This summer, Florida State had two members of its vaunted pitching staff represent the United States. Specifically, sophomore pitchers Carson Montgomery and Wyatt Crowell pitched for the USA collegiate national team throughout their offseason. The Tallahassee roommates spent several weeks training and competing against each other via intrasquad scrimmages, ultimately leading to a 10-day trip abroad to the Netherlands.
“I’ve never been out of the country, so that was an awesome experience for me,” Crowell said. “Just seeing all the different restaurants and foods was really cool.”
Although the college kids absorbed all aspects of European culture, their journey’s mission was oriented around Honkbalweek Haarlem, an international baseball tournament first held back in 1961. There, Team USA played in seven games, but Crowell and Montgomery only appeared in two ball games each.
Montgomery finished three strong innings without allowing any runs and striking out four. Crowell pitched 1.1 innings, fanned three, and allowed just two base runners against the Netherlands and Curaçao. The latter of the two surprised the Seminoles’ southpaw because of a noticeable age difference.
“They were all like 30 to 40-year-old dudes, I was so confused when we showed up to the field, but it was really cool,” Crowell said. “I got to face Roger Bernadina, who played for the Nationals [MLB player 2008-14].”
In the end, Team USA walked away with a bronze medal and an experience of a lifetime. When Crowell returned to the States, he parted ways with baseball and enjoyed some much-needed rest at home. The Cumming, Georgia, native returned to the Atlanta suburb despite his family just recently moving to Pensacola. The 20-year-old, albeit only for a handful more weeks, soaked up the sun lakeside with old neighborhood friends.
The relaxing end to his summer was more than warranted due to the trying spring season that saw Crowell shove over 50 innings on the hill. Comparatively, as a freshman, Crowell impacted the game as both a hitter and pitcher. In 2021, he ended with just over 16 innings and a 3.86 ERA. In 2022, with the bat out of his hands, the left-handed pitcher finished with an extremely impressive 6-1 record and 2.12 ERA. Doing so earned him 2022 All-Regional Second Team honors and boosted his 2023 MLB Draft stock up to the first five rounds.
This significant transition away from hitting and onto a team-leading bullpen load is exactly what Crowell asked for. Pitching has always been his favorite, but he hopes for even more this year.
“I would like to be a starter,” Crowell said. “I’ve been working on my changeup a lot because I know having a three-pitch mix is very important.”
There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding this spring’s Seminole baseball season because of new head coach Link Jarrett. Crowell has appreciated Jarrett and new pitching coach Chuck Ristano’s attention to detail. Every Sunday, the team receives weekly schedules for practices, which, in turn, keeps the team organized and in unison on the daily goals and objectives.
Crowell and the Seminoles have had an extended delay to fall practices with the field renovations taking place at Dick Howser Stadium, including a new playing surface and updated turf in the batter's box and foul territory. If everything goes to plan, Florida State should begin official fall practices in mid-October; scrimmages and games will also be finalized and announced in October.
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Story Links Nebraska pitcher Emmett Olson has accepted an invitation to the 2022 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Training Camp. Highlighted by a five-game intrasquad Stars vs. Stripes series in North Carolina from June 30 to July 4, the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Training Camp features 48-50 of the premier
FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas freshmen Hagen Smith and Brady Tygart have been invited to the training camp for the USA Baseball Collegiate National team, which will get underway in Cary, N.C. this week.
CHARLOTTE – Parker Messick, a first-team All-ACC pitcher and the league leader in strikeouts, strikeouts per nine innings, strikeout-to-walk ratio and WHIP, has been named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and the Golden Spikes Award.
𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭✅ @USAGoldenSpikes✅ @HowserTrophy Parker is the only starting pitcher from the ACC on either list!#Noles pic.twitter.com/4XDEsZti5l— FSU Baseball (@FSUBaseball) May 24, 2022
Messick, from Plant City, Florida, was a four-time ACC Pitcher of the Week, finishing the year with a 6-4 record and 3.05 ERA, with 136 strikeouts and 15 walks in 88.2 innings pitched. Messick ranks second in the country in strikeouts, fifth in strikeouts per nine innings, eighth in strikeout-to-walk ratio and 13th in WHIP.
Messick had a stretch of 30.0 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run at Dick Howser Stadium, a run that included games against No. 7 TCU, No. 9 Louisville, No. 16 Notre Dame and No. 6 Miami. He was the starting pitcher for three of FSU’s four shutout wins – against TCU, Louisville and Samford.
His 136 strikeouts are 13th in FSU single-season history and the fourth most in a regular season. His four ACC Pitcher of the Week honors were two more than any other player this season.
The Dick Howser Trophy – named after the former Florida State shortstop and head coach – is presented by the NCBWA and will be given out for the 35th time in 2022. The winner will be unveiled on MLB Network on June 17. The 44th Golden Spikes Award will be presented on June 24 on ESPN.
Four Seminoles – Mike Fuentes in 1981, Mike Loynd in 1986, J.D. Drew in 1997 and Buster Posey in 2008 – have won the Golden Spikes Award. Drew and Posey also have won the Dick Howser Trophy, and catcher Mat Nelson was a finalist last season after leading the country with 23 home runs.
Messick is the only starting pitcher from the Atlantic Coast Conference as a semifinalist for either list.
Crowell, Dunn to Pitch for Team USA
Sophomore pitchers Wyatt Crowell and Ross Dunn have been selected to pitch for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team this summer.
🇺🇸 🇺🇸 Wyatt Crowell and Ross Dunn will represent America this summer and pitch for the Collegiate National Team! pic.twitter.com/5ACvpXDYco— FSU Baseball (@FSUBaseball) May 24, 2022
The Collegiate National Team will play games throughout North Carolina before travelling to Haarlem, Netherlands for the Honkbalweek Haarlem tournament in July.
Crowell is 5-1 with a 2.47 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 43.2 innings pitched out of the bullpen. Opponents are hitting just .205 against him.
Dunn is 2-4 with 74 strikeouts in 46.0 innings pitched and opponents have hit just .218 against the Salt Lake City native.
For more information on Florida State baseball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, and keep up with the team on social media through Twitter and Facebook (@FSUBaseball) & Instagram and TikTok (@NoleBaseball).