What a weekend at Dick Howser Stadium. When No. 11 Florida State and No. 10 NC State squared off for the ACC home opener in Tallahassee, the stakes were clear from the jump. Two top-11 programs, both with legitimate postseason aspirations, both featuring rotation arms projected to go early in the draft.
This wasn’t just any series. It was a statement opportunity for both programs. For the Noles, could they back up what we saw in Winston-Salem? For the Wolfpack, could they pass their first real test of the season?
After dropping the opener on Friday night, No. 11 Florida State (19-4, 5-1 ACC) battled back to claim the series against No. 10 NC State (18-6, 3-3 ACC) with a 15-5 run-rule win in seven innings on Sunday.
Combined with Saturday’s 11-5 win, the Noles outscored a ranked Wolfpack club 26-10 over the final two games after falling 6-4 in the opener. That’s a big-time response from a team that has now won its second consecutive ranked ACC series.
Game 1: The One That Got Away
Friday night looked like it was trending toward a signature win. Myles Bailey powered a three-run homer to the opposite field with two outs in the fifth, his tenth of the season, giving FSU a 4-2 lead through five. Wes Mendes was toeing the rubber with a lead and every reason to finish the job. Then the sixth inning happened.
Three consecutive singles scored the first run, and John Abraham relieved Mendes with two on and one out. With two down, a double scored two more, handing the lead back to NC State. The Noles threatened in the eighth, putting two on with a leadoff walk and single, but two strikeouts and a groundout prevented Florida State from tying it as the RISP conversion issues we’ve been watching all season bit them again. NC State added an insurance run on a two-out error in the ninth to make it 6-4.
Mendes finished with 5.1 innings, five runs (four earned), eight hits, five strikeouts and one walk on 100 pitches. He just didn’t have his best stuff that night. It happens, and NCST was top 10 for a reason. Wolfpack starter Ryan Marohn struck out ten and allowed four earned runs across six innings. The loss dropped Mendes to 5-1 on the year, his first defeat in an otherwise dominant start to 2026.
Two things stuck out heading into Saturday. The FSU offense struck out 15 times, including nine strikeouts looking. And a pair of errors opened the door for NC State’s unearned runs. You can’t gift free bases to a team of this caliber and expect to win. Fortunately, the Noles got the message loud and clear.
Game 2: Dowd’s Grand Slam Breaks It Open
Just when it appeared Florida State was headed toward a second straight nailbiter, the offense broke through. The Seminoles used a six-run sixth inning, highlighted by Brayden Dowd’s grand slam, to run away with an 11-5 win.
The first act was messy in the best possible way. Bailey opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the first, and FSU added another in the second on back-to-back doubles to make it 3-0. NC State came right back. FSU committed three errors, two from shortstop Cal Fisher and one from second baseman Eli Putnam. The most significant was Fisher’s bobbled grounder when NC State had the bases loaded with two outs in the fourth, cutting the lead to 3-2, and the ensuing batter put the Wolfpack ahead with a two-run single to center.
Starter Trey Beard didn’t survive the fourth inning. Not his sharpest showing. But the Noles answered right back. Fisher redeemed himself with an RBI groundout to tie the game, then Bailey put FSU back in front with his second homer of the day in the fifth. Twelve home runs in 22 games. That man is different. He put one off the circus tents in game one.
Then came the sixth. Chase Williams singled up the middle and stole second. Will Bavaro worked a walk after falling behind 0-2, and Cal Fisher singled to load the bases. NC State starter Jacob Dudan departed, and reliever Collins Black came in and was immediately greeted by Dowd’s grand slam. The ball cleared the screen in right field and Dick Howser erupted. Kelvyn Paulino Jr. added an RBI double and John Stuetzer lined an RBI single to push the lead to 11-4.
The pitching staff deserves credit too. FSU’s staff struck out 12 and stranded 13 runners, while NC State went 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Chris Knier earned his first win of the year. Brodie Purcell picked up his second save. After Beard’s early exit, the bullpen was everything it needed to be.
Game 3: Paulino’s Moment, Moore’s Masterpiece
Sunday was a statement. Kelvyn Paulino Jr. slugged his first career homer and drove in four runs, and Bryson Moore earned his fourth win in six starts, limiting NC State to two runs in five-plus innings, as the Seminoles run-ruled the Wolfpack 15-5 in seven innings. It was FSU’s eighth run-rule win of the season and easily the most impressive considering the competition.
The Noles jumped on NC State starter Heath Andrews from the very first pitch of the afternoon. The Seminoles were up seven by the end of the second inning. Against a top-ten program, in a rubber match, FSU put up a seven-spot in the first two frames and the game was effectively over before most fans had finished their first frosty beverage. Paulino’s first career long ball was a major moment in that early avalanche, and Nathan Cmeyla, a name that keeps popping up, produced three hits, including two doubles, and drove in three runs.
After NC State got on the board in the fifth with two runs, the Seminoles’ offense answered with three more in the bottom half. Cmeyla started a two-out rally with an RBI double down the third base line. Bailey scored on a passed ball, and an error allowed Cmeyla to cross the plate as well. FSU then tacked on four more in the sixth, and with Bailey intentionally walked for the third time to load the bases, a balk plated Florida State’s 12th run.
In the seventh, NC State scored three to get within ten, but Kevin Mebil came in and got a sacrifice fly and a double-play groundout with the bases loaded to end the game at 15-5.
Moore’s performance on the mound was everything you want out of your Sunday starter in a big spot. He didn’t need a shutout. He needed to keep FSU in the game while the offense produced runs, and he did exactly that, clean and efficient through five-plus innings. After a shaky start, Moore has become a steady anchor on Sunday for the Noles, which is big in a split series like this when it’s all on the line on Sunday.
Final Thoughts
This was a meaningful series win and FSU’s second consecutive over a ranked team. This also goes a long way in ACC play. The Wolfpack came to Tallahassee with a 17-4 record, top 10 ranking, and some legitimate draft prospects in the lineup. The Noles dropped the opener and didn’t flinch. They came back with 26 runs over the next two games. That’s character they can build on when adversity strikes during the season.
The series also reinforced a few things about what this team is. The rotation, from top to bottom, is for real. Although it wasn’t their best weekend, you must give credit to the opponent too. You aren’t going to shut out every top 10 team you face.
Mendes took a loss on Friday but still gave you five-plus innings against a high-powered lineup. Trey Beard also had an off day Saturday, but the bullpen covered. Moore was dialed in on Sunday. Mendes, Beard and Moore combined for 32 strikeouts across 19.1 innings with just one earned run between them in the Wake Forest series the week before. We’ve seen what they can do when they are on, but they proved that even on an off weekend, they can keep FSU in the game against top-tier teams.
Offensively, the freshman class continues to impress. Paulino slugged his first career homer in a rubber match against a top-ten team. Stuetzer delivered multiple hits in back-to-back games. Bavaro worked a walk in a crucial spot in Saturday’s sixth. These are big moments that build confidence, and they’re accumulating fast. Paulino has been a legitimate bright spot at the plate. He now leads the Noles lineup with an impressive .404 average in 52 at-bats as a freshman! Both Stuetzer and Bavaro are hitting over .300 with 14 runs scored and a pair of homers. This freshman class is making a big impact. Oh, and Myles Bailey is still a beast!
My biggest question heading forward is the middle-infield defense. Errors were a recurring problem this series, and while the pitching staff limited the damage, Georgia Tech, Virginia and Clemson are going to punish free bases. That has to get cleaned up and is something atypical of a Link Jarret team. However, we’re also used to seeing the flawless duo of Alex Lodis and Drew Faurot, so growing pains were to be expected.
But let’s not close on a concern when the Noles just took a series from a top-ten team with authority. FSU is now 5-1 to begin ACC play after two top-25 series. Wake lost their series at No. 9 Virginia this past weekend and fell from the rankings, but they did win one game, and that is still a solid win. The Noles will get a crack at the Cavs in Charlottesville early next month. The schedule doesn’t get easier from here, but after this weekend, you’d be hard-pressed to find a reason why the now tenth-ranked Seminoles shouldn’t be hosting a Regional come late May.
Up next: Florida in Jacksonville on Tuesday, then Duke comes to Howser next weekend. Stay tuned. Thanks for reading and Go Noles!