The top of Florida State's lineup came alive in a big way Friday night, propelling the Seminoles to an 8-4 series-opening victory over Clemson at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. It was a statement win for No. 14 FSU (35-14, 16-9 ACC), powered by a potent combination of timely hitting and stellar pitching.

John Stuetzer, Brayden Dowd, Hunter Carns, and Brody DeLamielleure were the catalysts, combining to go 7-for-18 with two home runs and seven RBIs. Stuetzer delivered a clutch two-run blast, while Dowd reached base three times and scored three runs. DeLamielleure extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a 2-for-4 night that included three RBIs, and Carns added two hits and two RBIs of his own.

On the mound, starter Wes Mendes was dominant. He struck out 10 batters—his fourth double-digit strikeout performance of the season—and allowed just three runs on five hits over 101 pitches to earn his ninth win. The Seminoles gave him early support, scoring in the first inning when Carns dropped a bloop single into the gap to bring home Dowd.

After a quiet second, FSU exploded for three runs in the third. DeLamielleure singled in a run, Carns followed with an RBI single, and Nathan Cmeyla added a sacrifice fly to deep center, giving the Seminoles a 4-0 lead. Clemson answered with a run in the bottom half, but the Seminoles quickly regained control.

Stuetzer launched a two-run homer in the fourth inning, his eighth of the season and sixth in the last month. Then DeLamielleure led off the fifth with a solo shot to deep center, stretching the lead to 7-2. The Seminoles added an insurance run in the ninth when Dowd walked, stole second, and scored on a sacrifice fly from DeLamielleure after an errant throw.

Clemson scratched across two late runs, but it wasn't enough to overcome FSU's early firepower. The series continues Saturday, with the Seminoles looking to build on this impressive performance.