TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Interstat) — Brayden Dowd homered and drove in two runs as Florida State defeated Jacksonville 5-2 on Tuesday night at Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium.

Dowd, the Seminoles’ center fielder, finished 3 for 5 with a home run and two RBIs. He had been in a recent slump, going hitless in his previous three games, but delivered the decisive blow in the eighth inning. His two-run shot to deep center field broke a 2-2 tie and gave Florida State a 4-2 lead.

The Seminoles improved to 34-14 overall. The Dolphins fell to 26-21.

Jacksonville scored first, plating two runs in the top of the third inning. With two outs, a wild pitch by Florida State starter Cooper Whited allowed Walter to score from third. Bermudez followed with an RBI single to right, scoring Mummau and giving the Dolphins a 2-0 lead.

Florida State starter Brodie Purcell relieved Whited in the fourth and pitched three scoreless innings, striking out four while allowing no hits. Kevin Mebil added two hitless innings with four strikeouts. Cole Stokes and Cooper Whited also contributed on the mound.

Jacksonville’s Benjamin Baker-Livingston started and allowed two runs over four innings with two strikeouts. He left with a 2-0 lead, but the Seminoles tied the game in the bottom of the fifth.

Stuetzer led off the fifth with a solo home run to left-center, cutting the deficit to 2-1. After Dowd singled and DeLamielleure was hit by a pitch, Cmeyla’s sacrifice fly brought Dowd home to tie the game.

The score remained 2-2 until the bottom of the seventh. DeLamielleure singled, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Jacksonville catcher Eli. Cmeyla then singled up the middle to score DeLamielleure, giving Florida State a 3-2 lead.

Dowd’s home run in the eighth sealed the victory. He drove Stuetzer, who had walked, home from first. DeLamielleure added a single later in the inning but was stranded.

Florida State collected 10 hits. DeLamielleure went 3 for 4 with a double. Stuetzer homered and scored twice. The Seminoles used five pitchers — Whited, Purcell, Cade, Stokes and Mebil — who combined for 11 strikeouts.

Jacksonville managed only four hits. Baratta had two singles. Bermudez singled and drove in a run. Mummau singled and scored. The Dolphins struck out 13 times.

The game followed a tense start. Both teams left runners in scoring position early. Jacksonville’s best chance after the third inning came in the fourth when they loaded the bases with one out, but Purcell induced a groundout to short to end the threat.

Florida State built on its momentum from a weekend series win over Pittsburgh. The Seminoles won three of four against the Panthers, taking Sunday’s finale 6-4.

Jacksonville entered the game after a 10-0 loss at North Florida on Sunday. The Dolphins had won two of three at North Florida earlier in the week and had taken two midweek games at Florida earlier in the season.

The Seminoles’ pitching staff has been a strength. Purcell lowered his ERA with his hitless three-inning stint. Mebil has been effective in relief, striking out four in two innings.

Jacksonville’s bullpen struggled late. Brodie Scott allowed one run in the seventh. Logan Hartman pitched a scoreless inning earlier but could not hold the tie.

The game featured two errors, one by each team. Jacksonville’s Mummau made a fielding error in the fourth that loaded the bases, but the Dolphins escaped without damage.

The winning pitcher was Kevin Mebil, who entered in the eighth and retired all six batters he faced, striking out four. The loss went to Brodie Scott, who allowed one run in one inning.

Florida State next plays at Clemson for a three-game series starting Friday. Jacksonville visits Stetson for a three-game series beginning Friday.

The Interstat game simulator had projected a final score of Jacksonville 8, Florida State 7. The Interstat ELO system gave Florida State an 81.40 percent probability to win. Florida State was a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 4.5 runs.