Section B Online

Friday April 23, 2010

	AT BAT				BALL					STRIKE					OUT						H/E
		2	5			3					2					2					H
				1	2	3	4	5	6		7	8	9	10			RUNS		HITS			E
UM				0	1	0	0	2	3		0	0	0					6		5		2
FSU				0	1	1	2	0	0		0	1	0					5		6		0

Opportunity cost

Corey Dowlar, Warchant.com

It wasn’t the lack of opportunities that haunted the Seminoles on Friday night, it was the inability to capitalize on them that left Florida State fans scratching their heads.

Florida State left a season-high 13 runners on base in their 6-5 loss to arch-rival Miami. Taking advantage of just one chance would have been enough to make the difference in a one-run game.

“We didn’t take advantages of some situations we got into,” said left fielder Mike McGee. “We got into several good situations and that will give you some confidence heading into tomorrow. If we do take advantage of those, then we are going to be fine. It happens in baseball where you will leave runners on base. We just have to get past it.”

Starting pitcher Sean Gilmartin was cruising along until the fifth and sixth innings when turbulence arose. Two walks that were issued proved to be deadly as Miami came through with a clutch, 2-RBI double in the sixth inning that brought both runners in to score.

Gilmartin was saddled with the loss after his five and one-thirds innings pitched where he allowed six runs over five hits and struck out eight.

“It’s funny, but he only walked two, but it seemed like he walked more than that,” head coach Mike Martin said. “The two that he walked seemed to kind of set up everything. Gilmartin pitched his guts out and left everything out there. I’m very proud of the way he pitched.”

The Seminoles jumped out to a 4-1 lead before surrendering five runs over the next five innings until finally answering with a McGee solo home run in the eighth. It was McGee’s second home run of the evening and his third multi-homerun performance against Miami in his career.

“I don’t know what it is, I don’t know why, I don’t know if it is just a big game or if I get better pitches to hit or what,” said McGee. “I seem to have good luck against them. I really couldn’t tell you why. It was kind of like last year when I hit better when I pitched.”

Reliever Geoff Parker was solid out of the bullpen for the Seminoles throwing three and two-thirds innings of scoreless baseball. Parker, who was just moved out of the rotation recently, didn’t allow a hit and walked only one while striking out two.

Parker’s manager had no hesitation leaving him in to finish off the game instead of going to the closer in the top of the ninth.

“Geoff really pitched beautifully,” said Martin. “He had all three pitches going. We stayed with him because we thought we could score some runs to get back in it. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t let us.”

Florida State will attempt to level terms on Saturday afternoon when the Seminoles take on Miami again, this time with first pitch coming at 1:00 p.m. Southpaw Brian Busch will take the hill for the home team while Eric Erickson is scheduled to throw for the Hurricanes.

Click here for a complete boxscore

Section B Online Player of the Game:

Mike McGee
3-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 HR