DURHAM, N.C. – The No. 6-ranked and second-seeded Florida State baseball team lost a back-and-forth affair to No. 3-ranked and third-seeded North Carolina, 7-5, in the semifinal of the 2025 ACC Championship on Saturday evening in Durham, North Carolina.
 
The matchup between the two top-six nationally-ranked foes was the fourth in the last 10 days. On Saturday, the Seminoles (38-14) and Tar Heels (41-12) traded the lead three times before UNC scored two in the top of the ninth.
 
Carolina took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth, only for FSU to answer right back and tie it in the bottom of the inning. UNC then scored two in the top of the fifth, but again the Seminoles responded with three in the bottom half to take a 4-3 lead. The Tar Heels regained a 5-4 advantage the next half inning, though Florida State tied it right back at 5-5. Two scoreless innings followed before North Carolina’s winning runs in the ninth.
 
Freshman first baseman Myles Bailey hit his third home run in two games at the ACC Championships and fourth in the last three games overall. His 15th homer of the season led off the fourth inning. With a two-out, game-tying double, junior shortstop Alex Lodise extended his hit streak to nine games and his reached-base streak to 16 consecutive contests. Sophomore third baseman Cal Fisher also added to his career-long reached-base streak, which now sits at 19 games.
 
Sophomore left-handed starter Wes Mendes allowed five runs on six hits in 5.0 innings. He struck out seven and walked one. In relief for the first time in his FSU career, redshirt junior left-hander Joey Volini suffered the loss and is 8-5. In 3.1 innings, he gave up one earned run on three hits with four strikeouts and a walk.
 
Mendes held North Carolina hitless through 3.2 innings, with six strikeouts, before a two-out RBI single in the fourth scored the game’s first run. Bailey quickly answered in the bottom half with his leadoff home run to right to tie the game at 1-1.
 
UNC retook the lead in the fifth, at 3-1, thanks to an RBI double and a two-out run-scoring single. Florida State answered again, this time to take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the frame. A walk, single and walk loaded the bases for Fisher, who drew a five-pitch free pass to bring in the first run. A lineout followed, but as the Tar Heels tried to double up the runner off first, they threw the ball away to allow two runs to score.
 
The back-and-forth contest continued in the sixth as Carolina scored two to claim a 5-4 lead on a two-run home run. Just as quickly though, Florida State tied it at 5-5 thanks to a two-out double by Lodise that scored junior catcher Jaxson West.
 
Volini stranded a runner on third in the seventh and one on second in the eighth, with a trio of strikeouts in that frame. UNC took a 7-5 lead in the ninth on a two-RBI single that followed an error and infield bunt single.
 
Up next, the NCAA Tournament begins with regionals from May 30-June 1, with the postseason field announced on Monday, May 26 from 12-1 p.m. ET, on ESPN2. FSU will learn its NCAA Regional seeding and opponents as the team officially earns its 61st postseason berth. The 16 regional host sites will be announced the night before, on May 25.
 
Florida State fans are invited to Bowden’s in CollegeTown on May 26 for the selection show and a special episode of Inside Seminole Baseball featuring FSU head coach Link Jarrett and players. Inside Seminole Baseball will air live from 1-2 p.m. Additional information about the event can be found here.
 
For more information on Florida State baseball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, and keep up with the team on social media through Twitter/X and Facebook (@FSUBaseball) & Instagram (@NoleBaseball).