{"id":225863,"date":"2026-04-10T04:42:08","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T04:42:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/225863\/"},"modified":"2026-04-10T04:42:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T04:42:08","slug":"florida-state-suffers-one-run-defeat-in-top-five-series-opener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/225863\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida State Suffers One-Run Defeat in Top-Five Series Opener"},"content":{"rendered":"

ATLANTA \u2013 The No. 5 Florida State baseball team’s comeback bid came up just short in a 4-3 loss at No. 3 Georgia Tech on Thursday night in the opening game of a three-game series in Atlanta.
\n\u00a0
\nAs the top two teams in the ACC standings squared off, the Seminoles (24-9, 9-4 ACC) held the Yellow Jackets (28-5, 13-3 ACC), who have the ACC’s best offense at nearly 12 runs per game, to four runs, tied for their third-lowest total on the season entering the weekend.
\n\u00a0
\nIn front of a sold-out and lively crowd at Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium, FSU took a 3-0 lead in the second inning before GT answered with one run in the bottom of the second and took the lead with three in the sixth. Florida State put two on in the ninth with the tying run on third base, but a double play ended the game.
\n\u00a0
\nThe top-five series is the fourth weekend Florida State has faced a top-12 nationally-ranked team in the first five weeks of ACC play. Georgia Tech extended its win streak to nine in a row with Thursday’s series-opening victory, and the team is 7-2 vs. top-25 opponents.
\n\u00a0
\nJunior left-handed starter Wes Mendes<\/a> held GT to three runs on six hits with nine strikeouts and three walks in 5.1 innings pitched. He departed in the bottom of the sixth with a 3-1 lead and two runners on. Junior righty John Abraham<\/a> suffered his first loss of the season and is 1-1. In 2.0 innings, he allowed a run on three hits with two strikeouts and three walks. Two more relievers pitched the final 0.2 innings and did not allow a run on one hit.
\n\u00a0
\nJunior third baseman Cal Fisher<\/a> hit his second home run of the season in the second inning. His second homer in the last three games was part of a one-hit, two-RBI day. Freshman right fielder John Stuetzer<\/a> was one of three players with two hits and added an RBI.
\n\u00a0
\nFlorida State’s three runs came on seven hits with no errors and five runners left on base. Georgia Tech scored four runs on 10 hits without an error and 12 runners stranded.
\n\u00a0
\nFSU took a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Redshirt senior first baseman Eli Putnam<\/a> led off the inning with a walk and advanced to third on a single. With one out, he scored on a base hit by Stuetzer. Fisher then sent the first pitch he saw over the left-field fence for a two-run home run.
\n\u00a0
\nGeorgia Tech answered with a homer of its own in the bottom of the second, but the solo shot limited the damage to a run. A strikeout ended the inning with two runners on, as GT also stranded two in the first.
\n\u00a0
\nMendes fanned two in a scoreless third while leaving one on and also got an inning-ending strikeout in the fourth to strand one.
\n\u00a0
\nThe fifth was a one-two-three inning for Mendes, with strikeouts bookending a flyout.
\n\u00a0
\nThe Yellow Jackets took their first lead of the game in the sixth inning. Back-to-back one-out singles put two on with one out, and Abraham relieved Mendes. A single scored the first run, and a wild pitch tied the game. A two-out base hit then brought in the go-ahead run to make it 4-3.
\n\u00a0
\nThe Seminoles hit two deep fly balls in the seventh but could not tie the game. Abraham left the bases loaded in the bottom half. Two walks and a single put the maximum on, but a groundout to Abraham ended the threat to keep it a one-run game.
\n\u00a0
\nA leadoff double in the eighth by junior center fielder Brayden Dowd<\/a> put the tying run in scoring position, and he took third on a one-out groundout, but a deep fly ball to center ended the inning.
\n\u00a0
\nGeorgia Tech had two reach in the bottom of the eighth, but sophomore right-hander Cade O’Leary<\/a> came out of the bullpen and got a groundout to end the inning with runners on the corners.
\n\u00a0
\nIn the ninth, consecutive one-out singles from junior left fielder Chase Williams<\/a> and Stuetzer was followed by a double steal to put runners on second and third. However, a double play ended the game and prevented Florida State from tying it up.
\n\u00a0
\nGame two of the three-game, top-five series is on Friday at 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network. Saturday’s finale is set for a 3 p.m. first pitch. Friday game will be broadcast live on ACC Network<\/a> with Mike Ferrin and Devon Travis on the call. Saturday’s game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra<\/a>, accessible through your television provider or a subscription to ESPN+. Fans can listen to every game via the Seminole Sports Network on WFLA 100.7 FM. Each game also is available around the world on the Seminoles Unconquered App<\/a> and Seminoles.com<\/a>. Live stats are at GeorgiaTech.Statbroadcast.com<\/a> (Friday<\/a> | Saturday<\/a>). Direct links to watch, listen and follow along can be found on the schedule page at Seminoles.com\/Baseball<\/a>. News, notes and behind-the-scenes updates all weekend are available by following and connecting with the team on social media on Twitter\/X<\/a> and Facebook<\/a> (@FSUBaseball) and Instagram<\/a> (@NoleBaseball).
\n\u00a0
\nFor 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\/X<\/a> and Facebook<\/a> (@FSUBaseball) & Instagram<\/a> (@NoleBaseball).
\n\u00a0