TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State’s Jameis Winston began double-duty last week as the football team started spring practices. The Heisman winner missed a football practice Saturday, but that’s the only session he’s scheduled to miss this spring.
The Seminoles were 2-2 last week as Winston played in three games and earned his fourth save of the year.
A look at how the 20-year-old sophomore fared last week:
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IN RELIEF: The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder took the mound just once last week, but it was a big moment as his fourth save of the season sealed the series victory against Atlantic Coast Conference rival Clemson. Winston entered the second game of a Saturday doubleheader in the seventh inning with a 4-3 lead, two outs and a runner on third. He got the batter to ground out to end the inning. Winston retired the Tigers 1-2-3 in the eighth inning with two ground outs and a pop up. He gave up a Tyler Slaton single up the middle in the ninth after recording the first out of the inning on a grounder. Tyler Krieger then grounded into a double-play to end the game. Winston’s pitching line for the week: 2.1 innings, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 K, 0 BB, 7 batters faced.
AT THE PLATE: Winston went 1 for 3 last week with plate appearances in 2 of 4 games. He was 1 for 2 with an RBI, a walk and a run scored in a 9-3 loss to Clemson on Friday. Winston hit a RBI-single up the middle in the 5th inning, scoring John Sansone from second and advancing to second on the throw. He ground out to end the sixth inning with two runners on base. Winston walked in the 9th inning, advanced to second on a fielder’s choice and scored on a Casey Smit’s RBI single. He was 0 for 1 in an 11-1 win against the Tigers in the first game Saturday. He pinch hit in the ninth inning and flied out to left field with two runners on base. Winston’s line this week: 2 games, 1 H, 1BB, 1 RBI, 1 R, 0 K.
IN THE FIELD: He entered left field in the fourth inning Friday and had one assist. Winston fielded a Krieger RBI double in the eighth inning and threw to second, catching Krieger between second and third. The Seminoles then retired Krieger in a run-down. Friday was his lone appearance in the outfield.
HIGHLIGHT: Florida State needed the 4-3 win in the series finale against Clemson to remain in first place in the Atlantic division. Winston’s save kept the Tigers from jumping into first place and knocking the Seminoles into second.
ON THE SEASON: He has four hits in 19 at-bats and is batting .211; on the mound he has pitched 13.0 innings, struck out 13 of the 45 batters he’s faced, has given up six hits, one walk and has four saves with a 0.69 ERA. Winston is the only Seminole to record a save this season.
ON DECK: Florida State plays another single, nonconference game against rival Florida in Jacksonville, Fla. on Tuesday, then returns to conference action with a three-game series at Boston College this weekend.
QUOTABLE: “It is about mental toughness and I want to be in this situation,” Winston said after earning his fourth save in the 4-3 win Saturday. “It’s a huge win. A huge win. I promise you we are going to go back to Tallahassee with a smile on our faces.”
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Associated Press Writer Kareem Copeland in Tallahassee, Fla., compiled this report.
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