The Florida State baseball squad eked out a 7‑4 victory over Northern Illinois in ten innings, forcing a showdown with St. John’s for a spot in the next round.
A Narrow Escape
After falling behind 4‑3 in the seventh, the Seminoles turned a series of errors into a rally, tying the game in the fourth when Gavin Baldwin’s homer put Northern Illinois ahead 3‑3 before Florida State answered with a flurry of hits.
Chris Knier and Brodie Purcell shouldered the bulk of the pitching load, combining for 6.2 innings, 12 strikeouts and just one unearned run.
Key Arms Step Up
Knier’s poise on the mound and Purcell’s late‑inning dominance kept the opposition at bay, while Ben Barrett’s two‑run homer in the tenth pushed the lead to 7‑4.
Earlier, Hunter Carns and Nathan Cmeyla delivered clutch singles that tied the game at four in the eighth, setting the stage for the decisive burst.
Bullpen Holds the Line
A strikeout by Purcell to open the ninth sent the game to extra innings, and the relief corps — anchored by Knier and Purcell — shut down the opposition after Cooper Whited’s early struggles.
The win sets up a doubleheader against St. John’s, with the winner advancing to the next round of the regional tournament.