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SEMINOLES

Seminoles Fall To Clemson In ACC Tourney

Published: May 27, 2007

JACKSONVILLE - There were scenarios and sequences that would have put the Florida State baseball team into Sunday's Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

The Seminoles had an ace up their sleeve with ACC Pitcher of the Year Bryan Henry taking the mound against Clemson.

It didn't matter.

Florida State's bats were silent and the Tigers nibbled away at Henry for a 5-1 win that knocked the regular-season champion Noles out of contention for the ACC crown.

"People will say stuff about the format, and how some games didn't matter, but we still had our own destiny in our hands," said Florida State second baseman Tony Thomas Jr., who added two more hits and a spectacular catch Saturday to an already solid tournament performance. "We had to win this game to move on, but we lost. We just have to move on and look forward to next week."

Clemson finally got the big hits when it needed them. After going the first two games of pool play without a two-out RBI, the Tigers scored four of their five runs with two outs. It was quite a different scene from the last time Henry faced Clemson. On May 11 in Tallahassee, Henry held the Tigers to just one run and struck out eight batters.

"They made some adjustments from last time," Henry said. "You have to tip your cap, they had a great approach and they won. Plain and simple."

Clemson starting pitcher David Kopp was stellar, scattering six hits and striking out seven in nine innings. He held six Seminole starters hitless and kept Florida State off the scoreboard until Jack Rye doubled home pinch-runner D'Vontrey Richardson with one out in the ninth.

"I tell you what, Kopp was beautiful," Noles coach Mike Martin said. "That was a great display of pitching. He was very, very impressive."

The team that dominated the ACC's regular season did not show up to Jacksonville. Saturday was the first time all season FSU was held below three runs, and it never really put pressure on Clemson (38-21). Regardless, a top-eight national seed should still come FSU's way when the College World Series brackets are announced Monday. Regional host sites will be announced today, and Florida State is expected to host.

"I can't speak for the committee," Martin said. "I can only say that our overall record [47-11] should put us in a very good position for a top-eight national seed."

Jamey Givens

UF Softball Ousted From SEC Tourney

COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - Texas A&M beat the University of Florida softball team 2-0 in the third game of a best-of-three series to eliminate the Gators from the SEC Tournament.

The Gators left seven on base in the deciding game.

In the second game, Florida won 3-2 as the game came down to the bottom of the seventh with the game tied at 2. With one out, senior Lauren Roussell hit a home run over the video screen in left field to give the Gators the victory.

The Aggies (45-12) scored first, getting two runs on a double by Jami Lobpries in the top of the first inning.

Florida (50-21) scored a run in the bottom of the third when sophomore Kristina Hilberth scored on a Roussell ground out.

The Gators tied it when Hilberth scored again on sophomore Kim Waleszonia singled to left in the fifth.

Sophomore Stacey Nelson earned the win to improve to 34-14 this season.