The Florida State Seminoles came out swinging Saturday night, but their bats went silent just as quickly as they heated up, allowing Clemson to rally for a 4-3 win and even the series at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

After jumping to a 3-0 lead through three innings, the No. 14 Seminoles (35-15, 16-10 ACC) seemed poised to take control. Brayden Dowd launched a third-inning home run, Brody DeLamielleure followed with another blast in the same frame, and Hunter Carns drove in a run with a first-inning single. The top of the lineup looked ready for a statement night.

But the momentum evaporated. Florida State's offense went cold after the third inning, managing little against Clemson's pitching staff. The Tigers took advantage, with Jarren Purify emerging as the hero. After cutting the lead with a solo home run in the fourth, Purify delivered an RBI single in the sixth to tie the game at 3-3. He finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs, a run, and a walk.

Starter Trey Beard pitched 5.1 innings, allowing three runs on five hits with four strikeouts, but the Seminoles couldn't build on his early efforts. The decisive moment came in the eighth inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, reliever Cade O'Leary uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Luke Gaffney to score from third and give Clemson a 4-3 lead. The Tigers then struck out the side in the ninth, finishing with 12 strikeouts on the night to seal the series-tying win.

For Florida State, the loss is a missed opportunity to grab control of the series. The Seminoles will look to regroup for Sunday's rubber match, where the pitching matchups and game times are set for the weekend finale.