Game two of the weekend series between Florida State and Clemson Tigers was suspended on Saturday evening due to inclement weather in the Tallahassee area. The contest will resume on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET with Clemson leading 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning and Florida State having a runner on first with one out. Game three of the series will begin approximately 45 minutes following the conclusion of the suspended game.
The lightning delay came during a chaotic and rain-soaked eighth inning that completely flipped the script. Clemson had trailed 3-1 entering the frame but came alive with a three-run rally sparked by Cam Cannarella, who delivered what amounted to a wacky inside-the-park home run to give the Tigers the lead. With the rain coming down and the field conditions at Mike Martin Field worsening, Jack Crighton began the top of the eighth with a single up the middle. Florida State starter Joey Volini then struck out Jacob Jarrell, but Jay Dillard followed with a double down the line, putting runners on second and third. Volini struck out Andrew Ciufo for the second out, seemingly keeping Florida State in control, but Cannarella had other plans.
The junior outfielder ripped a deep shot to center field that sent Max Williams racing back near the wall. As Williams slipped on the wet turf trying to field the ball, Cannarella raced around the bases. He reached third on a two-RBI triple, tying the game at 3-3. However, the drama didn’t end there. The relay throw back into the infield got past third base and skipped toward the Florida State dugout. Cannarella seized the opportunity and dashed toward home plate. Volini chased the ball down and tried to recover the play, but his throw to catcher Nathan Cmeyla was off target. Cannarella stumbled and fell just short of home, but the errant throw gave him just enough time to recover and touch the plate before being tagged, giving Clemson a 4-3 lead in stunning fashion.
The eighth inning marked the end of a dominant performance by Joey Volini, who dazzled on the mound despite the late collapse. He tossed a season-high eight innings and struck out seven while allowing four earned runs on five hits. Volini worked efficiently, completing four innings in under 10 pitches per inning and never needing more than 14 in any single frame. For much of the night, he held Clemson in check and gave his team a chance to win.
The Tigers got on the board first after a tense early-game duel. Clemson took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice bunt, but Florida State immediately responded. Nathan Cmeyla hit his first home run as a Seminole to tie the game at 1-1. The offense continued to roll from there. After Gage Harrelson singled and Max Williams walked, Myles Bailey knocked in Harrelson with an RBI double, giving Florida State a 2-1 advantage.
Harrelson extended the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning with a solo home run, putting Florida State up 3-1. The Seminoles appeared to be in control, but Cannarella’s wild sequence in the eighth changed the outlook entirely.
Earlier in the game, Clemson pitcher Drew Titsworth delivered several scoreless innings. He worked through traffic in the first inning, allowing two of the first three Seminole batters to reach base, but he escaped the frame unscathed. He followed with a clean second inning and another scoreless third, keeping the game even early. The game remained scoreless through the first three innings, with both pitchers navigating baserunners and working efficiently to keep the offenses quiet.
In game one of the series on Friday, Florida State took a dramatic win in extra innings, walking off the Tigers to take the opener and grab a 1-0 lead in the series. That momentum carried into much of Saturday’s game until the wild eighth inning shift.
Now, with the game suspended due to lightning and heavy rainfall, both teams will have to regroup for what promises to be an intense Sunday in Tallahassee. The outcome of the second game will be decided before the series finale begins, with Florida State aiming to secure a series win and Clemson looking to turn the tide after a thrilling comeback.
