FSU baseball dominates Fighting Irish for fourth series sweep

Florida State baseball completed its fourth series sweep of the season, outscoring the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish 26-11 over three games at Dick Howser Stadium from April 17 to 19. Solid at-bats sparked the Seminoles’ weekend dominance, capped by a four-run seventh-inning rally in the 6-4 finale.

The win moves FSU to 28-11 overall and 12-6 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, helping the ’Noles bounce back after their first conference series loss of the year to Georgia Tech the previous weekend. This sweep of head coach Link Jarrett’s former team marks the Garnet and Gold’s fifth series win in six conference weekends.

More: FSU baseball swept by Georgia Tech as losing streak stretches to four

Dominant pitching and power bats fuel game one shutout

Junior pitcher Wes Mendes set the tone for the weekend, starting on the mound in game one and quickly retiring the Fighting Irish in order in the first inning. Florida State’s offense followed suit in the bottom half as junior outfielder Brayden Dowd led off with a double up the middle. Junior outfielder Chase Williams and sophomore catcher Hunter Carns added consecutive singles before redshirt senior catcher Nathan Cmeyla hit a double to deep left field, giving the Seminoles an early 2-0 lead.

'Nole of the week: FSU baseball ace Wes Mendes

In the bottom of the fourth inning with runners on first and third, a fielding error on Williams’ sacrifice bunt allowed Dowd and senior infielder Carter McCulley to score. The play extended FSU’s lead to 4-0. The ’Noles’ offense exploded in the sixth inning, as separate three-run home runs by freshman outfielder John Stuetzer and redshirt senior infielder Eli Putnam gave the Garnet and Gold a commanding 11-0 lead.