Yankees 8, FSU 3: Professionals beat the amateurs

In the Yankees' first spring trainings game, New York took on the Florida State University Seminoles. As you would expect, the professional baseball players trounced the college amateurs in an 8–3 game.

After an infield hit for Brett Gardner in the first, the Yankees scored their first run of the year in the second. Zoilo Almonte hit a one-out double down the left field line and Brendan Ryan drove him home with another double into left-center field to put New York up 1–0 over the Seminoles.

Their second run was rather LOL-worthy; in the third inning, J.R. Murphy doubled to right field, Mason Williams, batting for Gardner, grounded out and moved the runner to third. Gary Sanchez, now in for Cervelli, hit a foul ball toward the stands and both the FSU catcher and pitcher went for the ball. With no one covering home, Murphy was able to run in after the ball was caught. Thanks, guys.

In the fourth inning, Adonis Garcia walked, Dean Anna doubled off the right field wall and Yangervis Solarte drove in another run. J.R. Murphy hit his second double of the afternoon and Solarte scored on a wild pitch to make it a 5–0 game. In the sixth, the Yankees scored another two runs and Ramon Flores finished off the Yankee onslaught in the eighth with the first home run of the spring.

Tapped for the spring opener, Vidal Nuno had a promising debut. He struck out three FSU batters in two innings while allowing only one infield hit when Brendan Ryan was unable to pull off a jump throw to get the runner in the second. Brian Gordon replaced him in the third inning and surrendered four hits over the next two innings while collecting a strikeout. Yangervis Solarte saved him from giving up at least one run in the fourth when he made a leaping grab to end the inning.

Shane Greene was beat up a bit, pitching the fifth and sixth and surrendering three runs on three hits, a walk and a strikeout. Bryan Mitchell pitched the seventh and eighth, striking out three batters and Francisco Rondon finished out the game, striking out two and allowing one hit.

Check out the boxscore, here.