Maryland
Florida State
No. 3 Florida State Thwarts Maryland's Comeback To Earn Sweep, 6-5
5/12/2002 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 12, 2002
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - For the second consecutive game, a Maryland late-inning comeback forced No. 3 Florida State to bat in the ninth inning, but the Seminoles scored the game-winner in the final frame to defeat the Terps, 6-5, and complete the series sweep at Dick Howser Stadium.
The previous night, the Terps scored five runs over the seventh and eighth innings to take a late lead, but FSU's Stephen Drew hit a game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth to win it for the Seminoles. Today, the Terps scored three runs in the top of the ninth to again bring the Seminoles to bat in the final frame, but FSU got the victory on its senior day when Nick Rogers walked with the bases loaded to force home Richie Smith with the game-winner.
The game shaped up as a terrific pitchers' duel between one of the ACC's talented newcomers and a familiar successful senior. The Terps and freshman right-hander Sean Kane (West Chester, Pa.), coming off ACC Player of the Week honors for his two-hit shutout of NC State the previous weekend, led the Seminoles and pre-season All-America Blair Varnes after six innings, 2-0. However, the Noles pushed across two runs in the seventh off Kane and took the lead with three in the eighth to set the stage for the ninth-inning drama.
Varnes matched Kane's perfection through the first two innings before the Terps broke through in the third with a lead-off single by senior first baseman Kevin McDonald (Rockaway, N.J.). After a strikeout and a fielder's choice and stolen base from freshman center fielder Justin Maxwell (Olney, Md.), junior left fielder Daryl Whitmer (Waldorf, Md.) walked to put runners on first and second for senior right fielder Matt Swope (New Carrollton, Md.). Swope lined Varnes' 3-2 pitch over the left fielder's head to plate Maxwell and Whitmer while giving the Terps a 2-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Kane had retired the side in order in the first four innings on an economical 45 pitches, striking out one batter in each inning. He retired the first batter in the fifth, but FSU's Jerrod Brown lined a single to right field to break up the perfect game bid. Kane retired the next five hitters before Tony McQuade walked and Ryan Barthelemy singled to begin the seventh.
Kane then fanned Nick Rogers before Brown recorded his second hit of the game to load the bases. FSU catcher Tony Richie followed with a two-run double to tie the game at 2-2. Kane then coaxed a bouncer to short from Mike Futrell, and junior shortstop John McCurdy (Crofton, Md.) threw home to nail Brown at the plate. Kane went 2-0 on Richie Smith before Terrapin coach Terry Rupp went to his bullpen to bring in freshman left-hander Josh Andrews (Monrovia, Md.).
Andrews completed the walk to Smith before getting Ryan Zech to ground to McCurdy for the inning's final out.
Varnes had settled in again after the third inning, as he allowed only a fourth-inning, one-out double to sophomore third baseman Anthony Buffone (Manalapan, N.J.) over the next five innings. The FSU right-hander retired 14 straight Terrapin hitters over that span.
The Seminoles put the first two batters aboard in the bottom of the eighth on a bunt single and hit batsmen. Barthelemy followed with a two-run triple off the left-center field fence to give the Seminoles a 4-2 lead and chase Andrews. Rogers then greeted Terrapin reliever Brad Lyons (Massapequa, N.Y.) with an RBI single to left field to put the Seminoles up, 5-2. Lyons escaped further damaged by getting a groundout and strikeout.
Andrews was scored upon for only the second time in his last six appearances.
The Terps finally forced Varnes from the game in the top of the ninth. Maryland brought the tying run to the plate with freshman Jason Maxey (Columbia, Md.) when Swope singled to center field and McCurdy was hit by a pitch. FSU's Daniel Davidson relieved Varnes and battled Maxey for eight pitches before the ACC Freshman of the Year candidate lined a RBI double to left-center field to plate Swope and bring the Terps within 5-3. After extending his career-high hitting streak to 13 games, Maxey was replaced by freshman pinch runner Joseph Natale (Hoboken, N.J.). Buffone followed with an RBI groundout, scoring McCurdy and bringing the Terps within 5-4 while sending Natale to third.
Florida State skipper Mike Martin then brought in right-hander Kevin Lynch to face junior third baseman Kyle George (Bel Air, Md.). George worked the count to 3-2 before lining the game-tying RBI single to left to knot the score at 5-5.
George has now hit safely in ten straight games.
For FSU, Smith reached on a bad-hop grounder that was ruled an error to lead off the ninth. After Lyons retired Zech, Drew lined a hit-and-run single through the shortstop hole to put runners on first and third. McQuade ran the count to 3-2 before Lyons threw a fastball by him for the second out. Barthelemy was walked intentionally to load the bases.
Rogers then walked to force home the winning run as the Seminoles gained a 6-5 victory.
Kane extended his ACC scoreless innings streak to 15.1 innings, but ended up allowing four hits, two walks and two runs while striking out six in 6.2 innings pitched. Varnes pitched 8.0 innings and allowed four runs on four hits while striking out six.
Swope led the Terps with two hits and two RBI. Barthelemy had two hits, two runs and two RBI for the Seminoles.
Florida State's Daniel Hodges earned the victory and improved to 3-1. Lyons took the loss for the Terps and is now 3-3.
The Terps return to action Tuesday for Senior Night against William and Mary. The regular season finale is slated for a 7 p.m. start.
