Florida State University Athletics
Tuesday, April 7
Tallahassee, Fla.
7:00 PM
Florida State
3
vs
4
Florida
Rally Falls Short in Tuesday Defeat
4/7/2026 11:52:00 PM | Baseball
TALLAHASSEE – The No. 5 Florida State baseball team's comeback came up one run short in a 4-3 loss to Florida on Tuesday night at Dick Howser Stadium.
The Seminoles (24-8) rallied with two runs in the eighth inning on a two-run home run by sophomore catcher Hunter Carns to cut a three-run deficit to one run, but the Gators (25-8) prevented the tying or go-ahead run from scoring in both the eighth and ninth innings.
In front of a sold-out crowd that included the Marching Chiefs, Florida State scored three runs on nine hits and left nine runners on base. Florida scored four runs on seven hits with eight runners stranded. Both teams committed one error.
Six different Seminoles recorded a hit, with Carns one of three players with two. Carns notched two RBI as he hit his second home run of the season, both coming in the last three games. Junior center fielder Brayden Dowd also had two hits with an RBI.
Junior left-hander Cooper Whited (1-2) suffered his second loss of the year. In 4.1 innings of work, he allowed two runs on four hits with two strikeouts and no walks while throwing a season-high 69 pitches. Three of Whited's four full innings were three-up, three-down frames.
Whited retired the side in order in both the first and second. Dowd notched a two-out single in the bottom of the first for the first hit of the game.
Florida took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a solo home run for its first hit of the game. After a double, Whited got a flyout to limit the damage.
It would not take long for the Seminoles to answer back. In the bottom of the inning, freshman right fielder John Stuetzer led off the frame with a hit-by-pitch and quickly advanced to second on a wild pitch. A nicely-placed bunt single down the first-base line by junior left fielder Chase Williams put Stuetzer on third, and a Dowd single to shallow right scored Stuetzer and tied the game at 1-1.
Whited had another 1-2-3 inning in the fourth before Florida took the lead back in the fifth, scoring three runs for a 4-1 advantage. A leadoff home run came before back-to-back run-scoring singles with two outs off the FSU bullpen.
Junior righty Cole Stokes threw a 1-2-3 sixth inning with a groundout, strikeout and flyout. Carns singled with two outs in the bottom of the inning, but a groundout left him stranded.
Stokes recorded the first two outs in the seventh before junior right-hander Brodie Purcell got the inning-ending strikeout to leave two Gator runners on base. Two Seminoles reached in the bottom half, but a flyout and lineout ended the scoring threat.
FSU got to within a run in the eighth inning on Carns' two-run home run to make it 4-3. Sophomore second baseman Noah Sheffield started the rally with a leadoff infield single, and Carns brought him home with his two-run shot just to the right of the left-field scoreboard. Two more reached in the inning, but a strikeout prevented the Seminoles from tying the game.
Junior right-hander Jake Echols pitched a scoreless ninth while leaving two on. In the bottom half, Sheffield notched a two-out single, but the tying run couldn't get any closer.
Florida State returns to the road for a top-five, nationally-televised series at No. 3 Georgia Tech from April 9-11. Thursday and Friday's games will air on ACC Network. The series commences at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 9, followed by the second game on Friday at 8 p.m. Saturday's finale is set for a 3 p.m. first pitch in Atlanta.
For 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 and Facebook (@FSUBaseball) & Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
The Seminoles (24-8) rallied with two runs in the eighth inning on a two-run home run by sophomore catcher Hunter Carns to cut a three-run deficit to one run, but the Gators (25-8) prevented the tying or go-ahead run from scoring in both the eighth and ninth innings.
In front of a sold-out crowd that included the Marching Chiefs, Florida State scored three runs on nine hits and left nine runners on base. Florida scored four runs on seven hits with eight runners stranded. Both teams committed one error.
Six different Seminoles recorded a hit, with Carns one of three players with two. Carns notched two RBI as he hit his second home run of the season, both coming in the last three games. Junior center fielder Brayden Dowd also had two hits with an RBI.
Junior left-hander Cooper Whited (1-2) suffered his second loss of the year. In 4.1 innings of work, he allowed two runs on four hits with two strikeouts and no walks while throwing a season-high 69 pitches. Three of Whited's four full innings were three-up, three-down frames.
Whited retired the side in order in both the first and second. Dowd notched a two-out single in the bottom of the first for the first hit of the game.
Florida took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a solo home run for its first hit of the game. After a double, Whited got a flyout to limit the damage.
It would not take long for the Seminoles to answer back. In the bottom of the inning, freshman right fielder John Stuetzer led off the frame with a hit-by-pitch and quickly advanced to second on a wild pitch. A nicely-placed bunt single down the first-base line by junior left fielder Chase Williams put Stuetzer on third, and a Dowd single to shallow right scored Stuetzer and tied the game at 1-1.
Whited had another 1-2-3 inning in the fourth before Florida took the lead back in the fifth, scoring three runs for a 4-1 advantage. A leadoff home run came before back-to-back run-scoring singles with two outs off the FSU bullpen.
Junior righty Cole Stokes threw a 1-2-3 sixth inning with a groundout, strikeout and flyout. Carns singled with two outs in the bottom of the inning, but a groundout left him stranded.
Stokes recorded the first two outs in the seventh before junior right-hander Brodie Purcell got the inning-ending strikeout to leave two Gator runners on base. Two Seminoles reached in the bottom half, but a flyout and lineout ended the scoring threat.
FSU got to within a run in the eighth inning on Carns' two-run home run to make it 4-3. Sophomore second baseman Noah Sheffield started the rally with a leadoff infield single, and Carns brought him home with his two-run shot just to the right of the left-field scoreboard. Two more reached in the inning, but a strikeout prevented the Seminoles from tying the game.
Junior right-hander Jake Echols pitched a scoreless ninth while leaving two on. In the bottom half, Sheffield notched a two-out single, but the tying run couldn't get any closer.
Florida State returns to the road for a top-five, nationally-televised series at No. 3 Georgia Tech from April 9-11. Thursday and Friday's games will air on ACC Network. The series commences at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 9, followed by the second game on Friday at 8 p.m. Saturday's finale is set for a 3 p.m. first pitch in Atlanta.
For 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 and Facebook (@FSUBaseball) & Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
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