TALLAHASSEE – The No. 20 Florida State baseball team swept Northern Kentucky with a second consecutive run-rule victory, 17-3 on Sunday afternoon at Dick Howser Stadium.
 
As the Seminoles (13-2) won their ninth in a row to cap a nine-game homestand, they jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back. FSU hit a season-high four home runs, including two in the first inning and two by junior center fielder Brayden Dowd, and held the Norse (7-7) to three runs for a third consecutive game.
 
Florida State swept the three-game weekend series and recorded sweeps in three of its four non-conference weekends. FSU improved to 4-0 all-time against NKU.
 
Dowd had a career-high-tying four RBI with two hits and four runs scored in the victory. His two home runs were joined by sophomore first baseman Myles Bailey and freshman left fielder John Stuetzer, who both homered in the Seminoles’ 10-run first inning.
 
Bailey and Stuetzer each had two hits, while Bailey had three RBI and three runs and Stuetzer posted a pair of RBI with two runs. Stuetzer’s home run was the first of his career and Bailey’s was his team-leading sixth. Freshman designated hitter Kelvyn Paulino Jr. also had two hits, three RBI and two runs.
 
Seven players had multiple hits, six had multiple RBI and six scored at least two runs. Five posted two or more hits, RBI and runs scored on the day.
 
Junior right-handed starter Bryson Moore struck out a career-best seven batters and improved to 2-0 in 2026. In 5.0 innings, he allowed three runs on four hits with one walk. A pair of righties pitched the final two innings to seal the seven-inning win in relief of Moore.
 
The Seminoles jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first inning on eight hits, sending 13 batters to the plate. Stuetzer and Bailey both homered and had two hits, with Bailey recording three RBI and Stuetzer two. Paulino Jr. and redshirt senior catcher Nathan Cmeyla both added a hit and two RBI in the opening frame.
 
Stuetzer led off with a single and scored on Bailey’s double off the fence in right. Paulino then singled home a pair before Cmeyla also drove in two with a one-out base hit to center. That made it 5-0, and it was 6-0 when freshman third baseman Will Bavaro followed Cmeyla with a run-scoring single to left-center.
 
With two outs, Stuetzer and Bailey both hit two-run home runs to complete the 10-run inning.
 
Northern Kentucky got three back in the second to make it 10-3, on a two-RBI double and a run-scoring groundout.
 
Florida State answered with one in the bottom of the second, as Bavaro doubled home Dowd to make it 11-3.
 
Moore retired the side in order in the third and stranded two in the fourth. FSU extended its lead to 12-3 in the bottom of the fourth on a run-scoring groundout.
 
Another perfect inning for Moore followed before Dowd homered in the fifth to stretch the lead back to 10 at 13-3. The long ball to left came with one out.
 
Junior right-hander Cole Stokes relieved Moore to start the sixth and retired the side with two strikeouts.
 
In the bottom half, FSU added four more with two outs for the 17-3 final. Paulino singled in the first run to set up Dowd’s three-run home run to center field.
 
In the seventh, freshman righty Manny Lantigua struck out two in a 1-2-3 frame to complete the win.
 
Florida State faces two top-15 opponents next week, beginning with a trip to in-state rival No. 9 Florida on Tuesday, March 10, at 6:30 p.m. ET in Gainesville, for the first of three midweek contests between the two foes. ACC play then begins with a weekend at No. 15 Wake Forest from March 13-15.
 
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).