FSU baseball (18-0, 3-0 ACC) remains the only unbeaten team in Division I college baseball with a 4-3 win and series sweep over Notre Dame Sunday afternoon. Notre Dame fought hard to avoid the sweep, building a 2-0 lead from two solo home runs against Conner Whittaker in the top of the third inning. FSU answered with a home run from Cam Smith in the bottom frame before Notre Dame pushed across another run in the top of the fifth on an RBI double for a 3-1 lead. Home runs were the difference in the game for the Noles. Jaime Ferrer answered with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at 3-3. However, FSU scored the eventual game-winning run without hitting a ball into the outfield in the bottom of the sixth. Daniel Cantu singled off the pitcher's glove, and a throwing error put him on third base before McGwire Holbrook hit a soft grounder to third base that got booted for an error to score Cantu.
Whittaker went 6.2 innings, allowing four hits, three earned runs, two walks, and three strikeouts. Carson Dorsey finished the final 2.1 innings to get the save, allowing two hits, zero walks, and one strikeout. James Tibbs went 2-3, and Daniel Cantu went 3-4 as the only two Noles with multiple hits. FSU tallied eight hits, and FSU pitchers only allowed two walks, and the defense played a clean sheet with no errors, including a big-time 1-4-3 double play late in the game.
The start from Whittaker is exactly why you wanted him to start on Sundays in conference play. I mentioned the FSU offense would probably notice a tick down when conference play began, but they continue to hit balls hard and display power from the usual suspects. The Noles will host Stetson on Tuesday at 5 p.m. in midweek action in their next outing. If they are not in the top 15 in every ranking next week, throw every ranking out.