{"id":291433,"date":"2026-06-01T06:04:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T06:04:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/291433\/"},"modified":"2026-06-01T06:04:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T06:04:09","slug":"fsu-advances-to-regional-final-with-dramatic-10th-inning-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/291433\/","title":{"rendered":"FSU Advances to Regional Final with Dramatic 10th-Inning Win"},"content":{"rendered":"

TALLAHASSEE \u2013 A three-run 10th inning propelled the No. 10-seed Florida State baseball team to a dramatic 7-4, comeback win over Northern Illinois and into the regional final of the 2026 NCAA Tallahassee Regional Final on Sunday night at Dick Howser Stadium.
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\nThe Seminoles (40-18) trailed 4-3 after seven innings, but tied the game in the eighth and won it with three in the 10th to defeat the Huskies (36-19) in the regional elimination game.
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\nWith the victory, Florida State advances to the Regional Final and will play St. John’s on Monday. First pitch is at 12 p.m. ET. If FSU, which is 2-1 in the double-elimination event, beats 2-0 SJU, an if-necessary game will be played at 4 p.m. Tickets will go on sale Monday morning at Seminoles.com\/Tickets<\/a> and also will be available in-person at Howser.
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\nSunday’s night’s victory was FSU’s second win-or-go-home game of the day, after a 2-1 triumph over Coastal Carolina<\/a> that started on Saturday and finished on Sunday morning.
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\nThe Seminoles’ three-run, go-ahead 10th inning started with a sacrifice fly by sophomore catcher Hunter Carns<\/a>, who also scored the tying run in the eighth, and was punctuated by a two-out, two-run home run by senior first baseman Ben Barrett<\/a>. The homer was Barrett’s second in the last four games and comes in his 10th game back in the lineup as a position player after nearly three seasons solely as a pitcher.
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\nFlorida State improves to 213-137 all-time in NCAA play, with a 160-64 record in regionals. FSU is 18-2 in regional elimination games at Howser since 2000 and 26-10 all-time in regional elimination games at home. The Seminoles are 10-1 in the last three years overall in the postseason at Howser.
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\nBarrett had a team-high three hits, two RBI and two runs scored to lead the FSU offense that scored seven runs on 11 hits. Seven players had at least a hit, six drove in a run and five scored one run in addition to Barrett’s two.
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\nOn the mound, junior right-handed reliever Brodie Purcell<\/a> got the win to improve to 5-2 on the season and 2-0 in the regional. Pitching the final 3.1 innings, he held NIU to one hit with seven strikeouts and a walk as his team tied the game and eventually took the lead.
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\nPurcell followed junior left-handed starter Cooper Whited<\/a> and junior righty Chris Knier<\/a>. Whited allowed three runs, one earned, on three hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Knier relieved Whited in the fourth inning and gave up one unearned run on two hits with five strikeouts and one walk in 3.1 innings.
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\nThe FSU trio limited Northern Illinois to four runs on six hits.
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\nBatting first as the visiting team, Florida State jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI double by redshirt sophomore right fielder Brody DeLamielleure<\/a>. The shot down the left-field line scored freshman left fielder John Stuetzer<\/a>, who led off the game with a double to right-center.
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\nA two-run home run in the bottom of the first with two outs gave Northern Illinois a 2-1 lead.
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\nThe Seminoles answered right back with two runs in the second to regain a 3-2 advantage. Back-to-back singles led off the inning, and a groundout scored Barrett to tie the game. With two outs, Stuetzer singled home sophomore shortstop Gabe Fraser<\/a>.
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\nWhited got a double play in the bottom of the second inning and retired the side in order in the third.
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\nThe Huskies tied the game in the fourth on a leadoff home run. Knier relieved Whited with one on and one out. He got an inning-ending double play with the help of a diving catch by junior center fielder Brayden Dowd<\/a>, doubling off the runner at second.
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\nKnier struck out two in a perfect fifth and struck out the side in the sixth.
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\nNIU took a 4-3 lead in the seventh, scoring an unearned run with two outs.
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\nFSU again immediately responded in the top of the eighth. Carns walked and scored from first on a double to the wall in left-center by redshirt senior designated hitter Nathan Cmeyla<\/a>.
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\nPurcell struck out the side in the eighth and fanned two in the ninth to leave a runner on second.
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\nIn the 10th, Dowd led off the inning with a walk and advanced to third on a single up the middle by DeLamielleure. He scored on a sac fly to center by Carns to give the Seminoles a 5-4 lead. That’s the only run they would need, but Barrett added the insurance with his two-run blast over the right-field fence that made it 7-4.
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\nPurcell completed the win with a scoreless 10th, as his final strikeout won it and left a runner on first after a two-out single.
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\nMonday’s first game will air live on ESPNU<\/a>. Fans can listen to every FSU game via the Seminole Sports Network on WFLA 100.7 FM. Each game also is available around the world on the FSU Gameday App<\/a> and Seminoles.com<\/a>. Live stats are at NCAA.com<\/a>. A Regional Central page is at Seminoles.com<\/a> with direct links to watch, listen and follow along and more. 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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\n2026 NCAA TALLAHASSEE REGIONAL SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
\nFriday, May 29
\nGame 1: #4 St. John’s 6, #1 Florida State 5
\nGame 2: #3 Northern Illinois 12, #2 Coastal Carolina 10
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\nSaturday, May 30
\nGame 3: #1 Florida State vs. #2 Coastal Carolina \u2013 Suspended to Sunday conclusion
\nGame 4: #3 Northern Illinois vs. #4 St. John’s \u2013 Postponed to Sunday
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\nSunday, May 31
\nGame 3: #1 Florida State 2, #2 Coastal Carolina 1
\nGame 4: #4 St. John’s 21, #3 Northern Illinois 8
\nGame 5: #1 Florida State 7, #3 Northern Illinois 4 (10 Inn.)
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\nMonday, June 1
\nGame 6: #1 Florida State vs. #4 St. John’s \u2013 12 p.m.
\nGame 7: #1 Florida State vs. #4 St. John’s \u2013 4 p.m. (If Necessary)
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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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