If there ever was magic in Florida State's nameless battingpractice jerseys, the Seminoles must have used it all up on the way here.
After breaking out the lightweight tops earlier this postseason on an unseasonably hot afternoon, the Seminoles wore them in every elimination game since. The uniforms were undefeated until Monday.
Despite churning out 18 hits and going through their lineup more than five times, the Seminoles squandered numerous scoring opportunities and saw their season end in a 7-5 defeat to rival Miami. FSU became the first team eliminated from the College World Series.
''If you had told me before the game started that we were going to get 18 hits and not make an error, I would certainly have taken my chances,'' Florida State coach Mike Martin said. ``But you've got to really credit Miami. They did an excellent job of pitching and played just an outstanding game.''
The Seminoles (54-14) danced on the brink of disaster all postseason, losing the opening games of an NCAA regional, a super regional and the CWS, but this time they couldn't fight their way out of the losers' bracket.
Miami pulled ahead for a 7-2 lead after eight innings and held on after Florida State rallied for three runs in the ninth. FSU actually had the go-ahead run on base at the end, but UM closer Carlos Gutierrez induced a ground out from cleanup hitter Jack Rye to squash the threat.
That the game ended with the bases full of Seminoles was fitting, as FSU left runners on base in every inning. The Noles stranded 17 in all, which tied a CWS record for a nine-inning game.
''Eric and our [other] pitchers did a great job of pitching in some clutch situations,'' Miami coach Jim Morris said, referring to sophomore left-hander Eric Erickson.
``They out-hit us, as far as the number of hits. But we got them when they counted.''
FSU's offense looked explosive early, as four of the Seminoles' first seven batters got hits off Miami starter David Gutierrez. But the last of those hits -- a line drive by designated hitter Tommy Oravetz -- struck Gutierrez in the shoulder and forced the sophomore right-hander out of the game.
That might have been the beginning of the end for FSU.
Erickson came on in relief and gave up just one run over the next five innings. He surrendered eight hits but pitched out of trouble often.
''We kind of figured Erickson was going to come into the game at some time, just not that early,'' said FSU first baseman Dennis Guinn, who went 3 for 4 with one RBI. ``Erickson kept us off balance, worked in and out, then handed it over to [reliever Kyle] Bellamy, and he did pretty much the same.''
Though the Seminoles were unable to win their seventh consecutive elimination game, Martin said the ninth-inning rally showed the character of his team.
''It really was a display that we had seen on more than one occasion,'' Martin said. ``The way our guys just kept battling and battling and having excellent at-bats goes to show you what kind of a team we were.''
