{"id":264672,"date":"2026-05-09T10:27:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T10:27:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/264672\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T10:27:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T10:27:18","slug":"seminoles-down-clemson-to-begin-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/264672\/","title":{"rendered":"Seminoles Down Clemson to Begin Series"},"content":{"rendered":"

CLEMSON, S.C. \u2013 The No. 14 Florida State baseball team topped Clemson 8-4 on Friday night to win the opening game of the three-game series at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.
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\nThe Seminoles (35-14, 16-9 ACC) won their sixth consecutive game behind a pair of home runs, both which came a half inning after the Tigers (29-21, 8-17 ACC) scored a single run. Clemson saw a three-game win streak come to an end, all against top-25 opponents. Friday’s game began a three-game series between the two rivals in the penultimate weekend of the regular season.
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\nFSU took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and led 4-0 in the third. Clemson scored one in the bottom of the third, only for freshman left fielder John Stuetzer<\/a> to answer with a two-run home run in the top of the fourth. CU scored in the bottom of the inning, again being held to just one run, but Florida State also responded via a leadoff home run by redshirt sophomore right fielder Brody DeLamielleure<\/a> in the next half inning to extend the lead back to five at 7-2. The Tigers plated single runs in the sixth and seventh to make it a three-run game before the Seminoles added an insurance tally in the ninth. Clemson loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth to send the tying run to the plate with two outs, but the bullpen did not allow the home team to score.
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\nJunior left-handed starter Wes Mendes<\/a> earned his ninth win of the season, tied for the most in the ACC, to improve to 9-3. In 6.0 innings, he allowed three runs on five hits with 10 strikeouts and two walks. Throwing 101 pitches, Mendes recorded his sixth quality start and reached double-digit strikeouts for the fifth time. He did not allow more than one run in any inning to limit the damage.
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\nRedshirt sophomore left-handed reliever Payton Manca<\/a> got the final out of the game to strand the bases loaded. Getting the only batter he faced to fly out, Manca earned his first career save.
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\nDeLamielleure was one of four players with two hits and had a game-high three RBI along with two runs scored. Sophomore designated hitter Hunter Carns<\/a> also had two hits with two RBI. Junior center fielder Brayden Dowd<\/a> scored three runs with a pair of hits, and junior third baseman Cal Fisher<\/a> also notched two hits with a run. Stuetzer had two RBI, one of three players to drive in multiple runs.
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\nFSU’s eight hits came on 11 runs with no errors and five runners left on. Mendes and four relievers held Clemson to four runs on eight hits with an error. Nine runners were stranded in the contest.
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\nFlorida State improves to 86-78-1 all-time against Clemson and 25-40 on the road. Friday’s victory snapped a four-game losing streak at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
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\nFlorida State took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a two-out RBI single by Carns. The base hit to left scored Dowd, who singled with one out.
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\nMendes followed with a two-strikeout bottom of the first and fanned another two in the second. He left a runner on in both frames, with a walk in the first and a single in the second.
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\nThe Seminoles extended their lead to 4-0 with three runs in the third. Two singles put runners on the corners with one out for DeLamielleure, who singled to left on an 0-2 count to bring in the first run. Carns followed with a run-scoring single of his own that plated Dowd, and a sac fly by redshirt senior catcher Nathan Cmeyla<\/a> brought in DeLamielleure.
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\nA leadoff walk led to Clemson’s first run in the bottom of the third on an RBI single, but Mendes limited the damage to the single score to make it 4-1.
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\nFlorida State quickly answered with two in the top of the fourth on Stuetzer’s two-run, two-out home run to right-center. Scoring junior third baseman Cal Fisher<\/a>, it extended the lead to 6-1.
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\nClemson got one run back in the bottom half to make it 6-2 with back-to-back doubles on consecutive pitches to lead off the frame. However, Mendes then got a flyout and two strikeouts to leave the runner on second.
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\nDeLamielleure provided another FSU response with the first pitch of the fifth inning that he sent to deep center, just to the right of the batter’s eye. His leadoff home run pushed the lead back to five, at 7-2.
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\nMendes then used a five-pitch bottom of the fifth to retire the side in order. The sixth was his final inning, and an RBI single proved to be the final run he would allow. A foul-out ended the inning and Mendes’ outing with a 7-3 lead.
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\nJunior righty Chris Knier<\/a> relieved Mendes to start the seventh. A leadoff walk led to a two-out run, but that was it for a 7-4 lead.
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\nFellow junior righty John Abraham<\/a> needed nine pitches to take care of the Tigers in the eighth.
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\nFlorida State added an insurance run in the top of the ninth to extend the lead to 8-4. Dowd walked with two outs, stole second and went to third on a throwing error. He scored the unearned run on a sac fly by DeLamielleure.
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\nA walk, single and walk loaded the bases for the Tigers in the bottom of the inning with two outs to send the tying run to the plate. However, Manca came in and got a flyout on a 3-1 pitch to end the game and preserve the 8-4 victory.
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\nThe series continues on Saturday on ACC Network at 6 p.m. ET. The finale will air live on ESPN2 on Sunday at 3 p.m. Clay Matvick and Devon Travis have the call Saturday on ACC Network<\/a> and Sunday on ESPN2<\/a>. 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 Clemson.Statbroadcast.com<\/a> (Saturday<\/a> | Sunday<\/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).
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\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).
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