No. 1 Florida State Rallies to Defeat Miami, 7-6
April 27, 2007
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – – Florida State (38-6, 16-3 ACC) hit back-to-back home runs in the top of ninth and scored four runs to rally to defeat Miami, 7-6, in front of a sellout crowd of 2,763 fans at Mark Light Field Friday night in the Atlantic Coast Conference series opener. Yonder Alonso hit two home runs for Miami (26-18, 11-11 ACC) while Roger Tomas finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
Scott Maine (3-5) held the Seminoles to three runs on eight hits in 7 2/3 innings while striking out four. Dennis Raben pitched 1/3 of an inning, but allowed three earned runs and the two home runs in the ninth.
Alonso went 2-for4 with two runs and four RBI. Blake Tekotte, Mark Sobolewski, Gus Menendez and Richard O’Brien each contributed one hit for the Hurricanes, who had nine hits.
Tony Thomas Jr., Travis Anderson, Jason Stidham and Ruairi O’Connor each had two hits for the Seminoles.
Bryan Henry (11-0) tossed eight innings and allowed six earned runs while striking out seven. He ended up with his 11th win of the season. Danny Rosen earned his eighth save as he pitched one scoreless inning.
Trailing 7-6, Gus Menendez led off the bottom of the ninth with a single down the right field line. After a sacrifice bunt put him in scoring position, Rosen was able to get pinch-hitter Chris Petralli and center fielder Blake Tekotte to fly out to end the game.
Miami led 6-3 heading into the top of the ninth. Mark Gildea drew a leadoff walk. Raben relieved Danny Gil. D’Vontrey Richardson hit a ball that dropped in just inside the right field line for a double. Gildea scored on a passed ball to make it, 6-4. With one out, Thomas Jr. then hit a two-run home run that tied the game, 6-6. Mark Hallberg followed with a solo home run putting FSU ahead, 7-6.
Alonso'[s second two-run home run of the game gave the Hurricanes a 6-2 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Tomas hit a one-out single to reach base before Alonso’s homer. Anderson hit a solo home run in the top of the sixth pulling the Seminoles within, 6-3.
Florida State came within 4-2 in the top of the fourth as Anderson dropped in a triple with two outs. He scored on Stidham’s double to center field to make it, 4-1. Gildea’s RBI single scored Stidham bringing the Seminoles within two runs.
Alonso put Miami ahead, 4-0, in the bottom of the third. After Tomas singled, he blasted his 13th home run of the season.
O’Brien’s first home run of the season put UM ahead, 2-0, in the bottom of the second inning. Miami took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. After back-to-back singles from Tekotte and Tomas, Raben grounded out to first base to bring in Tekotte.
Miami and Florida State continue their series Saturday at 7 p.m. RHP Enrique Garcia (4-2, 2.67 ERA) will face FSU RHP Ryan Strauss (8-1, 2.98 ERA).
Game Notes: Florida State’s Bryan Henry allowed two home runs for the first time all season. He entered the series only given up two home runs … Alonso had his fourth two home-run game of the season. He now has 14 on the season …Freshman left fielder Mark Sobolewski extended hit hitting streak to 15 games. One more hit will tie the freshman record.
