By Times staff and wire reports
Published June 1, 2003
TALLAHASSEE - It didn't happen exactly how Florida State envisioned, but the Seminoles survived by beating Rutgers 17-7 Saturday night at the NCAA region at Dick Howser Stadium.
FSU (52-11-1) bounced back after an 8-6 loss to No.2 seed South Alabama earlier in the afternoon. The top-ranked Seminoles will have to beat the Jaguars twice today to return to the super region. One FSU loss and South Alabama gets to advance for the first time.
"We definitely have our backs against the wall," said Trent Peterson, who gave up three runs and struck out nine in a 61/3 inning no-decision against the Jaguars. "We need to let this one go and come out and fight hard for the next couple of ballgames."
The Seminoles overcame a 3-1 deficit against the Jaguars in a marathon eighth inning in which FSU scored four, had a run-scoring balk call overturned and had a protest regarding a South Alabama player leaving the field during a pitching change withdrawn after a 28-minute delay. During that time, umpires discussed the situation and searched the rulebook.
In the end FSU coach Mike Martin wanted to keep playing, and the Seminoles finished the inning ahead 5-3.
South Alabama (42-17) responded in the bottom of the inning with five runs, capped by Cole Craig's winning three-run homer off closer Daniel Hodges (5-2).
"We knew they would make a run," Jaguars coach Steve Kittrell said. "I am just thankful Cole clutched up with a big home run."
An hour and a half later against Rutgers - which used a four-run seventh to eliminate Jacksonville 8-5 in the day's first game - the Seminoles had an 8-0 lead by the fifth.
After scoring in the second, Jerrod Brown hit his second homer in as many days. It bounced off the centerfield wall and rolled into left as Eddy Martinez-Esteve also scored.
Martinez-Esteve made his first start since reaggravating a left hamstring injury April 25. He went 3-for-5 with three RBIs.
The Scarlet Knights (37-22) scored four in the fourth, but the Seminoles added eight in the fifth, including two-run homers by Blake Balkcom and Daniel Wardell as they cruised into a today's rematch with South Alabama.
- ZACHARY SPAIN
Coral Gables region
FLORIDA 22, FAU 14: Mario Garza and Brian Rose hit two homers each as the Gators eliminated the Owls.
Florida Atlantic (47-16) went up by four with a six-run third. Derek Hutton and Matt Pali hit three-run homers.
But Florida (36-20-1) responded by sending its entire order to the plate three consecutive innings. Rose hit a three-run homer in the four-run third, C.J. Smith hit a two-run homer in the six-run fourth and Garza hit a three-run homer in the four-run fifth.
The Owls tried to mount a rally in the sixth with a homer from Tim Mascia and Hutton's second of the game. But Garza responded in the bottom of the inning with his second homer of the game.
Garza scored six to tie an NCAA postseason record. He reached base all six times with five hits and a walk, and he drove in five.
Rose hit a grand slam in the eighth to bring his RBI total to seven.
Florida, which has one loss in region play, eliminated Bethune Cookman 8-6 in an early game. The Gators will have to beat undefeated Miami twice today to advance to the super region.
Pitcher J.D. Cockroft faced one batter more than the minimum in a 111-pitch complete-game shutout as the Hurricanes shut out FAU 1-0.
Atlanta region
STETSON 9, E. CAROLINA 4: Andy Wilson went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and the Hatters overcame the loss of leading hitter Brian Snyder to avoid elimination.
Stetson (41-23) must beat South Carolina (41-20) twice today to advance to the super region. Earlier Saturday, the Gamecocks beat the Hatters 7-2.
It's the third time in four seasons Stetson has reached the region final, and each time, it has had to win two games on the final day. The Hatters have yet to advance.
Snyder, who was hitting .399 after he went 1-for-4 in the opener, sat out against the Pirates (34-27-1) with a fever. Stetson hardly missed him, scoring seven in the first two innings.
