Jaxson West and Max Williams hit back-to-back home runs in the ninth inning to cap off No. 8 seed Florida State’s 9-5 victory over No. 4 North Carolina in a Men’s College World Series elimination game on Tuesday in Omaha, Neb.
Florida State advanced to a rematch against top-seeded Tennessee that will begin Wednesday. The Seminoles must beat the Volunteers twice to advance to the MCWS finals. Tennessee beat Florida State 12-11 in their opening-round game.
Williams, West and Daniel Cantu all drove in two runs for the Seminoles (49-16), who eliminated another Atlantic Coast Conference opponent after doing the same to Virginia on Sunday.
Florida State led 7-1 after a four-run fifth inning that featured RBI singles by Cantu, Alex Lodise, West and Williams.
The Tar Heels (48-16) responded with a four-run fifth of their own, as Vance Honeycutt bashed a three-run home run to left and Jackson Van De Brake added an RBI hit. Then came West’s and Williams’ insurance homers for the Seminoles.
Connor Hults (3-1) pitched the final 4 1/3 innings for Florida State, limiting North Carolina to no runs, two hits and one walk with two strikeouts.
North Carolina starter Aidan Haugh (4-3) took the loss after yielding three runs on two hits and three walks over 2 1/3 frames. He struck out three.
–Field Level Media
