Post Game Notes
June 16, 2008
Miami (Fla.) was playing in its 84th Men’s College World Series game (which ranks fourth all-time) while Florida State is playing in its 63rd MCWS game (seventh). This is the eighth straight year that two teams from the same conference have played each other in the MCWS. The last time there has not been two conference rivals meet in the MCWS was 2000. Florida State had won its six previous elimination games in the postseason before losing to Miami this afternoon This was the fourth meeting between Miami and Florida State in 2008 with Miami winning three of the four matchups. During the regular season, Miami won two out of three in Tallahassee. The Hurricanes scored 11 runs in each of their regular-season wins against Florida State. 2008 marks the sixth time since the bracket expanded to 64 teams that the number one overall national seed advanced to the MCWS. In those six MCWS appearances, the number one seed has never gone 0-2 but has won only one championship (Miami in 1999). Miami is now 43-0 this season when allowing five or fewer runs. Miami starter David Gutierrez was lifted after just seven batters after getting hit by a batted ball. The one-plus inning of work was the shortest of his seven starts this season. Florida State entered the Men’s College World Series as one of the nation’s most prolific offense ranking first nationally in batting average (.354), third in runs per game (9.9) and third in slugging (.568). At the MCWS, the Seminoles did hit .362 as a team (29-of-80) but scored just 10 runs and left 27 runners on base in two games. The 105 home runs for Miami in 2008 ranks as the second most in school history. The Hurricanes’ school record is 139 in 1998. Miami hurler Eric Erickson is now 4-0 in four career appearances against Florida State. In those four appearances, he has pitched 23 innings and allowed eight earned runs on 26 hits and five walks while striking out 16. Florida State’s 17 men left on base tied the record for the most LOB in a nine-inning game and is the first time in 57 years that a team has left 17 on base in a nine-inning game. In 1951, Springfield College left 17 on base in a loss to Oklahoma. It’s also tied for the fourth-highest total in any game at the MCWS (complete list on page 91 of the MCWS Media guide). There have only been six previous games in MCWS history where a team left 17 or more on base. The 26 left on base by both teams is the third highest two-team total in a nine-inning game in MCWS history. Kyle Bellamy has now appeared in a national-best 43 games this season, including each of Miami’s last 14 games dating back to May 16. His 43 appearances rank eighth on Miami’s single-season lists Miami has hit at least two homers in 33 of 63 games this season, including both MCWS games in 2008 Miami improves to 3-0 in elimination games in the 2008 NCAA Tournament Miami’s No. 1 and 2 hitters – Blake Tekotte and Jemile Weeks – have two hits each in the MCWS and both hits for both players are home runs. The tandem has homered in each of the Hurricanes two games at the MCWS. Miami’s 53 wins is the Hurricanes’ highest total under Head Coach Jim Morris, as Miami also won 53 games in 2001 – the school’s last national championship season. Florida State’s Buster Posey went 4-for-5 on the day and finished the year with a .463 average (119-for-257) with 26 homers and 93 RBIs. Posey leads the country in batting average and RBIs, while he is currently second in homers. Posey’s four hits today tied a career high in hits, set four other times, including three times in 2008. Florida State’s 17 men on base was a season high, topping the previous high of 16 against Georgia Tech on March 16, and Tulane on June 2.
