TALLAHASSEE - Danny Wardell hit a three-run home run with two outs in the ninth to give Florida State a 5-4 victory over Michigan State on Friday.
Aaron Cheeseman led off the ninth with a base hit to centerfield, but the next two batters were retired. Shane Robinson singled to left to keep the inning alive and set up Wardell's homer.
Kevin Lynch pitched a perfect two-thirds of an inning in relief to earn the win. Spartans starter Bryan Gale struck out six and walked only one but gave up 10 hits, including the winning homer.
Gibbs Chapman had three hits to lead FSU, which trailed until the final inning.
The Spartans took a 2-0 lead in the first then expanded the lead to 4-1 on Travis Gulick's homer in the third and a run in the sixth. Eddy Martinez-Esteve cut the lead to 4-2 with a run-scoring double in the sixth.
FLORIDA 14, BROWN 8: Brain LeClerc and Ben Harrison homered during an eight-run third for the host Gators. LeClerc's three-run homer and Harrison's two-run homer helped open a 12-0 lead after three.
USF 8, UMASS 5: A five-run fifth, which included Devin Ivany's three-run homer, lifted the host Bulls. Also, junior catcher Devin Ivany was named to the Johnny Bench Award watch list. Ivany was a semifinalist for the award last season and hit .337 in his first two seasons with USF. Ten semifinalist will be named May 20.
NOVA SOUTHEASTERN 9, ECKERD 2: Kyle Ruwe pitched a two-hitter, striking out nine and facing three batters over the minimum, for the host Knights.
Cotton Bowl eyes BCS
DALLAS - With the Bowl Championship Series expanding and the Dallas Cowboys pushing for a new stadium, Cotton Bowl organizers are hoping to again become one of the top games.
The Cotton Bowl was left out of the original BCS structure because of its old, outdoor stadium, also called the Cotton Bowl. Now that the series is planning to add a fifth game, organizers want a proposed domed stadium in Dallas to be part of their bid.
Talks for such a facility are under way between city leaders and the Cowboys. At a news conference, John Scovell, son of game patriarch Field Scovell, urged local officials to come up with a plan for voters to consider in November, in time for the bid application that's due in January.
Game officials have been promised by the NFL team they could use the proposed stadium for their bowl regardless of whether they make the BCS.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has envisioned a complex that would include a stadium, hotel, retail stores, restaurants and an interactive museum. The price has ranged from $600-million to $1-billion. The public's share must be detailed before anything can go on the ballot.
"The next star we have to connect is the challenge to Dallas County to figure out the best financing method; and do it soon," Scovell said. "There are a number of financing alternatives, but the primary one will require a referendum."
The Cotton Bowl stadium, which has hosted the Jan. 1 game for 68 years, was the home of the Cowboys for their first 11 seasons before the team moved to partially domed Texas Stadium.
SOFTBALL: Florida State scored seven in the third to defeat Texas A&M 8-0 in the Florida State Invitational. The game ended after five innings because of the mercy rule. Jessica van der Linden struck out 10, walked two and allowed one hit. FSU then beat Robert Morris 9-1 behind four homers, two by Lesley Palmer. Visiting Florida swept a doubleheader from Cal State-Northridge, winning both 6-1. Stacey Stevens struck out 11 for the win in Game 1, and Jenny Gladding allowed seven hits and one walk to win Game 2.
TRACK: Florida's Candice Scott broke her record with a weight throw of 75 feet, 71/2 inches to win the national indoor title in Fayetteville, Ark. Florida took first, second, fifth and sixth in the event. Kim Barrett was second at 75-31/2, Jukina Dickerson fifth at 71-81/4 and LaQuanda Cotten sixth at 71-71/4. USF's Dayana Octavien was seventh at 69-7. Florida's women were tied for first in the two-day event with UCLA. Florida's men were tied with Texas for second, two behind Arkansas. Arkansas' Veronica Campbell set the collegiate record with the world's fastest 200 meters this year, finishing in 22.43.
TENNIS: Visiting FSU's men beat Miami 4-3 behind wins by Jonathas Sucupira, Chris Westerhof and J.P. Bounassar. The USF women's losing streak reached six with a 5-0 loss to Clemson.
DIVING: Florida's Junior Nicole Bolt took eighth on the 1-meter springboard in the Zone B Championships in Athens, Ga. Teammate Kristen Connor was 10th. Zach Wilcox took 13th in the 3-meter. FSU's Tiffany Manning and Courtney McClow took seventh and ninth, respectively, in the 3-meter.
GOLF: Florida's men shot 11-under 277, including Camilo Villegas' 5-under 67, to lead after the first round of the Southern Highlands Collegiate in Las Vegas. Clemson and Arizona State were two back.
- Times staff writer Pete Young contributed to this report.
