Baseball Falls 14-13 In Marathon Loss to No. 1 Florida State
April 7, 2000
No. 1 Florida State (33-5) came out on top in a school-record for both schools 17-inning 14-13 win over No. 12 Miami (24-10-1) at Dick Howser Stadium. Both schools used a total of 14 pitchers in the six hour, seven minute series-opener.
After the Hurricanes jumped ahead 13-11 in the 17th, FSU shortstop Brett Groves doubled in the winning run, centerfielder/pitcher Karl Jernigan, off the final UM reliever shortstop/pitcher Javy Rodriguez in the bottom of the inning. Earlier in the inning with one showing, first baseman Ryan Barthelemy tied the score, 13-13, with a two-run home run over the right field screen off UM reliever Tom Farmer (3-3) also scoring second baseman Marshall McDougall. McDougall reached base earlier on an infield single to Javy Rodriguez at shortstop.
Farmer pitched well in relief going nearly a full game with 7.1 innings of action with three hits, three earned runs, two walks and four strikeouts. Farmer had kept FSU hitless and scoreless for seven complete innings.
Miami jumped ahead 13-11 in the top of the 17th, when Javy Rodriguez doubled in centerfielder Charlton Jimerson from second and later scored on a fielding error by McDougall.
Both teams has not scored a run for seven complete innings up until that point.
Before the game went into extra innings, two costly fielding errors and a base-running mishap by the Hurricanes combined with a four-run ninth by Florida State nullified a 11-7 Miami lead going into the final inning of regulation.
Miami had raced out to a 9-0 lead after five innings, but in the sixth UM centerfielder Mark Walker misplayed a deep fly ball by left fielder John-Ford Griffin to allow two FSU runs to score.
Later in the eighth with an 11-7 lead, UM lost the chance to add more runs when shortstop Kevin Howard hit a deep ball to centerfield with left fielder Mike Rodriguez on second with no outs. Mike Rodriguez thought Jernigan had caught the ball, which he did not, and attempted to re-tag up at second. Howard was already at second, both runners got crossed up which led to each being ruled out on the play.
UM closer Luke DeBold, who entered the game for the eighth inning and retired all three batters in the frame, gave up consecutive singles and a walk to load the bases. Griffin then hit an RBI single at first baseman Danny Matienzo, who misplayed his throw to DeBold at first allowing two runs to score. With two baserunners on, McDougall then hit a two-RBI double to tie the score at 11-11.
Senior designated hitter Lale Esquivel started the scoring in the top of the second with a two-run home run deep to left centerfield off FSU starter Jon McDonald, also scoring Matienzo on the play. Matienzo, the lead-off batter in the inning, reached base earlier on a hit by pitch. The home run was Esquivel’s fourth against the Seminoles in his career.
The Hurricanes extended their lead to 4-0 in the third with two runs on three hits. Right fielder Manny Crespo drove in the first run of the inning with a single to right centerfield to score left fielder Mike Rodriguez from second base. Mike Rodriguez reached base with a single to left centerfield and stole second. Matienzo drove in the Hurricanes second run with a triple off the right field screen to score Crespo from first.
Miami extended its lead to 7-0 in the fourth inning with three runs off three hits. After catcher Mike DiRosa moved second baseman Kris Clute and Walker to second and third base with a sacrifice bunt, shortstop Javy Rodriguez scored both with a single to right field. Clute led off the inning with a single to left field, while Walker reached on a walk. After Javy Rodriguez stole second, the next UM batter, Mike Rodriguez, brought him in with a RBI single to right centerfield.
Matienzo led off the fifth inning with a home run to left field to bring the UM lead to 8-0. Walker made it 9-0 later in the inning when he scored from third off a throwing error by FSU catcher Blair McCaleb. On the play, FSU shortstop Brett Groves fielded DiRosa’s grounder and threw out Clute at home, followed by a throwing error from McCaleb to attempt to get Walker out at third.
FSU broke up the shut out in the fifth, when McDougall sent a triple deep to centerfield to score Griffin on the play. The next FSU batter, first baseman Ryan Barthelemy, scored McDougall with a single to right field. Barthelemy was tagged out at second on the play after trying to stretch the RBI hit into a double.
The Seminoles continued their comeback in the sixth inning with four runs to bring UM’s lead to 9-6. FSU scored all four runs off UM reliever Greg Howell with two outs showing. Catcher Mike Futrell knocked in the first FSU run as he hit into a double play allowing Groves to score from third. Griffin knocked in the next FSU runs with a deep shot to centerfield, which UM centerfielder Mark Walker misplayed. The error allowed right fielder Chris Smith and designated hitter John Halliday to score unearned. The next FSU batter, McDougall, singled to centerfield to bring in Griffin from third.
UM added two runs in the seventh for the 11-6 lead. DiRosa sent a double down the left field line to score Esquivel and Clute. Esquivel reached base earlier on a walk, while Clute reached on an error by FSU third baseman Pichi Balet.
FSU added one run in the bottom of the seventh when Smith doubled in Groves from second off UM reliever Ryan Channell. Groves reached base earlier on a single off UM’s previous reliever Howell
Miami and Florida State continue its three-game series in Tallahassee on Saturday, April 8 at 7 p.m. at Dick Howser Stadium.
