It wasn’t pretty, but Florida State survived to play another game with a 7-4 come-from-behind win to eliminate Northern Illinois in the Tallahassee Regional in 10 innings. We wrote about the pitching possibilities and correctly predicted that Cooper Whited would likely start the game. Whited was solid, but only went 3.1 innings, allowing one earned run on three hits and one walk.
The FSU defense didn’t do the pitchers any favors, committing three errors. Chris Knier redeemed himself after the St. John’s outing and was lights out. He pitched 3.1 innings, allowing two hits, a run (unearned), one walk, and five strikeouts. Brodie Purcell pitched the final 3.1 innings and was even more dominant. He allowed one hit, one walk, and struck out seven.
Florida State jumped out to a 1-0 lead before Northern Illinois answered with two runs in the bottom of the first. FSU answered with two runs in the top of the second, but Northern Illinois hit its second home run of the game to tie the game 3-3 after four innings.
The Florida State offense couldn’t get much going against Northern Illinois’s pitcher, who was running on fumes and throwing beach balls up there. FSU found itself in trouble in the bottom of the seventh after Chris Knier had the bases loaded with no outs. However, a lineout double play helped his cause, but he walked the go-ahead run in before Purcell came in to end the inning.
FSU’s offense responded immediately in the top of the eighth to tie it at 4-4. Both offenses couldn’t do much until FSU took the lead on a Hunter Carns sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th, but Ben Barrett drove the nail in the coffin with a two-run home run in the same inning.
It's one game at a time for the Noles. If they win the first game on Monday, all the pressure falls on St. John's.
BEN BARRETT 10TH INNING DAGGER.
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) June 1, 2026
Florida State 3 outs from advancing to regional final pic.twitter.com/wZUT0LkBa4
Florida State will have to face St. John’s again, and will have revenge on their mind after losing the first game in the regional against them on Friday night. FSU must defeat them twice to advance to Super Regional play. They will play on Monday and it will be all hands on deck with the pitching staff once again.
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