FSU holds off Notre Dame surge to clinch series

FSU pitcher John Abraham vs. Notre Dame

It didn’t go as smoothly as it appeared destined to in the early innings, but Florida State still came away with its second straight win over Notre Dame, this one by a 9-7 margin, to clinch the weekend series Saturday afternoon at Dick Howser Stadium.

When the No. 8 Seminoles (27-11, 11-6 ACC) took a 6-1 lead in the second inning and a 9-2 lead in the fifth, they seemed to be on their way to a second straight run-rule win over the Fighting Irish (17-17, 7-13).

But Notre Dame came surging back, bringing the tying run to the plate in each of the last four innings. Some clutch escapes from John Abraham — the last three of which he created himself — ensured the Seminoles didn’t entirely blow what had been a seven-run lead.

Facing Notre Dame’s best pitcher in Jack Radel, the FSU offense jumped on him early. After the leadoff batter was retired in the bottom of the first, the next five Seminoles reached base. Consecutive RBI singles from Nathan Cmeyla and John Stuetzer before Cal Fisher’s RBI double highlighted a four-run first for the Seminoles.

FSU tacked on two more in the second, loading the bases with no outs and tacking on with a Hunter Carns sacrifice fly and Stuetzer’s RBI groundout.

Radel entered with a 2.82 ERA and had thrown six-plus innings in his last four starts. He lasted just three frames, allowing six runs on seven hits with three walks and no strikeouts.

When Notre Dame plated its second run in the fourth, FSU responded with a two-run triple from Stuetzer — bringing his RBI tally to a career-high-tying four — when Brandon Logan lost a deep flyball in the sun.

Then Eli Putnam tacked on his seventh homer of the season — and second of the weekend — in the sixth to push that edge to 9-2.

That seemed like it could be enough for FSU left-handed starter Trey Beard, who allowed a leadoff homer in the first and another solo homer in the fourth but was largely great through five innings. He allowed two runs on three hits over five innings, striking out seven and walking none.

But FSU elected to send him back out there for the sixth in a decision that aged poorly. After a leadoff strikeout, Beard allowed a double, walk, double and single in order. All four of those runners came around to score, the last after Beard’s exit on a single to left Abraham allowed to the first batter he faced.