FSU baseball loses St. John’s in Tallahassee Regional: Recap

Florida State fought in the top of the ninth, scoring two runs in the top of the ninth, but that was all. The Seminoles fell 5-4, and their 2026 season has come to a close in the Tallahassee Regional Final.

Brayden Dowd worked a two-out walk to get the tying run on base, but Brody DeLamielleure struckout looked to end the game.

Cal Fisher has made it a one-run game in the top of the ninth with his second home run of the game. FSU’s top of the order is due up with one out and the Seminoles needing at least one more run to keep the game going.

Florida State is headed to the top of the ninth down 5-2. Gabe Fraser, Carter McCulley, and Cal Fisher are due up for FSU.

Florida State was unable to reach base in the eighth inning, going down in order. Nathan Cmeyla gave one ball a ride to the warning track, but St. John’s was able to make the catch. FSU is down to its final three outs, down three runs.

Gabe Nard was able to escape the jam in the seventh, getting a flyout to strand two runners in the inning. FSU has six outs to score three runs.

The Seminoles are making another pitching change in the seventh inning, calling for Gabe Nard with two runners on and two outs. FSU is trailing 5-2.

Florida State is turning to Cole Stokes with two outs in the top of the seventh inning with a runner on first, down 5-2. Kevin Mebil allowed one run in 1.2 innings on a walk and two wild pitches.

Florida State had a great shot to get back in the game after Carter McCulley and Cal Fisher reached to start the seventh inning and get the top of the lineup to the plate. They were unable to deliver, with John Stuetzer flying out before Brayden Dowd and Brody DeLamielleure grounded out. FSU is 1-11 with runners on and 1-7 with runners in scoring position.

St. John’s is not messing around and is calling for Victor Frederick to try and protect their 5-2 lead in the top of the seventh. FSU has two runners in scoring position with two outs for Brody DeLamielleure, who is 3-3 today with an RBI.

Florida State is looking to cut into St. John’s 5-2 lead in the top of the seventh after a single and a walk put two on with nobody out for John Stuetzer and the top of the order. FSU is 1-8 with runners on.

Florida State now has to come back from a three-run deficit after St. John’s scored one run in the bottom of the sixth, thanks to several mistakes by FSU. An error by Ben Barrett allowed a runner to reach with one out before a grounder got him to scoring position. Two wild pitches by Kevin Mebil allowed him to score, making it a 5-2 game entering the seventh inning.

Florida State is turning to Kevin Mebil to try to keep it a 4-2 game in the sixth inning. The lefty has not pitched this postseason and has a 5.40 ERA in 18.1 innings pitched this year. John Abraham allowed four runs in two innings.

FSU was unable to get anything going in the top of the sixth inning after St. John’s took the lead in the fifth inning. Nathan Cmeyla and Ben Barrett both hit the ball well to center, but neither was rewarded with a hit. FSU is down to its final nine outs.

The Red Storm has made a pitching change, calling for freshman Jack Nestler to protect the 4-2 lead. The righty has a 3.18 ERA in 45.1 innings this season and allowed two runs against Northern Illinois this weekend.

The Seminoles will have to rally back after St. John’s took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth with a grand slam. FSU has nine outs to score two or more runs to keep the season alive.

St. John’s has turned the game around with a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the 5th inning. John Abraham walked two batters and gave up a single before a strikeout had him on the verge of escaping. It is the first time he has allowed multiple runs this season.

Florida State added another run in the fifth, but they once again were unable to put up a crooked number. Hunter Carns struckout to end the inning, stranding two runners. Brody DeLamielleure has three singles and an RBI in the game.

FSU has finally gotten a hit with a runner on, with Brody DeLamielleure singling home John Steutzer with two outs in the fifth to give FSU a 2-0 lead vs. St. John’s. Steutzer walked, stole second, and got to third when a pickoff throw got away from the second baseman.

John Abraham walked the first batter he saw, but FSU’s reliever settled in to strand both runners and keep FSU up 1-0. After the walk, he got a pop-up on a bunt for the first out before a strikeout, and a grounder ended the inning. St. John’s is 0-6 with runners on.

The Seminoles are making a pitching change, calling for top reliever John Abraham with a 1-0 lead over St. John’s in the bottom of the fourth inning with a runner on first and no outs. Manca allowed one hit, two walks, and hit a batter in three innings.

Abraham allowed one run in 1.2 innings against St. John’s on Friday. It was his first appearance in nearly a month, and he allowed two hits, walked two batters, and threw two wild pitches.

Payton Manca issued a walk to start the fourth inning, and John Abraham is warming up in the bullpen with FSU up 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Manca has thrown a season-high 56 pitches. Abraham struggled against St. John’s on Friday, his first appearance in nearly a month as he recovered from an injury.

FSU’s struggles with runners on continued in the top of the fourth after Ben Barrett hit a one-out infield single. Gabe Fraser had a good at-bat, but hit into a double play to end the inning. The Seminoles are 0-5 with runners on in the game.

Payton Manca has been excellent for FSU and is through three scoreless innings to start the game. He retired the side in order in the third, getting two strikeouts. He has allowed just one hit, a swinging bunt in the first.

Link Jarrett said before the inning that it was about the “eye-test” with Manca moving forward when talking to the ESPN broadcasters. He has thrown a season-high 51 pitches.

Florida State got the lead in the top of the third with a solo home run by Cal Fisher, but that was all as Brody DeLamielleure was stranded at first after his second single of the game. The Seminoles have just one run, but they have started to have much better at-bats against St. John’s starter Evan Hoeckele.

Florida State has opened the scoring with a leadoff home run from Cal Fisher in the top of the third inning. It is his second homer of the regional and fourth of the season. It easily cleared the right field fence to give them a 1-0 lead.

Payton Manca retired the first two batters he saw before hitting a batter. He was once again able to get out of it unscathed, getting a flyout to right to end the inning. Brody DeLamielleure made a nice leaping catch at the wall for the first out of the inning.

Ben Barrett continued his great weekend with a one-out double off the wall in right field, but FSU was unable to drive him in. Gabe Fraser lined out to left center with Carter McCulley flying out to the track. FSU went 2-11 with runners in scoring position vs St. John’s on Friday and is 0-2 today.

St. John’s got two base runners in the first inning, but Payton Manca made sure they stayed at first. He erased a leadoff walk with a pick off before another batter reached on a swining bunt. A strikeout and a flyout to center stranded him there. Manca threw 18 pitches in the inning and has a season high of 50.

Brody DeLamielleure got a two-out single in the top of the first inning, but was stranded there when Hunter Carns popped up to the shortstop to end the inning. St. John’s starter Evan Hoeckele threw 14 pitches; his season high is 58 and he threw 13 against FSU on Friday.

The Seminoles are looking to win the regional after dropping the regional opener, something they did back in 2008 and 2017. According to the ESPN broadcast, no team has ever done it three times.

The Seminoles are turning to Payton Manca to start the game against St. John’s. The lefty has pitched in seven games this year with two starts. He has a 5.59 ERA in 9.2 innings, with his longest outing being 3.0 innings.

For the second straight game, the FSU Seminoles are the road team. The Seminoles have been the home team twice, and St. John’s has been the road team in both of its games.