inning.
Jaxson West gave Florida State a 5-0 lead in the first inning with a two-out, three-run double.
OF NOTE:
- James Tibbs leads FSU with five home runs and has multiple home runs in consecutive games. Before Cam Smith did it last season, the last Seminole with consecutive multi-home run games for FSU was Buster Posey in 2008.
- Tibbs’ 32 career home runs are the most on the team and Top 30 nationally among all active players. Tibbs leads FSU with 17 RBI.
- Tibbs also recorded FSU’s first outfield assist on a 9-6 putout to end the fifth inning. His intentional walk was FSU’s first of 2024.
- Smith tied a career high with four hits, including his first home run of the season, to extend his hitting streak to a career-best 11 games. That is also the longest active streak on the team.
- Smith and Tibbs hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning, FSU’s second back-to-back jacks this year.
- Jaxson West hit a two-out, three-run double to cap off FSU’s five-run first inning. His three RBI were a career-high, matched his season total and his six RBI on the year top his five in 20 games at Alabama as a freshman.
- DeAmez Ross hit his second career triple and first of the season. As a team, FSU has hit six triples and entered Tuesday leading the ACC and 5th nationally in triples hit.
- Conner Whittaker set season highs with 6.0 innings pitched and eight strikeouts. He earned his first victory of the season and evened his career record at 8-8.
- Florida State turned three double plays. FSU had turned two double plays over the first six games of the year.
- Drew Faurot doubled to start the seventh inning. He leads FSU with five doubles and seven extra-base hits.
- Ben Barrett pitched the final three innings to earn his first career save.
UP NEXT:
Florida State travels to Greenville, S.C., for the First Pitch Invitational at Fluor Field. FSU will play Illinois Friday at 2 p.m.; Michigan State Saturday at 6 p.m. and Western Michigan Sunday at 2 p.m. All three games will stream live on the YouTube channel for the Greenville Drive.
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