FSU holds off Notre Dame surge to clinch series

FSU pitcher John Abraham vs. Notre Dame It didn’t go as smoothly as it appeared destined to in the early innings, but Florida State still came away with its second straight win over Notre Dame, this one by a 9-7 margin, to clinch the weekend series Saturday afternoon at Dick Howser Stadium. When the No.

8 Seminoles (27-11, 11-6 ACC) took a 6-1 lead in the second inning and a 9-2 lead in the fifth, they seemed to be on their way to a second straight run-rule win over the Fighting Irish (17-17, 7-13). But Notre Dame came surging back, bringing the tying run to the plate in each of the last four innings. Some clutch escapes from John Abraham — the last three of which he created himself — ensured the Seminoles didn’t entirely blow what had been a seven-run lead.

Facing Notre Dame’s best pitcher in Jack Radel, the FSU offense jumped on him early. After the leadoff batter was retired in the bottom of the first, the next five Seminoles reached base. Consecutive RBI singles from Nathan Cmeyla and John Stuetzer before Cal Fisher’s RBI double highlighted a four-run first for the Seminoles.

FSU tacked on two more in the second, loading the bases with no outs and tacking on with a Hunter Carns sacrifice fly and Stuetzer’s RBI groundout. Radel entered with a 2. 82 ERA and had thrown six-plus innings in his last four starts.