TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Notre Dame baseball team out-scored No. 8 Florida State down the stretch, but the comeback effort was not quite enough in a 9-7 setback in game two of the three-game series.
Drew Berkland led the game off with a home run to center field to give the Irish an early 1-0 lead. Florida State, however, put up for runs in the bottom of the first to gain a 4-1 advantage. The Seminoles added two in the bottom of the second for a 6-1 lead.
Jack Radel picked off a runner at second after a lead-off double by the Seminoles. A pop up and a ground out later, the Irish retired the Florida State side in order.
Bino Watters tagged one the opposite way for a solo homer to left-center field to make it a 6-2 game midway through the fourth.
After the Seminoles made it a 9-2 game, the Irish cut away at the deficit in the top of the sixth. Noah Coy hit a one-out double up the right field line, and Mark Quatrani drew a walk. Bino Watters drove in Coy with a double to left field. Parker Brzustewicz then had a perfectly-placed single up the middle to drive in Quatrani and Watters for a 9-5 score. Brandon Logan drew a full-count, two-out walk to load the bases, and Jamie Zee used a single to left field to drive in Brzustewicz to make it 9-6.
Caden Crowell retired the side in order in the bottom half of the sixth with a strikeout, a fly out and another strikeout. The Irish defense used a 6-4-3 double play to end the seventh as the score continued to stand at 9-6.
Crowell added two more strikeouts before inducing a grounder to end the eighth to retire the side in order.
Down to their final at-bats, the Irish continued to battle. Noah Coy drew a lead-off walk before Mark Quatrani singled through the left side. Parker Brzustewicz put the ball in play as the Seminoles’ shortstop bobbled the ball, allowing Coy to score to make it a two-run game. The comeback effort, however, was stopped there in the 9-7 final.
Bino Watters went 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, two RBI and a run. Parker Brzustewicz added a hit, drove in three and scored once. Noah Coy had a 2-for-3 effort at the dish with a double, a walk and two runs. Drew Berkland had a home run, and Jamie Zee had a hit and drove in a run. Mark Quatrani posted a hit and scored once, and Jayce Lee added a hit.
Jack Radel shouldered the pitching decision in three innings of work on the mound. Kellan Klosterman made an appearance in relief, and Radek Birkholz struck out a pair in two-thirds of an inning. Caden Crowell went 4.0 in relief and matched his career-best mark with six strikeouts.
The Irish (17-17, 7-13 ACC) will square off with the Seminoles in the series finale starting at 1:00 p.m. ET at Dick Howser Stadium.