TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida State’s Jameis Winston completed his busiest seven-day stretch of the spring last week, playing four baseball games and participating in four football practices. The Heisman winner didn’t have his best days on the diamond, but coach Jimbo Fisher said he made strides on the football field.
Winston also dealt with the news that Florida State is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education to determine if the university adequately looked into allegations that he assaulted another student in December 2012.
Winston and the football team were honored at the Capitol on Tuesday for Florida State Day.
A look at how the 20-year-old sophomore fared on the baseball field last week:
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IN RELIEF: The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder had two relief appearances, but did not record a save. Winston pitched the ninth inning of an 8-3 win against Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday after starting in left field. He allowed a leadoff single up the middle and the second batter reached on an error. Winston struck out the next two swinging and got the final out on a pop-up to right field. He failed to record an out during an 8-7 win against Notre Dame on Friday. Winston entered in the eighth with two outs and a runner on and walked the first batter. He gave up an RBI double down the right-field line and a RBI single before being pulled. Winston’s pitching line for the week: 1.0 innings, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 K, 1 BB, 8 batters faced.
AT THE PLATE: Winston went 0 for 8 last week with plate appearances in 3 of 4 games. He was 0 for 3 Tuesday, but walked in the third inning and scored from third on a ground out. Winston was called out for batters interference in the fourth inning, flew out in the seventh and recorded an RBI on a ground out to the shortstop in the eighth inning. Winston was 0 for 1 in an 11-2 win over the Fighting Irish in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday. He was 0 for 4 in the 4-3 win in the second game Sunday. Winston’s line this week: 3 games, 0 H, 2 BB, 1 RBI, 1 R, 3 K.
IN THE FIELD: Winston started in left field Tuesday and the second game Sunday. He entered right field in the fifth inning of the first game Sunday and caught a liner to record the second out of the inning. He moved to center field in the eighth.
HIGHLIGHT: The week was a rough one for Winston individually, but he did record three consecutive outs on the mound to finish the game Tuesday, striking out two in the process and working out of a jam.
ON THE SEASON: He has four hits in 27 at-bats and is batting .148; on the mound he has pitched 14.0 innings, struck out 15 of the 52 batters he’s faced, has given up nine hits, two walks and has four saves with a 1.93 ERA.
ON DECK: Florida State hosts rival Florida in a single game Tuesday before a three-game road series at Georgia Tech this weekend. Winston also plays in the football Spring Game on Saturday.
QUOTABLE: “He has improved at times,” Fisher said. “Not as much as I’ve wanted to see. I think part of it is that the guys around him aren’t playing as consistent. When those receivers are getting to their points that allows you to play fast and let those things happen.”
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Associated Press Writer Kareem Copeland in Tallahassee, Fla., compiled this report.
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