June 1 Baseball Regional Roundup
June 1, 2008
For the first time ever, Conference USA advanced five teams to regional championships. In fact, it markedthe first time that C-USA has sent more than three teams to regional finals. Rice moved on to Super Regional play with a 7-4 win over Texas on Sunday night. Houston and Tulane need to win on Monday night to join the Owls in Super Regional play. East Carolina and Southern Miss saw their seasons end on Sunday evening. RICE 7, TEXAS 4 Rice (45-13) will move on to the Super Regional round for the fourth consecutive year. The Owls, who brought the No. 6 national seed into regional play, will likely host the winner of College Station Regional next weekend. The NCAA will announce the Super Regional hosts on Monday. With the score tied 4-4 in the sixth, Bell entered the game with two runners on and held the Longhorns scoreless over the final 3 2/3 innings to pick up his first win of the year. He also earned a save in Friday's opening win against Sam Houston State. Comerota put the Owls back on top the next half inning, lining a one-out single to center to score Rick Hague who was hit by a pitch from Cole Green to lead off the sixth. Diego Seastrunk then singled to right center, scoring Adam Zornes, ending Green's night. Chad Mozingo singled off reliever Slayton Thomas to load the bases again, and Texas brought in first baseman Brandon Belt to pitch. Rice countered with pinch hitter John Hale who hit a chopper to Tant Shepherd, whose only play was to first, scoring Comerota to cap a three-run Rice rally and give them a 7-4 lead heading to the bottom of the seventh. After the teams traded zeros in the first, Comerota led off with a double down the line in right and advanced to third on a fly out. Mozingo then hit a looping fly ball into short left that glanced off third baseman Preston Clark's glove, allowing Comerota to score the first run. One out later, Jared Gayhart lined a single up the middle to score Mozingo.
Clark, who appeared to injure himself when he made the twisting attempt on Mozingo's ball, re-injured himself while throwing out J. P. Padron to end the inning and was lifted for Pat McCrory in the bottom of the inning. Rice knocked Texas starter Riley Boening out in the third. After striking out Rick Hague to open the inning, Aaron Luna walked and stole second. He advanced to third on a single by Zornes, prompting Texas to call on reliever Brandon Workman. Comerota greeted him with a perfect bunt that hugged the first base line, scoring Luna with the third run of the night. Russell erased that deficit with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the inning. After a walk to Kyle Lusson and a single by Michael Torres, Rice starter Mike Ojala struck out Jordan Danks. Russell then drilled a 1-0 pitch down the left field line for his 19th homer of the year and his fourth of the regional. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Regional. Ojala rebounded with a scoreless fourth inning before he was replaced by lefthander Matt Evers to start the fifth. He gave up three runs on three hits and fanned six. Evers survived a tumultuous first inning. Torres opened with a single to center and Danks walked. The final pitch to Danks drew protests from the Rice bench and assistant coach Patrick Hallmark was ejected. Evers then fanned Russell and Brandon Belt, but a walk to pinch hitter Tant Shepherd loaded the bases for David Herndez, who then was retired on a fielder's choice to end the frame. Rice retook the lead in the top of the sixth. With one out, Mozingo walked and stole second. Wayne Graham then called on Jess Buenger to pinch hit for Derek Myers after the count ran to 2-1. Augie Garrido countered by bringing in Keith Shinabery. Mozingo immediately stole third and the Longhorns elected to intentionally walk Buenger, who was then replaced by pinch runner Jordan Dodson. Jared Gayhart drove home Mozingo with a single to right, chasing Shinabery who was relieved by Cole Green. Gayhart was then caught off first and in the rundown after a pickoff and Dodson attempted to score from third but was thrown out. Green then retired J. P. Padron to end inning. The Owls defense betrayed Evers in the bottom of the sixth, as they committed a pair of errors on the same play to allow the Longhorns to tie the game 4-4. With one out, Kyle Lusson skipped a ground ball past Padron at first for the first error. Mozingo then fielded the ball and tried to throw out Travis Tucker, who had walked, at third, but the throw sailed to the fence, allowing Tucker to score. After a walk to Torres, Wayne Graham called on Bobby Bell to relieve Evers and quell the threat, setting the stage for the Owls winning rally.
EAST CAROLINA 16, ALABAMA 1 The Pirates (42-20) advance to play top-seed Coastal Carolina at 7 p.m., while the Crimson Tide (35-28) was eliminated from the regional. Bristow, who improved to 9-2 on the season, helped the Pirates pitching staff by working seven full innings before passing the ball to Brad Mincey for the final two frames. Mincey fanned two batters and allowed one walk. Alabama starter Del Howell fell to 1-1 on the season after working 2.1 innings where he allowed six runs (all earned) on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Casey Kebodeaux faced four batters recording one out and giving up three runs on two hits. Nathan Kilcrease (3.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K) and Austin Evans (3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) allowed a combined six runs in the final 6.1 innings. Jamie Ray drove in his fifth run of the regional in the first inning scoring Harrison Eldridge from second base for an early 1-0 Pirate lead. Eldridge led off the frame with an infield single then took second on a Howell wild pitch. Ryan Wood gave ECU a 2-0 lead in the second when he laced a double to center field that scored Kyle Roller from second. Roller walked then took second on a passed ball before coming home on Wood's at-bat. Roller and Ray's home runs in the third inning highlighted a seven-run frame that pushed the Pirates lead to 9-0. Stephen Batts doubled down the left field line to start the inning, which was then followed by a Corey Kemp walk. Brandon Henderson picked up his fourth hit of the regional when he doubled down the left field line scoring Batts. Dustin Harrington pushed across Kemp with a sac bunt before Roller smacked his 12th home run of the season to right-center scoring Henderson. Schieber continued the hitting barrage with his second base knock of the game through the left side. After Schieber swiped second, Eldridge followed with a walk setting up Ray's third home run and eighth RBI of the regional. Alabama got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Kent Matthes singled home Brandon May from second base putting the score 9-1 in favor of the Pirates. May reached on a fielder's choice then took second when Matt Bentley was plunked by a Bristow fastball. The Pirates plated three runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and seventh and two in the eighth to cap the scoring at 16-1. Eldridge smacked his sixth homer of the season in the fifth while Ray singled in two runs in the eighth.
COASTAL CAROLINA 24, EAST CAROLINA 11 The loss closes the books on ECU's season with a 42-21 record and watches six seniors (Brett Butts, Harrison Eldridge, T.J. Hose, Corey Kemp, Jamie Ray and Josh Ruhlman) end their Pirate careers. David Anderson improved to 6-2 on the year after working 1.2 innings of relief where he allowed four runs on four hits with a walk and a strikeout. Starter Cody Wheeler lasted two-thirds of an inning also allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits with two walks and a punch out. CCU used Joey Haug (1.2 IP, 4 H, 2 BB), Kent Altman (3.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K) and Matt Rein (1.1 IP, 1 BB 1 K) to close out the game. Josh Ruhlman suffered the loss falling to 4-4 on the year after allowing eight runs on five hits with a pair of walks. Freshman Sthil Sowers worked 1.1 innings giving up four runs on five hits with a walk before being lifted for Ruhlman. ECU used Seth Simmons (1.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 1 K), Brett Butts (0.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 1 K), Seth Maness (4.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 4 K) and Brad Mincey (1.0 IP) to finish the contest. The Coastal offense got started from the get-go. After redshirt junior Dock Doyle sent a two-out double down the right field line, junior David Anderson smashed a two-run shot over the left field wall to give the Chants a 2-0 advantage in the first inning. However, East Carolina took the 4-2 lead with back-to-back home runs from Corey Kemp and Brandon Henderson. Harrison Eldridge started the Pirate offense with a walk and then with one out, Stephen Batts reached base on catcher's interference. In the next at-bat, Kemp sent a three-run shot to left field. Henderson followed on the next at-bat with another home run. Coastal's bats came alive in the second with the Chants scoring 13 runs off seven hits. It was the first 10-or-more run inning for Coastal since posting 10 in the second inning against George Mason in the IMICHotels.com INN-vitational Feb. 19, 2006. In NCAA Championship history, Coastal's 13 runs is the second most to be recorded in a single inning. Louisiana State University holds the record as it scored 18 in the seventh inning against Georgia Tech May 26, 1998. A Tyler Bortnick walk started the offensive power. With one out, Bortnick moved to second off an infield single by freshman Rico Noel. Freshman Scott Woodward drove in Bortnick from second with a hit through the right side, which also advanced Noel to third. Junior David Sappelt had an infield single that loaded up the bases for Doyle, who in turn walked and allowed Noel to score the game-tying run and even the score at 4-4. Woodward put Coastal up 5-4 when he scored off a wild pitch. Still with one out, Anderson Coastal's offense continued as senior Tommy Baldridge walked in the next at-bat. Baldridge moved to second off an Adam Rice single through the left side and then scored as Bortnick singled through the left side in his second at-bat of the inning. Meanwhile, Rice advanced to second on Bortnick's single. Redshirt sophomore Chance Gilmore hit into a fielder's choice, but a critical East Carolina miscue allowed Bortnick to reach second safely and loaded up the bases for Noel. The bases remained full after Noel hit into a fielder's choice, while Rice scored on a throwing error and gave CCU a 10-4 lead. A bases loaded walk by Woodward allowed for Bortnick to cross home plate. Sappelt emptied the bases in his next at-bat with a grand slam to center field to make it a 15-4 game. blasted a three-run shot to the corner of The Rooster's Nest in right field that gave the Chants an 8-4 advantage. The Chanticleers increase their lead in the third. Baldridge began the inning with a single up the middle. With two outs, Gilmore was hit by a pitch. Noel's infield single loaded up the bases for Woodward, who was also hit by a pitch and resulted in Baldridge scoring. East Carolina attempted to close the gap with a four-run third inning. Kemp led off with a single through the left side. Although Henderson struck out in the next at-bat, Kemp advanced to second on a wild pitch on the same play. Dustin Harrington's single to left center drove in Kemp cut the deficit down to nine. A Kyle Roller single through the right side advanced Harrington one base. Ryan Wood loaded up the bases with a walk. Drew Schieber drove in both Harrington and Roller and allowed for Wood to reach third as Coastal held a 14-7 lead. Wood pulled the Pirates to within six as he cross home plate off an Eldridge single. Coastal's bats remained hot as the Chants combined for eight runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to eventually take a 24-8 lead. Coastal put up five during the fourth inning with a two-run double by Bortnick and a three-run home run by Gilmore. Doyle started the inning with a single up the middle and then advanced to second as Baldridge hit a one-out single through the left side. A Rice walk loaded up the bases for Bortnick, who sent his double to left field and scored both Doyle and Baldridge. Gilmore cleared the bases with his round-tripper that tucked just inside of the left field foul pole as Coastal took a 19-8 lead. Baldridge had a two-out, solo shot to right center during the fifth inning. Meanwhile, Coastal's two runs in the sixth inning came as East Carolina committed back-to-back errors. Gilmore opened the inning with a single up the middle, but was out at second as Noel hit into a fielder's choice. Woodward was hit by a pitch to place runners at first and second for Coastal. As Sappelt reached on a throwing error, Woodward advanced to third and Noel scored. Woodward crossed home plate as Doyle reached first on a fielding error. The Pirates chipped away at Coastal's advantage with runs coming in the sixth and eighth innings. Wood had a solo shot to left field in the sixth. In the eighth, Eldridge and Ray both had RBI hits. With one out, Roller walked and then moved to second on a Wood single to left field. Eldridge sent a two-out double down the right field line that scored Roller. Jamie Ray hit a single to left field in the next at-bat that allowed for Wood to score from third to make it at 24-11 game in favor of Coastal.
HOUSTON 14, ILLINOIS-CHICAGO 11 (11 INNINGS) Junior infielder Jimmy Cesario started the rally with a leadoff single through the right side and moved into scoring position following senior second baseman Ryan Lormand's sacrifice bunt. After sophomore centerfielder Zak Presley drew a walk and senior DH Bryan Tully reached on an infield single to load the bases, Wallace blasted a 2-0 offering from UIC reliever Adam Worthington off the top of the center-field wall, mere feet from his first grand slam, to score Cesario and Presley and give the Cougars the lead for good. The rally continued as freshman outfielder Caleb Ramsey smashed an RBI-single up the middle to bring Bryan Tully home. That would be all the run support that the Cougars would need. Freshman closer Chase Dempsay forced the leadoff batter to ground out before leaving the game after being struck in the foot by a line drive. Freshman righthander Jared Ray, who will start Sunday night's championship game against No. 9 Texas A&M entered the contest and eventually forced a groundout and fly ball to end the game. Dempsay collected the win and improved to 8-3 after limiting the Flames to one unearned run off two hits with a strikeout in two innings. The Baytown native, who already set a UH freshman record with 11 saves to date, also set a UH freshman record in saves, topping the seven victories recorded by Shane Nance in 1997. UIC appeared to grab all of the game's momentum in the bottom of the ninth inning, rallying from a four-run deficit to force extra frames. After loading the bases with two outs, Tony Altavilla lifted a looping single into shallow right field that scored two runners. Kevin Coddington then scored and Altavilla moved to third when the Cougar throw from the outfield bounced into the UIC dugout. Altavilla scored the tying run moments later on a Dempsay wild pitch to force extra frames. Wallace went 3-for-4 with a run, three RBIs and his first career home run, while senior outfielder Jake Stewart went 3-for-6 with two runs and two RBIs. Cesario batted 2-for-5 with a double, three runs and an RBI, while Lormand batted 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs. Ramsey also went 2-for-5 with a run and two RBIs to lead a Cougar offense, which outhit the Flames 16-11. Worthingon collected the loss for UIC and fell to 2-4 after giving up five runs off seven hits and three walks with a pair of strikeouts in two innings. Brett Schaefer went 3-for-5 with a run, double and RBI, while Jake Carr batted 2-for-5 with a run and RBI. With the win, the Cougars improved to 41-23 and won for the 11th time in their last 13 games. The Cougars must now defeat No. 9 Texas A&M twice - beginning at 7:15 P.M., Sunday - to advance to the NCAA Super Regional against the winner of the NCAA Houston Regional. UH also won for the sixth time in its last seven NCAA postseason games at Olsen Field. In 2003, UH rallied to win the last five games on the way to claiming the title of the NCAA College Station Regional. UIC concluded its season with a 35-22 record. Fans can hear all Cougar Baseball games live at UHCougars.com by clicking the appropriate links. Jeremy Branham will call the play-by-play action while former letterwinner Pat Cauley provides color analysis. Fans always can follow live stats by clicking on the Gametracker link. In addition to the internet broadcast, FSN Plus will show Sunday night's championship game. The game will be available throughout the region and nationwide live on DirecTV Ch. 660 nationwide, Dish Network Ch. 450 nationwide and Fox College Sports Central nationwide. Will Johnson will call the play-by-play action with Alan Cannon providing color analysis with the broadcast feed of 12th Man Video Productions. For the first time in the Regional, the Cougars grabbed the first lead with a pair of runs in the first inning, courtesy of a two-out rally. Bryan Pounds drew a walk and raced all the way from first base when Cesario smashed a double to the wall in left center. Lormand then lined an RBI-single single into right center to score Cesario for a 2-0 Cougar lead. The lead did not last long as the Flames score two runs on their own in the bottom of the frame, courtesy of Schaefer's RBI-groundout and Coddington's two-out, RBI-single up the middle. The Cougars regained the lead in the top of the second with four runs off three this. Bryan Tully walked and moved into scoring position after Wallace' sacrifice bunt. After a hustling Ramsey beat out an infield single, Stewart lined a two-out single through the left side to plate Stewart. Pounds then launched a 2-2 offering over the wall in center field to hand the Cougars a 6-2 advantage. The Flames pulled to within 6-5 in the bottom of the frame with three runs off Jason Ganek's two-run triple and a sacrifice fly from Steve McGuiggan. In the fourth inning, the Cougars pushed their lead to 7-5 when Wallace blasted an 0-2 offering over the wall in center field for the first home run of his career. Carr's RBI-single through the right side scored McGuiggan in the fourth inning, cutting the Cougar lead to 7-6. But the Cougars answered in the top of the sixth with two runs, thanks to two hits and three UIC errors. Presley led off with a single up the middle and moved into scoring position after an errant pickoff attempt. After Tully reached on the second UIC miscue, Wallace moved both runners up with his second sacrifice bunt, and Ramsey's sacrifice fly to center field plated Presley. After Kelso reached on the final UIC error, Stewart lined an RBI-single up the middle to score Tully and hand the Cougars a 9-6 lead. In the seventh inning, the Flames trimmed the Cougar lead to 9-7 when Carr scored from second when UH retired the lead runner on a double-play attempt but the relay throw to first base sailed wide. The Cougars doubled their lead in the ninth inning with two more runs off a pair of hits. Stewart led off with a single through the left side and stole second. After an intentional walk to Cesario, Lormand slapped a double down the left-field line to score Stewart. Presley was intentionally passed to load the bases, and Tully reached on a fielder's choice that scored Cesario from third for an 11-7 Cougar advantage. The Cougars would need all four of those runs in the bottom of the ninth as the Flames knotted the game to force extra innings
HOUSTON 4, TEXAS A&M 3 In the ninth, Ramsey drew a one-out walk and moved into scoring position when freshman shortstop Blake Kelso drilled a single into center field. Stewart then slapped the first pitch he saw from reliever Travis Starling into center field. Although the ball was not hit hard, it found its way into center field, allowing Ramsey to score the game-winning run. The win capped a dazzling performance by freshman righthander Jared Ray, who tossed his first career complete game. The Waco native scattered three runs off five hits and six walks with four strikeouts in a career-best eight innings to improve to 4-2 this season. The Aggies managed only one hit through the first five shutout innings. After giving up three runs off three hits in the sixth inning, Ray, allowed only one more hit the rest of the way. In the ninth inning, Texas A&M's Brodie Greene drew a leadoff walk, stole second and eventually worked his way to third base with the potential go-ahead run, but Ray forced Jose Duran to foul out to end the threat and set up the Cougar heroics in the bottom of the ninth. Junior infielder Jimmy Cesario went 2-for-4 with a triple and a run, while senior second baseman Ryan Lormand batted 2-for-4 with a double and RBI. Ramsey added a game-high two RBIs, while sophomore catcher Austin Goolsby - making his first start at the Regional - added a two-run homer in the third inning. With the win, the Cougars improved to 42-23 and won for the 12th time in their last 14 games. The Cougars face No. 9 Texas A&M in the championship game of the NCAA College Station Regional at 6:30 p.m., Monday, with the winner advancing to face No. 5 Rice in the NCAA Houston Super Regional beginning next weekend. UH also won for the seventh time in its last eight NCAA postseason games at Olsen Field. In 2003, UH rallied to win the last four games on the way to claiming the title of the NCAA College Station Regional. Fans can hear all Cougar Baseball games live at UHCougars.com by clicking the appropriate links. Jeremy Branham will call the play-by-play action while former letterwinner Pat Cauley provides color analysis. Fans always can follow live stats by clicking on the Gametracker link. In addition to the internet broadcast, the game will be televised. Monday's game will be shown on FSN Southwest in the Southern region markets, FSN Houston and FSN Plus in the Northern region markets. Will Johnson will call the play-by-play action with Alan Cannon providing color analysis with the broadcast feed of 12th Man Video Productions. The Cougars jumped ahead in the third inning with a pair of runs. Ramsey led off with a sharp single up the middle and scored when Austin Goolsby smashed a 2-2 offering over the wall in center field for a 2-0 Cougar lead. The score remained that way until the sixth inning when the Aggies grabbed the lead with three runs off three hits and an error. Dane Carter's RBI-triple to right center plated Kyle Colligan, and Carter scored when Duran followed with a double to left field. After the Aggies loaded the bases, Darby Brown reached on a fielder's choice that scored Duran for a 3-2 lead. The Cougars answered in the next half inning with a run of their own. Cesario led off with a triple to right center and scored easily when Lormand blasted a double to the wall in left center.
SOUTHERN MISS 8, NEW ORLEANS 2 Southern Miss will now face LSU in the Championship Round, beginning at 6:00 p.m. tonight. UNO scored the first run of the game in the top of the first as Joey Butler doubled down the left field line with one out in the inning, After taking third on a deep fly ball that Michael Ewing caught against the wall, Butler came in to score on a pass ball by catcher Keith Winstead. Southern Miss answered right back in the top of the second. Drew Carson started the inning with a bunt single to third base and Chris Matisich singled though the left side of the infield. Keith Winstead followed with a towering fly ball right down the left field line that was originally called a foul ball. Southern Miss third base coach Chad Cailliet and head coach Corky Palmer showed their objection forcing the umpires to gather together and eventually change the ruling to a three-run home run for Winstead, his third of the season, to put the Golden Eagles up 3-1. The Golden Eagles added to their lead in the top of the third inning as Trey Sutton started a two-out rally with a solid single up the middle. Drew Carson followed with a single through the hole on the right side. Kyle Maxie then drilled his ninth home run of the season over the right field wall for a 6-1 Southern Miss lead. Winstead blasted his second home run of the day and fourth of the year in the top of the fourth inning, as it was to almost straight away center field giving the Golden Eagles a 7-1 lead. Jeff Lanning collected the second hit of the day off of Billeaud on a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to make the score 7-2. Billeaud had held the nation's No. 5 ranked offense hitless since the Butler double in the first inning. Southern Miss added another run in the top of the eighth inning. Drew Carson tripled off the center field wall and came in to score on Kyle Maxie's RBI single past a drawn in infield for a 8-2 lead. LSU 11, SOUTHERN MISS 4 LSU extended their winning streak to 23 games as they prepare to host an NCAA super regional next weekend. Southern Miss (42-22) made a game out of it through the first six innings until the No. 2 team in the nation's offense exploded for six runs to put the game out of reach in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Golden Eagles finish the season with 42 wins, the third highest total in school history, while reaching their ninth overall and sixth consecutive NCAA Regional. Southern Miss advanced to the Final game by defeating UNO for the second time of the weekend 8-2 earlier in the day to eliminate the Privateers from the NCAA Regional. Brian Leach took the loss on the mound for the Golden Eagles working five innings, allowing six runs on six hits while striking out one. LSU jumped out for an early lead in the bottom of the first as Leach issued a two-out walk to Blake Dean and Micah Gibbs ripped an RBI double down the left field line to score Dean from first and a 1-0 Tiger advantage. Leon Landry added a two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning to put LSU up 3-0. The Golden Eagles got on the board in the top of the fourth as Trey Sutton was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Drew Carson singled to left field. Sutton tagged on a deep fly ball by Josh Fields and came home on a RBI sacrifice fly by Chris Matesich to cut the Tiger lead to 3-1. Southern Miss added another run an inning later on three consecutive singles by Corey Stevens, James Ewing and Trey Sutton with the RBI single scoring Stevens to make the game 3-2. Sutton's single also ended the day for LSU starter Blake Martin. Matt Clark flared a RBI double just inside the left field line to score Gibbs from second and to end the day for Brian Leach for the Golden Eagles trailing 4-2. Collin Cargill entered the game in relief of Leach with runners at second and third no one out. After getting a ground ball and an infield line drive Cargill walked Ryan Schimpf to load the bases and Michael Hollander ripped a single up the middle to drive home two runs and expand the Tiger lead to 6-2. Dean then broke the game wide open with a bases loaded triple plating three runs putting the Tigers up 9-2. Southern Miss added a single run in the top of the seventh as Brian Dozier singled and reached second on a throwing error by the LSU shortstop. James Ewing delivered an RBI single to right field to plate Dozier, making the score 9-3. LSU added two more runs on a bases loaded Hollander single to right field to put the Tigers up 11-3. Josh Billeaud, Keith Winstead, Chris Matesich and Drew Carson all earned All-Baton Rouge Regional honors. FLORIDA STATE 17, TULANE 8 In Sunday night's ballgame at Dick Howser Stadium, they found out why Collegiate Baseball Magazine named Posey it's national player of the year as the junior from Leesburg, Ga., went 3-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI as the Green Wave dropped a 17-8 decision to the Seminoles Sunday evening at Dick Howser Stadium. Junior designated hitter Warren McFadden went 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles, and Tulane got home runs from junior catcher Jared Dyer and junior first baseman Sam Honeck. Posey and the Seminoles, however, proved to be too much to overcome as Florida State out-hit Tulane, 14-10. With the loss, Tulane falls to 39-20-1 on the year but remains alive in postseason play. Florida State improves to 51-11 on the year and forces a second championship game on Monday with first pitch slated for 6 p.m. (CDT). The winner of that ballgame advances to take on Wichita State, which won the 2008 NCAA Stillwater (Okla.) Regional earlier today with an 11-7 decision over host Oklahoma State, next weekend in the Super Regionals. Tulane went down in order in the top of the first, but Florida State got things going right away as centerfielder Tyler Holt opened the home half of the inning with a single. Posey singled to right one out later, and right fielder Jack Rye followed with a walk to load the bases. From there, first baseman Dennis Guinn walked to bring home Holt, shortstop Tony Delmonico ripped a two-run single up the middle to give the Seminoles a 3-0 lead. Following a scoreless second, Guinn opened the third with a leadoff homer to left to put FSU ahead 4-0, but Tulane answered quickly in the top of the fourth. With one away, junior second baseman Seth Henry and freshman third baseman Rob Segedin drew back-to-back walks, and junior catcher Jared Dyer belted a 1-1 offering from Seminole starter Ryan Strauss off the scoreboard in left central for a three-run homer. Junior right fielder Drew Allain followed with a four-pitch walk, and one out later, junior designated hitter Warren McFadden laced an RBI-double down the left field line to tie the game at 4-all. The tie did not last long, however, as Posey parked a 1-0 pitch in the fourth high over the screen in right central to give Florida State a 5-4 advantage. An inning later, Florida State loaded the bases on a double by third baseman Stuart Tapley and back-to-back walks by designated hitter Tommy Oravetz and left fielder Ohmed Danesh to chase Tulane starter Jonathan Garrett from the game. Junior reliever Mason Griffin, however, could not thwart the rally as Holt hit a two-run single through the left side of the infield to make it a 7-4 ballgame before Posey hammered a three-run bomb to dead center to stretch the lead to six. Tulane got a pair of runs back in the top of the sixth on a two-run homer by Honeck and chased Strauss from the game on McFadden's second double of the day, but Jimmy Marshall thwarted the rally with a strikeout. The Seminoles chased Griffin from the game after he plunked a pair of batters, but freshman right-hander Robby Broach came out of the bullpen to strike out the side and keep it a four-run affair. The score remained that way until the bottom of the eighth when Florida State put the game away with seven runs on five hits, two errors, a pair of walks and a hit batter to account for the final score. |
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