TALLAHASSEE - Florida State came into the final day of the NCAA region at Dick Howser Stadium Sunday needing two wins over South Alabama to advance to its fifth consecutive Super Region. The Seminoles did just that, winning 13-5 and 12-2, and will host defending national champion Texas this weekend.
"Coming back with one loss and winning these two games today is definitely a confidence booster for the team," said Jerrod Brown, a former player at Hillsborough CC and all-region selection at first base.
Florida State hit nine home runs, including a season-high seven in the second game, against a short-handed staff. Brown had two homers Sunday and finished the weekend with a region-best four. He totaled three homers during the regular season.
In the first game, FSU (54-11-1) trailed 2-0. But the Seminoles scored three in the fourth and eight in the fifth.
In Game 2, Florida State got back-to-back homers from Tony McQuade and region most outstanding player Tony Richie, followed by Brown's two-run blast to right. Stephen Drew, added to the 4-0 lead with a homer in the second and Drew hit a three-run homer in the fifth.
"We felt real confident that we were going to come back and win two games today," said Richie, who hit .591 with six RBIs.
Added coach Mike Martin, who won his 16th region title since 1975: "I don't think we could play much better for two games than we did today."
Now FSU can look ahead to the Longhorns, though not too far ahead. FSU lost to Notre Dame in the Super Region last year as the top seed in Tallahassee.
"I don't think that Martin Methodist could come in here and we would overlook them," Martin said. "It will be very simple to stay focused."
