|
Video: Coach Martin on the win
Photo Gallery
Game two of opening weekend surely wasn't
one for the baseball purists.
Florida State cruised by Georgia State 14-7 in front of 5,392 at Dick
Howser Stadium as the Seminoles capitalized on four Panther errors. Head
coach Mike Martin's squad made the Panthers pay for their mistakes to
the tune of 15 hits on the afternoon en route to the second victory of
the young season.
Even with Georgia State's fielding woes, the Seminoles still had to put
them in a position to make mistakes.
Perhaps there was no bigger error than when in the fourth inning Georgia
State centerfielder Mark Micowski was unable to field Mike McGee's hit
cleanly and the ball bounced all the way to the fence. The play would
ultimately score three runs, including McGee himself, as the junior
raced around the base paths to score.
"There is no question that the ball that got by the centerfielder was
big for us," Martin admitted. "It was one of those things that was part
of the game, but that was a big play. It's like Michael hit the ball out
of the ball park. Three runs scored and it turned out to be big."
Junior starting pitcher Geoff Parker struggled in his outing pitching
only three innings, surrendering five earned runs on five hits, walking
one, and striking out three.
Sophomore reliever Brian Busch came out of the bullpen in relief of
Parker and inherited a bases loaded jam with no outs in his first action
of the season. Busch would go on to pitch three complete innings
allowing only one run on three hits while striking out three, and earned
the win.
"I thought Brian Busch came in and gave us a big lift," Martin said.
"Geoff pitched well the first couple of innings, but just struggled a
bit with his control. That is to be expected. It's early."
It was the 6-foot-2 southpaw's first outing since he sustaining a
shoulder injury in the preseason.
"I would say that the first inning was a little bit of rust," Busch
said. "I felt good going in. They got some hits, but I mean it is
baseball. My arm felt good. If this were the playoffs or something
tomorrow, I'd be ready to go."
Rampant junior All-American shortstop Stephen Cardullo continued his hot
hitting ways going 1-for-1 with a three-run long ball in the second
inning. The towering missile was simply gone from the moment it touched
the bat clearing the left field fence with ease.
Cardullo, who is hitting a perfect 3-for-3 this season, had a pretty
good feeling when he hit the ball that it was going to be runs on the
scoreboard.
"Yeah, I hit it pretty good," Cardullo said. "I knew it was gone."
While Cardullo is perfect from the plate with a staggering seven RBI
through two games, the Coral Springs native knows his fortunes can
change in an instant.
"Baseball is a game of failure," explained the hot-hitting shortstop.
"But when you are hitting great, it is great. But it can turn around and
bite you real quick. That's just baseball. With the highs and lows, you
just have to stay even keeled."
Since getting a hit in his first collegiate at-bat on Friday, true
freshman Jayce Boyd has yet to slow down. The first baseman went 3-for-5
on Saturday driving in one run and scoring twice.
The Tate High School product figured that it might take a little longer
for him to realize success at the Division-1 level than it has.
"I figured it would take me a day or two to get used to everything - the
surroundings and everything," said Boyd. "I've been in a groove I guess
you could say."
Relievers Daniel Bennett, Hunter Scantling, and Scott Sitz received an
inning of work a piece to finish out the game allowing one run on three
hits between them.
The Seminoles will send hard throwing left-hander John Gast to the hill
on Sunday as Florida State will look to complete a three-game sweep over
the Georgia State Panthers.
"We need to get six innings out of Johnny," Martin said. "I'd love it if
he goes out there and does what needs to be done. He needs to get ahead,
hit with his changeup and curveball. The fastball, he is throwing the
ball pretty darn good. He just has to go out there and stay poised and
get it done for us."
|
