Power Surge: Dowd grand slam, two Bailey homers lift No. 11 Seminoles over Wolfpack, 11-5

Dowd grand slam, two Bailey homers lift No. 11 Florida State Baseball over N.C. State Wolfpack, 11-5, to even series

Mar. 21, 2026 at 9:52pm

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Myles Bailey turned in another big game and Brayden Dowd delivered the biggest hit of his Florida State career as the No. 11 Seminoles answered Friday's loss to No. 10 N.C. State with an emphatic 11-5 victory on Saturday at Dick Howser Stadium. Bailey hit two home runs, including a 447-foot blast, while Dowd launched a grand slam in the sixth inning to break open a one-run game and help lead the Seminoles to a pivotal Game 2 win.

Why it matters

The win evens the series between the two top-10 ACC teams, setting up a decisive rubber match on Sunday. Florida State's offense came alive in the middle innings, scoring six runs in the sixth to turn a close game into a rout. The Seminoles' bullpen also stepped up after the starting pitcher struggled, keeping the Wolfpack at bay.

The details

Bailey hit two home runs, including a 447-foot blast, while Dowd launched a grand slam in the sixth inning to break open a one-run game. The FSU offense scored six runs in the sixth to turn a 5-4 game into a rout. Starting pitcher Trey Beard struggled, but the bullpen kept N.C. State in check.

  • The game was played on Saturday, March 21, 2026.

The players

Myles Bailey

A Florida State baseball player who hit two home runs, including a 447-foot blast, in the game.

Brayden Dowd

A Florida State baseball player who hit a grand slam in the sixth inning to break open a close game.

Trey Beard

The Florida State starting pitcher who struggled, giving up four runs in 3.2 innings of work.

Chris Knier

A Florida State relief pitcher who got out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning.

Brodie Purcell

A Florida State relief pitcher who pitched the final four innings, allowing just one run.

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What’s next

Florida State will try to win the series on Sunday with Bryson Moore on the mound. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

The takeaway

Florida State's offense came alive in the middle innings, scoring six runs in the sixth to turn a close game into a rout. The Seminoles' bullpen also stepped up after the starting pitcher struggled, keeping the Wolfpack at bay and evening the series between the two top-10 ACC teams.