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Seminoles Roll Into Super Regionals

Tribune photo by COLIN HACKLEY

Florida State's Stuart Tapley slides in front of Tulane's Shooter Hunt to score the Seminoles's first run during NCAA Regional action.

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By SCOTT CARTER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 3, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - A 49-minute lightning delay in the fifth inning proved the only force able to shut down Florida State's offense Monday night in the Tallahassee Regional championship game.

Otherwise, the Seminoles continued to swing away as if in batting practice, scoring six runs off Tulane starter Shooter Hunt on the way to a 16-7 victory and their first Super Regional berth since 2005.

FSU (52-11) will host Wichita State (47-15) in a three-game series starting Friday for a trip to the College World Series.

The Noles overcame losing their first game to Bucknell on Friday night by reeling off four consecutive wins, including back-to-back victories over Tulane (39-22). The top-hitting team in the country, FSU scored 74 runs and had 82 hits during its four-game win streak to close the tournament.

In Monday's title game, the Noles broke open a scoreless game in the fourth by scoring six runs off Hunt, considered a likely first-round pick in Thursday's MLB amateur draft. Already leading 3-0, Dennis Guinn's 3-run double chased Hunt and put the Noles in command.

In the fifth, play was interrupted by lightning with one out and runners at first and second for FSU's Tyler Holt, who went 5-for-6. Once play resumed, Holt promptly delivered a two-run single off Green Wave reliever Nick Pepitone. By the end of the inning, FSU added two more runs for a 10-0 lead, including an RBI single from tournament MVP Buster Posey.

Trailing 10-0, Tulane finally broke through against FSU starter Matt Fairel (52/3 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 SO, 1 BB) with two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth, including a solo homer from Warren McFadden.

However, FSU added four runs in the seventh to send most of the 6,032 fans who stayed at Dick Howser Stadium after the lightning delay home happy knowing the Noles will host one more series.

FSU hasn't been to the CWS since 2000, the longest stretch of Coach Mike Martin's career. FSU is 2-2 all-time in the postseason against Wichita State, coached by Gene Stephenson, whose 1,652 career wins are second all-time. Martin is third with 1,536 career wins.

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