Tampa Advances To World Series
Published: May 21, 2007
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TAMPA - It didn't seem right, the University of Tampa's stocky, power-packed corner infielder, Jose Jimenez, squaring to bunt runners over.
Then again, maybe it did make sense with two on and none out in the 10th inning of a tied NCAA II South Regional final Sunday against rival Florida Southern. Jimenez hadn't been hitting well, and was dropped from fifth to seventh in the lineup for the winner-take-all game.
But after two failed attempts, Coach Joe Urso finally made the move that sent UT back to the Division II World Series. He told Jimenez to swing away, and the sophomore delivered a majestic three-run homer over the UT Baseball Field's scoreboard in right.
Towels were flying, chests were bumping and Urso couldn't find enough people to high-five as Jimenez circled the bases. Spartans pitcher Anthony Perez finished off the bottom of the inning to give UT an 8-5 win. They'll head to Montgomery, Ala., this week to defend their national championship.
"Once I hit it, I had a good feeling," Jimenez said of the full-count pitch he crushed. "I mean, it felt good. I had a good feeling it was going over the fence."
Prior to that blast, the day wasn't going as planned for the Spartans, who lost 7-0 in the first game thanks to a shutout from Mocs starter Jeremy Thorne. Between games, Urso got out the video of UT's two-out comeback in last year's national championship game, but the VCR didn't work.
"They were kind of laughing at me," Urso said. "And I just kind of think they were relaxing a little bit. They were realizing how close they were. Then I brought the championship trophy - that part did not get messed up."
Prior to that moment, the Spartans hadn't been allowed to talk about the national title all year, but Urso was desperate. He even scratched Perez from the scheduled start in favor of closer Jonathan Holt, thinking that would motivate the team more.
UT raced to a 5-1 lead, but Florida Southern scored two in both the fifth and sixth to tie. Perez entered as a reliever and proved to be the answer anyway, striking out six in five innings for his second regional victory. Afterward, the former Junior Olympic pitcher called it the biggest moment of his career.
"I wasn't sitting in the dugout. I kept walking back and forth getting water," Perez said, "just making sure I was ready at any point to throw."
Perez and Holt were named All-Tournament pitchers, with Holt (three saves) garnering MVP honors. First baseman Nolan Brannon, outfielder Craig Corrado and Jimenez (as a designated hitter) also made the All-Tournament team.
The victory, as well as the rest of the season, is being dedicated to Ann McKean, the mother of reserve outfielder Brett McKean and former Spartan Jamie McKean, who died Tuesday. Urso and many of the players attended services before the first tournament game, and have put her initials on their caps in her memory.
"It was tough on us," Urso said of the entire experience. "I'm a believer so I know she was looking down on us."
Bethune-Cookman Takes MEAC Title
NORFOLK, Va. - Bethune-Cookman scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to claim the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference baseball title 6-4 against North Carolina A&T.
North Carolina A&T (28-31) had won a game earlier Sunday 4-3 to force a final game. The victory sends the Wildcats (33-25) to the NCAA Division I regionals beginning June 1.
The rally made a winner of Francisco Gomez, who pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. It is Gomez's first win of the season. Francisco Rodriguez got his first save of the year.
With B-CC down 4-2, Patrick Jones started the eighth with a pinch-hit single. After a wild pitch, Luis Gonzalez singled Jones in. Angel Mercado walked, and Angel Negron singled up the middle to score Gonzalez and tie the game at 4.
After a pop-out, Chris Brown singled home Mercado for the game-winner. After Devin Conner replaced Negron as a pinch-runner, Jose Almonte singled to left to score Conner with the sixth run. Almonte finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Gonzalez also had a homer in the game.
BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP: After finishing its regular season with a 5-2 home victory against No. 23 St. John's on Saturday, South Florida (32-24, 13-14) was seeded fifth for the tourney which starts Tuesday at KeySpan Park in Brooklyn, N.Y. USF will face No. 4 seed Pittsburgh (27-25, 15-11) on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
ACC CHAMPIONSHIP: Florida State is seeded first and Miami fifth for the round-robin event which starts Wednesday at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. FSU (46-9, 24-6) will open play Wednesday night at 7 against Wake Forest (31-25, 14-16). Miami (35-20, 17-13) will take on Clemson (36-20, 18-12) at 4 p.m.
SEC TOURNAMENT: Florida is seeded sixth for the event, which begins Wednesday at Regions Park in Hoover, Ala. Florida (28-28, 15-15) will take on third-seeded South Carolina (40-16, 17-13) on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
Information from Tribune wires was used in this report.
