| by Corey Dowlar, Warchant.com
Super Regional - photos from game No. 2
Report on game two
The incredible story that was the 2009
Florida State baseball team finally came to an end on Saturday as the
Seminoles fell in heartbreaking fashion to the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Leading in the bottom of the ninth as the visiting team, Florida State
squandered a one-run lead as a walk-off double sent the Razorbacks to
Omaha with a 9-8 win.
In the top of the same inning, Florida State looked to have stolen the
game away. Down to his last strike, Stephen Cardullo laced a single
through the left hand side that scored pinch-runner Sherman Johnson and
Tyler Holt to tie the game at seven. Mike McGee followed with a walk
before Jason Stidham came through with what appeared to be the
game-clinching hit.
But it just wasn't meant to be as the Seminoles walked off the field a
mere four minutes later having been eliminated from the post-season.
"I never felt we were out of it when we came to bat," Mike Mcgee said.
"I thought if we could get it back to the top of the lineup, we would
have a chance. I thought we were good. Jack got the first guy out, and I
was feeling good out there. Then it kind of slipped away. It happened
really quick and it hurt a lot. It's not a lot of fun, it's not a good
emotion or feeling."
The emotional roller coaster that was game two of this Super Regional
could probably be encompassed within Cardullo's head.
"I thought I had the biggest hit of my career," Cardullo said. "I came
through with two outs to tie it up and handed it over to Mike McGee and
Stidham to drive in the go-ahead run. Stidham came through. I thought we
had it going into the bottom of the ninth inning."
The Seminoles got more than what they asked for out of starter Brian
Busch as the big left-hander went six complete innings, allowed just two
runs on six hits, surrendered one walk, while striking out a career-high
eight hitters. Normally an effort like that would be more than enough to
win the game.
Busch's effort on Saturday exceeded the expectations of head coach Mike
Martin.
"Didn't he look great?" Martin asked rhetorically. "He was at 101
pitches when he started the seventh and I believe he ended at 105. It
was so encouraging to see him battle against a very good club. It showed
what he was all about. He made quality pitches when he needed to make
them. I was wanting to get four or five out of him today, and he gave us
six. You can't say enough about that young man."
With a three-run lead, Florida State turned it over to the bullpen. For
the second straight day, the hurlers out of the bullpen struggled to
find the strike zone.
Geoff Parker pitched only a third of an inning, allowed two runs without
giving up a hit, and walked two. John Gast allowed two unearned runs,
thanks in large part to a Stuart Tapley error, in a third of an inning,
also without allowing a hit.
Then came a questionable decision to bring in Jimmy Marshall after it
looked like Gast had settled down. Unfortunately, the gamble didn't pay
off as Marshall allowed a single up the middle that scored two runs.
Next up was Mark Peterson, who was unable to record an out, but instead
walked the only two batters he faced.
Jack Posey, who induced an inning-ending double play ball in the eighth,
looked to be cruising in the ninth as he retired the first batter he
faced. After, walking Bo Bigham and allowing a single to Zach Cox, the
wheels came off. Andrew Darr, the next batter, sent the very first pitch
he saw to the left-center gap to end Florida State's dreams of returning
to Omaha.
"It was a sinking feeling seeing that ball get in the gap," McGee said.
Florida State finished the season with a 45-18 record and the top
overall record in the ACC within the regular season.
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