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SEMINOLES

FSU 1 Loss Away From Ouster

By SCOTT CARTER The Tampa Tribune

Published: Jun 3, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - The question posed to Florida State baseball coach Mike Martin concerned the outing of Mississippi State starter Justin Pigott on Saturday. Someone wanted to know if Martin was surprised Pigott, who entered with a losing record, was able to toss seven shutout innings against the nation's top-hitting team during the regular season.

Martin hesitated briefly, and then answered: "Numbers certainly are deceiving, aren't they."

Following FSU's 3-0 loss Saturday night in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the numbers hardly make sense considering how easy the Seminoles (48-12) abused opposing pitchers all season. For FSU to avoid being knocked out of the postseason at home, it must win three consecutive games, starting this afternoon against Stetson, a 12-0 winner against Bethune-Cookman in Saturday's first game. FSU will start Ryan Strauss, a Bloomingdale High product.

"We know that we have our backs against the wall, but we are not eliminated," Martin said. FSU faced similar circumstances in 2000 and 2003 to come back and advance to the super regionals.

Now, let's go back to the numbers.

Prior to Saturday's loss to the Bulldogs (35-20), FSU hadn't been shut out in the postseason since the 1992 College World Series against Cal State-Fullerton. It was also the first time the Noles have been blanked all season, and their three hits were a season low.

In FSU's last four games - three of them losses - the Noles are hitting .200 (26-for-130), averaging 2.5 runs a game and making every opposing pitcher look like a major-league All-Star. This from a team that hit .360 during the regular season and averaged 9.5 runs a game.

"It's a very tough situation," said FSU second baseman Tony Thomas Jr., the National Player of the Year. "I think we're trying to do too much. We just have to go up there and let the game come to us. That's what we've been doing all year."

On Saturday against Pigott and reliever Aaron Weatherford, FSU failed to muster much offense at all, falling behind 2-0 and trying to overcome a steady wind blowing in from left-center. FSU managed only three base runners through the first six innings and despite a futile rally in the seventh, Pigott struck out D'Vontrey Richardson with two out and two on base to end the threat.

"That was a tough battle we had to win," Pigott said.

Without any offensive support, FSU starter Bryan Henry (eight innings, six hits, three runs) lost his second consecutive start after going 14-0 with a 2.50 ERA in the regular season. Henry retired 12 in a row and 15 of the final 16 he faced after Mississippi State's Brandon Turner and Edward Easley had RBI singles in the third inning.

"I'm trying to remember when I have seen a game better-pitched than I saw from Pigott and Weatherford," Martin said. "That was just beautiful baseball. They deserve a tremendous amount of credit."

In this case, the numbers don't lie.

TODAY'S GAMES

Stetson vs. Florida State, 1 p.m.

FSU-Stetson winner vs. Mississippi State, 7 p.m.

Reporter Scott Carter can be reached at (850) 294-3088 or scarter@tampatrib.com.