A delayed start until Saturday didn't keep Wes Mendes from turning in one of his best outings of 2026.

The junior left-hander had his first career nine-inning complete game, striking out seven as Florida State won the series opener with Pittsburgh 10-1 on Saturday afternoon.

FSU jumped on Pitt early in game 2, but Hunter Carns and Nathan Cmeyla delivered back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning to ensure the Seminoles took the nightcap 8-5 and complete the doubleheader sweep.

“I'm proud of our guys. When you look at playing the two nine-inning games, you know the length and the duration and the stress this puts on everybody. It's not easy,” FSU coach Link Jarrett said. “I don't enjoy the doubleheaders. But it is part of it. When you have a starting pitcher that throws a complete game and pitches the way he pitched, you can't ask for a better recipe for success when you're staring down the innings.”

The Seminoles (32-14, 14-9 ACC) have won their sixth ACC series of the season and will go for the sweep on Sunday. It would also represent a bounce-back weekend after the Seminoles were swept at Stanford last weekend.

Game 1

Mendes (8-3) faced the minimum in six of his nine innings. He tossed the first nine-inning complete game since Drew Parrish went the distance in a 5-2 win over NC State on May 25, 2018.

Rain may have washed out the game Friday, but Mendes delivered with a 105-pitch masterclass. Mendes was efficient with 71 strikes and didn't allow a walk, although he had a wild pitch and hit a batter. He gave up a fourth-inning solo home run to Lorenzo Carrier but otherwise scattered four singles.

Mendes has turned in some quality starts in 2026, including a seven-inning shutout of then-top 15 Wake Forest on the road. But on Saturday he mixed his pitches quite well against a Pitt lineup that is producing runs at a rate that's among the national leaders.

“I definitely think I’ve grown a lot. I definitely think I was probably capable of doing it last year,” Mendes said. “I came close at the regional here against Mississippi State. I went eight (innings). It was close enough. But I think I finally got over that hump.”

The Seminoles' bats nearly pulled off a run-rule win, producing a four-run second inning and a six-run sixth inning. John Stuetzer played a part in both big innings, producing a two-run homer in the second to left field and a two-run double to left field in the sixth. Stuetzer's home run was the sixth of his freshman season.

Nathan Cmeyla went 2 for 4 with two runs scored and Gabe Fraser went 2 for 3 with two runs scored in the first game.

Game 2

Gabe Fraser went 3 for 4 with a two-run single for FSU.

Cmeyla had two more RBI as he reached base on fielder's choice decisions.

Carter McCulley had an RBI single in the second and later scored in that inning on a wild pitch.

Trey Beard (5-1) had an up-and-down start, laboring through six innings where he gave up seven hits, two walks and hit a batter. The junior left-hander had eight strikeouts but gave up four runs in the third. His fastball was significantly slower at 86-87 mph.

John Abraham was again effective in long relief, giving up just a solo home run in the ninth in three innings. The right-hander had four strikeouts and picked up his sixth save.

Up next

FSU plays host to Pittsburgh in the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ACC Network Extra).

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