FSU baseball: Home runs lead Notre Dame past Noles in ACC Tourney

FSU baseball (33-23) fell to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for the fourth time this season in a 5-3 loss in the ACC Tournament.

Many people thought we’d see another pitcher’s duel between FSU’s Parker Messick and Notre Dame’s Michael Bertrand. It was that for the first three innings with the game tied at 1-1. However, Notre Dame touched Parker Messick for a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning.

The Noles had a chance to make it a game in the bottom half of the frame. FSU had the bases loaded with no outs and failed to score. Isaiah Perry and Alex Toral struck out before Logan Lacey flew out to end the inning. Notre Dame capitalized on the failure with another two-run home run in the top of the fifth to make it a 5-1 lead.

Messick completed five innings, allowing five earned runs, four strikeouts, one walk, eight hits, two doubles, and three home runs.

The FSU offense offered very little to no threat until the bottom of the ninth when they loaded the bases with two outs. Brock Mathis pinch-hit for Colton Vincent and hit a first-pitch fastball off the leftfield wall to score two runs.

It was four feet away from a game-tying home run. However, Tyler Martin flew out to LF to end the game with two runners on base. Bertrand completed eight innings, allowing five hits, one unearned run, striking out eight, and walking one.

It was the second time he’s dominated the FSU offense this season, matching Parker Messick in the first time they played this season.

It’s the fourth win for Notre Dame over the Noles this year. The failure to score with the bases loaded and no outs and three Notre Dame home runs was largely the difference in the game.