By Times Staff and Wire Reports
Published February 1, 2004
TALLAHASSEE - Eddy Martinez-Esteve scored on Derrick Smith's double down the rightfield line in the ninth inning to give Florida State an 8-7 win over VMI on Saturday in the college baseball season opener for both.
Down 7-4 entering the eighth, VMI got a run-scoring single from Jonathan Hadra and a two-run double from Matt Smith. But in the ninth, Jeff DeMara walked Martinez-Esteve with one out, setting up the winning hit.
OTHER BASEBALL: Host Tampa defeated Eckerd 5-4 in Game 1 of a doubleheader. Roberto Valiente and JP Castro homered for UT; Joe Savino doubled and homered for the Tritons.
TRACK AND FIELD: South Florida's Dayana Octavien won the weight throw and was third in shot put at the Adidas Boston Indoor Games. Other winners for USF: Chandra Brewer (shot put), Christa Benton (3,000 meters), Karoline Hagen (400) and Bente General (500).
SOFTBALL: USF opened its season by splitting two games in the USF-Louisville Slugger Tournament. The Bulls beat Bethune-Cookman 10-2 behind a grand slam by senior Holly Groves and lost to Florida Atlantic 12-4.
ELSEWHERE: The Florida women defeated Tennessee 129-103 and the Gator men beat the Volunteers 129-109 in swimming. ... In golf, the UF men led by eight strokes and Gator Camilo Villegas was third after shooting 1-under 69 at the Gator Invitational. ... The UF men's tennis team defeated visiting Furman 7-0.
SWIMMING: Moses on top again
Ed Moses swam the fastest 100-meter breaststroke in the world this year to extend his undefeated streak in World Cup races to 12 in East Meadow, N.Y. Moses finished in 57.96 for his third victory in the two-day meet. Also, Jason Lezak won the 50 freestyle, Jenny Thompson won the women's 100 free and 50 butterfly and Gabrielle Rose won the 50 breast and 100 individual medley.
AUTO RACING: Bahre in intensive care
New Hampshire International Speedway owner Bob Bahre was in stable condition in intensive care with injuries sustained when his car went off the road 48 hours earlier in Maine. Track spokesman Ron Meade said Bahre, 76, had a fractured vertebrae, broken ankle, concussion and rib injuries, and has been in and out of consciousness.
EAST BAY RACEWAY: Rain washed out the final night of the King of 360's Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park. The race will not be rescheduled. Ticket money can be refunded or applied toward tickets for the 410 Sprint Car Winternationals.
HORSE RACING: Crafty Tears, Mary Murphy win
Crafty Tears, with Federico Mata aboard, led gate to wire in the $60,000 Gasparilla Stakes, a 7-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies, for trainer Ron Allen's fourth stakes win of the season at Tampa Bay Downs. Also, Mary Murphy, with Pedro Martinez aboard, held off Really Royal by half a length to win the $60,000, 7-furlong Manatee Stakes.
GULFSTREAM PARK: Newfoundland took the Canadian Turf Handicap and Wishful Splendor won the Suwanee River for older fillies and mares in two $100,000 races moved from the grass to the sloppy main track.
SAN ANTONIO HANDICAP: Pleasantly Perfect, in his first start since winning the $4-million Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct.25, won the $250,000 race at Santa Anita, Calif.
SOCCER: McBride makes quick splash
Brian McBride scored in his debut with Fulham, beating goalkeeper and U.S. teammate Kasey Keller in the 67th minute in a 2-1 victory over Tottenham in the English Premier League. McBride, who left the Columbus Crew of MLS, came off the bench.
ET CETERA
TRACK AND FIELD: Ethiopia's Berhane Adere broke the indoor world record in the women's 5,000 meters in Stuttgart, Germany. She ran 14:39.29, beating the mark of 14:47.35 set by Gabriela Szabo in 1999. ... Haile Gebrselassie set the meet record at 3,000 meters in the Boston Indoor Games, his first American appearance in eight years.
DERBY LANE: Cayman Went extended his winning streak to 16, 11 at the St. Petersburg track, in Round 3 of the $85,000 Sprint Classic. WW Apple Jax won his fifth in a row.
WINTER SPORTS: Armin Zoeggeler clinched the luge World Cup title by winning a race at Koenigssee, Germany.
