L
T                                                       PY
R No Name                  Pos     B-T  Hgt   Wgt  Cl   Ltr  Hometown (Prior School)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*  1 Luis Alicea           SS      S-R  5-9   165  Jr   **   Guaynabo, P.R. (Liceo International Castro)
  32 Al Ashmont            P       R-R  6-3   195  So   *    Winfield Park, N.J. (Union Catholic Regional)
* 24 Barry Blackwell       C-3B    R-R  6-1   200  So   *    Summit, N.J. (New Providence)
* 20 Greg Clayborne        OF      R-R  6-2   180  So        Jacksonville (Ed White/Florida CC)
* 42 Chip Drobine          P       L-L  6-0   170  Fr        Miami
* 13 Chris Dunn            P       R-R  6-1   180  Jr        Brooksville
* 12 Bien Figueroa         2B      R-R  5-10  167  Sr   *    Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (San Luis/Canada JC)
* 14 Mike Freeman          C       R-R  6-0   175  Fr        Sarasota
* 43 Ed Fulton             C       L-R  5-11  185  So   *    Dry Fork, Va. (Tunstall)
  39 Danny Harrell         P       R-R  6-0   190  Jr        Tallahassee
* 18 Keith Kidd            OF      R-R  5-11  172  Jr   *    Richmond, Ky. (Madison Central/Eastern Kentucky)
* 17 Steve Kovensky        P       R-R  6-2   185  Jr        San Diego, Calif. (Poway/Palomar CC)
*  6 Mike Lee              P       R-R  6-2   190  So        Tallahassee (Florida/Chipola JC)
*  4 Richie Lewis          P       R-R  5-10  175  So   *    Losantville, Ind. (Muncie)
* 25 Doug Little           P       R-R  6-0   175  Sr   ***  North Palm Beach (North Shore)
* 44 Mike Loynd            P       R-R  6-5   215  Jr-R **   Short Hills, N.J. (Millburn)
*  9 Eric Mangham          OF      R-R  5-11  180  Jr   **   College Park, Ga. (Feldwood)
* 19 Jose Marzan           1B      R-R  6-0   185  Jr   **   Bayamon, P.R. (Colegio San Ignacio)
*  7 Chad McClellan        3B-OF   R-R  5-11  170  Fr        Findlay, Ohio (Findlay)
* 29 Chris Pollack         P       L-L  6-5   195  Jr        Canoga Park, Calif. (El Camino/College of the Canyons)
* 30 Ed Porcelli           P       R-R  6-0   175  Jr        Clearwater (Wilton/South Florida)
*  2 Deion Sanders         OF      L-L  6-1   180  Fr        Fort Myers (North Fort Myers)
* 10 Craig Saxner          1B-C    R-R  6-3   190  Sr   *    Miramar (Miramar)
* 15 Paul Sorrento         OF      L-R  6-2   200  Jr   **   Peabody, Mass. (Saint John's Prep)
* 45 Steve Taddeo          OF      L-L  6-0   175  Jr        Plantation (Saint Thomas Aquinas/Manatee CC)
* 31 Paul Thomas           P       L-R  6-6   210  So-R *    Pittsburgh, Pa. (North Hills)
* 26 Tom Zoeller           1B      R-R  6-0   190  Sr   ***  Evansville, Ind. (Marquette)

L
T                                                       PY
R No Name                  Pos     B-T  Hgt   Wgt  Cl   Ltr  Hometown (Prior School)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*  1 Luis Alicea           SS      S-R  5-9   165  Jr   **   Guaynabo, P.R. (Liceo International Castro)
*  2 Deion Sanders         OF      L-L  6-1   180  Fr        Fort Myers (North Fort Myers)
*  4 Richie Lewis          P       R-R  5-10  175  So   *    Losantville, Ind. (Muncie)
*  6 Mike Lee              P       R-R  6-2   190  So        Tallahassee (Florida/Chipola JC)
*  7 Chad McClellan        3B-OF   R-R  5-11  170  Fr        Findlay, Ohio (Findlay)
*  9 Eric Mangham          OF      R-R  5-11  180  Jr   **   College Park, Ga. (Feldwood)
* 10 Craig Saxner          1B-C    R-R  6-3   190  Sr   *    Miramar (Miramar)
* 12 Bien Figueroa         2B      R-R  5-10  167  Sr   *    Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (San Luis/Canada JC)
* 13 Chris Dunn            P       R-R  6-1   180  Jr        Brooksville
* 14 Mike Freeman          C       R-R  6-0   175  Fr        Sarasota
* 15 Paul Sorrento         OF      L-R  6-2   200  Jr   **   Peabody, Mass. (Saint John's Prep)
* 17 Steve Kovensky        P       R-R  6-2   185  Jr        San Diego, Calif. (Poway/Palomar CC)
* 18 Keith Kidd            OF      R-R  5-11  172  Jr   *    Richmond, Ky. (Madison Central/Eastern Kentucky)
* 19 Jose Marzan           1B      R-R  6-0   185  Jr   **   Bayamon, P.R. (Colegio San Ignacio)
* 20 Greg Clayborne        OF      R-R  6-2   180  So        Jacksonville (Ed White/Florida CC)
* 24 Barry Blackwell       C-3B    R-R  6-1   200  So   *    Summit, N.J. (New Providence)
* 25 Doug Little           P       R-R  6-0   175  Sr   ***  North Palm Beach (North Shore)
* 26 Tom Zoeller           1B      R-R  6-0   190  Sr   ***  Evansville, Ind. (Marquette)
* 29 Chris Pollack         P       L-L  6-5   195  Jr        Canoga Park, Calif. (El Camino/College of the Canyons)
* 30 Ed Porcelli           P       R-R  6-0   175  Jr        Clearwater (Wilton/South Florida)
* 31 Paul Thomas           P       L-R  6-6   210  So-R *    Pittsburgh, Pa. (North Hills)
  32 Al Ashmont            P       R-R  6-3   195  So   *    Winfield Park, N.J. (Union Catholic Regional)
  39 Danny Harrell         P       R-R  6-0   190  Jr        Tallahassee
* 42 Chip Drobine          P       L-L  6-0   170  Fr        Miami
* 43 Ed Fulton             C       L-R  5-11  185  So   *    Dry Fork, Va. (Tunstall)
* 44 Mike Loynd            P       R-R  6-5   215  Jr-R **   Short Hills, N.J. (Millburn)
* 45 Steve Taddeo          OF      L-L  6-0   175  Jr        Plantation (Saint Thomas Aquinas/Manatee CC)

FSU rallies to beat Sycamores 5-3.
Two seventh-inning triples give Loynd first-round victory.

OMAHA, NE - Mike Loynd did not come to the College World Series with 19 notches on his glove without good reason.

He showed 14,718 fans who packed Rosenblatt Stadium and a national TV audience that his stats were no typo. With last-out help from Richie Lewis, he notched his 20th victory, tying an NCAA Division 1 record, and struck out 10 in pitching Florida State past Indiana State 5-3 Saturday night in the first round of the CWS.

All things considered, the Seminoles thought it was worth the lapse of six years to get back here. It may take a few more wins to make it worth the 16-year lapse between CWS victories.

"It was well worth it," said Sorrento, who had a double and game-winning triple. "We've still got a couple of games to win, but the team is really confident. We think we can do it."

After FSU fell behind 3-1 in the fourth, Loynd held firm the rest of the way while his teammates Jose Marzan, Paul Sorrento and Luis Alicea cut loose with extra base hits in a three-run seventh that made the difference.

The top-ranked Seminoles, 58-11, advance in the winner's bracket and on Tuesday night will meet nemesis Miami, which beat Oklahoma State 6-2 earlier Saturday.

Indiana State, 48-19, will play Oklahoma State tonight in an elimination game. The Seminoles wanted to avoid that at all costs.

The history books show that FSU's last two trips here were one, two and out.

Loynd was not the only one to hang tough. The Seminoles kept coming at formidable Indiana State starter Paul Quinzer until he cracked in the seventh. Marzan tripled to tie the game at 3. Sorrento, still swinging one of the hottest bats from coast to coast, followed with another triple. Alicea made it more comfortable with a run-scoring double.

Loynd allowed eight hits. But his important stat in his 140-pitch outing was one walk. The Sycamores could not hit him enough to beat him.

"I felt it wasn't the best ballgame I've pitched, but I got through it," he said. "I had trouble with my curve, but I stuck mostly with a slider and fastball."

FSU scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to erase a 3-2 deficit. Barry Blackwell singled to open the seventh. Greg Clayborne forced him on a failed sacrifice, but Jose Marzan tripled to the gap in right-center to tie it.

Paul Sorrento followed with another triple to right-center that gave the Seminoles the lead.

That took care of Indiana State starter Paul Quinzer. Sycamore reliever Greg Kozlowski entered with five sins and 12 saves. But his job this times was to do what Loynd had been doing - hold the line.

He couldn't do it. Luis Alicea ripped a double into the right-field corner, and the Seminoles and their fans were starting to breathe again.

Alicea promptly was picked off, but this game had turned. It was the Sycamores' turn to try to come back with just six outs, and against the winningest pitcher in the country.

Early on, it looked like no contest. That was certainly what many expected with the hottest pitcher in college baseball going against the largely unknown Sycamores.

As if on cue, Loynd retired the first seven batters he faced, two on strikes. He was pitching with a 1-0 lead, the product of a first-inning double by Sorrento and a two-out Bien Figueroa double.

The crowd of about 13,000 was clearly delighted, however, when the Seminoles gave Indiana State an opening in the top of the third. With one out, Jeff Buell singled. One out later Bob Zeihen bounced to first. Loynd covered but missed the bag and all hands were safe.

Using a weapon that has worked all season for FSU, Danny Roman singled through a hole to right, vacated by Alicea who was breaking to cover second on the hit and run. It tied the game at 1.

Then came another mistake. Loynd had the next batter, Paul Frye, down 0-2 in the count. But he hung a curve and Frye ripped it for a run-0scoring double. But at an important juncture, with men at second and third and two outs, Loynd struck out Boi Rodriguez to escape further damage.

The crowd was delighted to see Indiana State go on top. Omaha fans traditionally embrace underdogs. They also liked the bottom of the inning.

Greg Clayborne singled to lead off. Jose Marzan followed with a bouncer to second, but the umpire ruled that the shortstop failed to touch the bag for the force at second. Replays were inconclusive.

As it turned out, it did not matter. Clayborne broke for third on a pitch that rolled away from the catcher Mike Eberle. He was easily nailed at third, killing a potential big inning.

Sycamore pitcher got Paul Sorrento on an infield grounder, and after an Alicea bunt single, escaped when Figueroa flied out.

The Sycamores scored another in the fourth, again with two out. Eberle blooped a single, and on an 0-2 pitch, Buell roped a double to the opposite field to make it 3-1.

Again in the fourth, the Seminoles could not answer. After a one-out walk to Ed Fulton, Barry Blackwell bounced into a double play.

Loynd got himself right again after the fourth. He retired the side in order in the fifth and sixth, giving his teammates a chance to get to Quinzer.

They went out in order in the fifth, but scratched out one on another Figueroa double and a two-out single by Taddeo to make it 3-2.

Loynd kept up the pace. He was reached for a two-out single in the seventh, but that was it. He kept passing the pressure on to Quinzer, the right-hander who beat Michigan 7-1 in the big upset in the Mideast Regional.

They couldn't do it, though they put two on with two outs in the ninth to keep a good game interesting to the end. Lewis stuck out Bob Zeihen, making it 11 straight hitters he has retired in three relief appearances, a remarkable nine on strikes.

Loynd, Sorrento, Alicea and the rest have been waiting for night in Omaha, especially a winning one.

"It's the thing you try for all year," Loynd said. "It's just great to be here."

And better to win.

FSU's Lewis calms Hurricanes 7-2.
Five-run seventh keeps Seminoles unbeaten in Series.

OMAHA, NE - Richie Lewis was tired of losing to Miami. So he simply turned up the heat.

Shaking off early struggles, Lewis struck out 10 and pitched Florida State past the defending national-champion Hurricanes 7-2 Thursday night in the College World Series.

"I've pitched some of the best baseball of my life against Miami and hadn't beaten them yet," said Lewis, 13-2. "But if you keep throwing the dice, they are bound to come up sevens sometime."

Everything is coming up sevens for the Seminoles, too. They won this game with a five-run seventh-inning rally. They are also one of only two teams rolling the dice in the winners' bracket.

FSU, 58-12, is one of two unbeaten teams left in the tournament. Arizona, 47-18, is the other. They will play Thursday night at 8:10 EDT.

Miami 47-16, will try to stay alive tonight when it plays LSU. In another losers'-bracket game, Oklahoma State plays Loyola-Marymount today at 4.

No team in the tournament has come close to matching the sort of pitching Lewis and Mike Loynd have provided FSU in the opening two rounds.

Lewis came in for a last-out strikeout and save in Loynd's 5-3 victory over Indiana State in the first round. But Lewis had never beaten Miami. The regular-season series ended 3-3, with two of the losses coming in games Lewis started.

"They battle you for every out," said Lewis. "I threw everything but the kitchen sink at them. I've never thrown sidearm before in my life."

Lewis, a power pitcher, did not try to become Dan Quisenberry. He just was willing to try anything to win this one.

There was a big chance for the Seminoles early on. But the early innings were marked by bad base running. That was not expected of two of the nation's most prolific running teams.

The Seminoles had a chance to go wild in the top of the first against Miami starter Will Vespe. Starting the freshman right-hander who is 0-1 in his college career - a Ron Fraser hunch - would have been widely second-guessed. Some first-guessed it.

But FSU let the Hurricanes and Fraser off the hook. Vespe began the game by walking Jose Marzan. He was caught stealing. But then Vespe walked Paul Sorrento and fielded a Luis Alicea bunt single even though it appeared to be spinning foul.

Bien Figuero followed with an RBI single. An Eric Mangham hit loaded the bases, before Vespe walked Steve Taddeo to force in a run.

That was it for the freshman. But lefty reliever Dan Davies, a junk-baller, struck out Ed Fulton. Second baseman Jose Trujillo then ranged far to his right to rob Barry Blackwell and end the inning.

Three walks and three hits had yielded just a 2-0 lead. The caught-stealing was costly.

Miami scratched back in the bottom of the first for what has become a typical Hurricane run. Rick Richardi singled with one out, advanced to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on an infield out.

One Miami baserunner was caught stealing in the second inning. Mangham was picked off first in the third inning. But then a Hurricane baserunning blunder was costly in the third.

Joe Nelson led off with a single, and Greg Vaughn walked. But as Richardi bunted at and missed a pitch, Nelson was picked off second by catcher Fulton.

Then, however, in a rough sequence for FSU, Lewis' wild pickoff throw to first sent Vaughn all the way to third. Richardi ripped an infield single off Figueroa's glove, but Vaughn was forced to hold on the line drive. But for the second time in the inning, Lewis threw wildly to first on a pickoff move, and Vaughn scored.

This was not the sort of show the two teams had in mind. It settled down for a while as Lewis and Davies settled into grooves. Then in the bottom of the sixth, it got crazy again.

Chris Magno tripled to the wall in right-center with none out. But Lewis struck out Chris Howard and got Kirk Dulom to bounce to short. Magno broke for the plate and was dead. Caught in a rundown and looking for an interference call, he shoved Figueroa who was standing two feet off the baseline. He was promptly called out.

Lewis has escaped, and the intensity level between the old rivals looked to be firing up even hotter.

The Seminoles broke it open in the seventh inning, which has proved magical in the series for FSU; the Seminoles scored three times in the seventh to beat Indiana State.

It all began with Fulton getting hit on a 1-2 pitch. Blackwell followed with a single. But then came what was probably the biggest play of the game: a bunt.

Greg Clayborne tried to move the runners, third baseman Dulom fielded the bunt, looked at second and was too late to go to first.

FSU capitalized this time with five runs. Marzan got the big hit, ripping a Davies pitch for an RBI single. Sorrento followed with a sacrifice fly and Alicea with a run-scoring single.

That knocked out Davies and brought on relief ace Rick Raether. After Marzan and Alicea pulled a double steal to put runners at second and third, Raether fanned Figueroa. But Mangham followed with a two-run single.

Given the 7-2 lead, Lewis did not look to the bullpen. He was reached for two singles to open the bottom of the seventh. But as FSU pitchers Doug Little and Ed Porcelli went to work in the bullpen, Lewis struck out the side.

Lewis said there was no way be was going to leave this game unfinished. He said he remembered throwing a two-hitter at Miami last year after some wildness, left with one out and a 5-1 lead in the ninth. FSU lost 6-5 in 10.

Miami threatened in both the eighth and ninth, but Lewis never let the Hurricanes score again. Now they have to contemplate the losers' bracket.

"We lost the second game last year to Texas and still won it," said Fraser. "But we're going to have to hit more and the pitchers are going to have to do the job. Everybody is going to have to do the job."

Everyone is doing the job for FSU, particularly Lewis and Loynd, 20-1.

"We're exactly where we want to be," said FSU coach Mike Martin. "We're going against Arizona with Mike Loynd."

And in the winner's bracket.

Arizona rallies to beat FSU.

OMAHA, NE - The joy ride could not last forever.

The Florida State Seminoles ran into the stinging bats of the Arizona Wildcats and lost 9-5 Friday night in the winners' bracket final of the College World Series.

In the process, Arizona knocked around Seminole ace Mike Loynd, who was going for an NCAA record 21st victory. For that matter, FSU will have to put off entering a school-record 60th victory in the books.

The Wildcats broke on top with a five-run sixth inning to erase an early 5-0 FSU lead. Arizona ace Gilbert Heredia kept it that way, retiring the last 11 FSU hitters in order. He allowed 10 hits, including a second-inning grand slam to Paul Sorrento, but he walked none.

The Seminoles, who had won nine straight postseason games against assorted ranked teams, will have to go down into the loser's bracket and attempt to scuffle out along with Miami and Oklahoma State.

Arizona, 48-18, sits pretty, guaranteed a chance to play at least once for the national title. FSU, 59-12, will play rugged Oklahoma State, 56-14, today at 4:10 EDT. Miami, 49-16, will play Arizona tonight.

"We're like two other clubs in this tournament with one loss," said FSU coach Mike Martin. "It should be a tough game today with the Cowboys."

Martin said he would start either Richie Lewis or Chris Pollack. The Seminoles can take some solace in the fact that they have not lost two games in a row all season.

If you want to find something that decided this game, look no farther than Arizona's aggressive baserunners and hitters. They produced 13 hits, including two booming home runs. They did it against the winningest pitcher in college baseball.

"I don't think me and the Wildcats are intimidated by any pitch," said Arizona leftfielder Mike Seene, who lined the game-winning three-run homer in the sixth. "We don't think about the pitcher on the mound, even if he's a maniac like we've heard about Loynd."

There was even an obvious omen. A black cat raced the entire length of the warning track in the seventh inning before leaping into the right-field seats. It was weird. It was eerie. But by that time, superstition did not matter.

Arizona had already erased a 5-0 lead the Seminoles built in the first two innings. The momentum had swung for the last time on this perfect Nebraska evening with 14,343 watching at Rosenblatt Stadium.

The Seminoles got to Heredia quickly. His infield's failure on successive plays to turn double plays put him in a 1-0 hole in the first inning.

Then top-ranked FSU went wild in the second. Ed Fulton led off with a bunt single, no small feat for a catcher. Then with the third baseman thinking bunt, Barry Blackwell got the first of his three straight hits by bouncing one over his head.

With the short game working so well, Greg Clayborne tried to sacrifice. His bunt was flubbed by Heredia to load the bases.

After Jose Marzan popped out, Paul Sorrento crushed a careless 2-0 fastball off the Col. Sanders billboard above the right-field wall.

The grand slam, Sorrento's 22nd homer of the year, took only a little sting out of the evening. Arizona had fallen behind Maine 7-0 in the opening round before storming back to win 8-7.

Sorrento's blast gave indications of a slugfest to come.

Arizona's comeback talent was in the minds of the large contingent of FSU fans who have been flocking here. The Wildcats got one back when huge Todd Trafton hit a huge solo homer over the 420-foot sign in center in the bottom of the second.

They put two on with two out in the third, but Loynd got Steve Strong to foul out.

In the fifth, the excitable Loynd almost incited a brawl. Chip Hale and Mike Senne singled with one out. On a 1-1 pitch, Loynd drilled Trafton with a fastball in the shoulder to load the bases. Trafton took a step toward the mound and then sprinted to first. That would have been interesting, 6-foot-4, 210-pund Mike Loynd and 6-doot-2, 210-pound Trafton.

"Todd did the right thing going down to first base," said Senne. "It probably would have cost us his bat."

Loynd, who broke to the plate when catcher Ed Fulton blocked a pitch in the dirt, got into a screaming match with the next batter, Steve Strong. But Strong could get only one run home with a sacrifice fly.

"I came in to get the ball and he started cussing me out," said Loynd, who denied throwing at Trafton.

The umpire defused the situation. But not Arizona's bats.

In the sixth, Arizona got to Loynd, hitting him harder than any team this season. A double and two singles produced one run. Then Tommy Hinzo bunted for a hit as he tried to sacrifice.

"That perfect bunt turned the tide for us," said Arizona coach Jerry Kindall.

It was 5-3 and the bases were loaded when Chip Hale brought home one run with a sacrifice fly. But Senne, the No. 3 hitter, capped it all with a three-run shot just under the scoreboard in left-center.

That knocked out Loynd, who was treated Friday afternoon for a pinched nerve in his back. He said that wasn't his trouble.

From there, it was FSU's job to get back at Heredia.

The job got no easier when Arizona, relentless on offense, scored single runs in both the seventh and eighth. The Wildcats kept the pressure on.

Heredia had gotten stronger as the game wore on. He escaped a first-and-third, one-out situation in the fourth when Sorrento bounced into a double play. He was touched for singles in the fifth and sixth, but stayed out of trouble by throwing strikes. After Blackwell singled with one out in the sixth, Heredia did not allow another baserunner.

Now it's Oklahoma State against Florida State, just like the Gator Bowl. But the winner of this one lives another day.

Lewis keeps FSU in Series.

OMAHA, NE - The national championship dream lives.

After trailing 5-0, Florida State stormed back behind Richie Lewis to beat Oklahoma State 6-5 Saturday in the College World Series. It was a scramble-for-their0lives effort.

Middle reliever Ed Porcelli cooled the hard-hitting Cowboys for 3 2/3 important innings. Then Lewis put them on ice. He entered in the fifth and dominated, striking out eight and giving up one hit.

"Wasn't Richie Lewis something," said Oklahoma State coach Gary Ward, whose team ended its season 56-15. "Porcelli gave them two ir three innings to get to Lewis, and when they got to him, he threw big-league stuff."

After a disastrous two-error, two-walk first inning put them down 4-0, the Seminoles awoke to score in the third, fourth and fifth innings, tying it 5-5. An Eric Mangham sacrifice fly in the eighth brought home Luis Alicea with the winning run.

It was the sort of momentum-builder that FSU needed to carry toward the championship round. The Seminoles, 60-12, set a school record for season victories, quite a trick in the first year of a 60-gamne regular-season limit. They will have to have No. 61 today to stay alive here.

Either Arizona or Miami will be waiting for them tonight at 8:10 EDT.

As season-savers, Lewis and Porcelli topped the list. But there was Ed Fulton's third-inning double that snapped the team out of an offensive trance. There was Paul Sorrento's two-out single in the third that closed the gap to 5-2.

There were run-scoring hits by Steve Taddeo and Fulton in the fourth that made it 5-4. And there was Sorrento's double that wound up tying the game in the fifth.

That got the game to Lewis even, an advantageous position. Especially when Lewis had his best stuff with fastball and big, sharp-breaking curve.

"The little man went out there and pitched his ballgame against a team with those kind of numbers," said Martin of the Cowboy boppers who hit 126 homers this season. "He's one of the few arms in the college game who can do what he did."

Oklahoma State starter Jeff Bronkley set the first six Seminoles down in order. Combined with the last 11 FSU hitters retired in order by Arizona's Gilbert Heredia on Friday night the total was at 17.

The scene looked bleak for FSU, down 5-0 after two innings and not doing anything on offense. But Arizona had come back from the same deficit Friday night to beat FSU 9-5. History repeated.

"It just isn't safe in this tournament with a five-run lead, is it?" said Ward, noting Arizona's comeback Friday night.

Fulton awoke the Seminoles with his lead-off double in the bottom of the third. Barry Blackwell followed with a single to right. Fulton scored on an infield out, and Sorrento brought home Blackwell with a two-out hit.

"There was a very professional attitude in the dugout," said Martin. "There was no rah-rah stuff. They knew what they had to do. After that big two-out hit by Sorrento, we felt it then."

Oklahoma State, a lumbering, base-to-base, home-run team, wasted numerous chances. The Cowboys were not wild at all. They were conservative on the bases, and ignored chances to move up runners with bunts.

Porcelli entered in the first inning for Chris Pollack with the bases loaded, one out and two runs in. He got a double-play ball from catcher Carlos Diaz, but Alicea's relay to first was wild. It cost two runs.

The Cowboys got one more in the second on Bryn Kosco's single, stolen base and two-out single by Robin Ventura.

But that was it.

The wind blowing in 20 mph from left field helped negate the Cowboys' big power advantage. Lewis took their bats away as well.

After throwing 162 pitches in a 7-2 victory over Miami on Tuesday night, Lewis entered with FSU trailing 5-4 in the fifth inning. Two were on with walks and none were out.

Porcelli had already done his job. But after Lewis walked the first batter he faced, he retired Jimmy Barragan on a fly to short center. Ward was widely second-guessed for not sending his runner from third.

"Mangham did a good job in getting position to throw after the catch. He would have been out by 10 feet," Ward said.

Lewis struck out pinch-hitter Jimmy McKercher and got pinch-hitter Adam Smith on a sharp grounder. That Ward pinch-hit for his No. 6 and 7 hitters was a statement that it was a critical point in the game.

"I've been there before," said Lewis. "That's an exciting part of the game for me. I tried to strike the first guy out, but he hit the fly ball. The last guy hit a good pitch and hit it hard, but it didn't get through.

"That's the way the game goes."

The Cowboys threatened again in the seventh. Lewis turned them away again. Monty Farris, who had homered in the first, led off the seventh with a double. Ventura walked. But Ward ignored the bunt with his cleanup hitter, and Jim Ifland bounced into a double play that killed the threat.

Lewis got stronger and stronger. He fanned the last four hitters he faced. He now has two wins and a save in Florida State's three College World Series victories.

"We made the moves," said Ward. "We got seven left-handed hitters into the lineup. But you've got to give credit to Lewis. That's a big-time arm."

FSU ousts Miami for a shot at title.

OMAHA, NE - For the second time in five days, it's Miami down and Arizona to go. Only this time it's for the national championship.

Florida State shoved the defending champion Hurricanes out of the College World Series with a 4-3 victory Sunday night. The Seminoles play the Arizona Wildcats tonight at 8:10 EDT, winner take all.

Behind the pitching of Doug Little and Richie Lewis, and a key double play started by diving Luis Alicea in the sixth inning, the Seminoles beat their old Hurricane rivals for the second time in the tournament. They hope to assume their crown tonight. Little threw 91 pitches before Lewis took over with none out and one on in the ninth. Little walked only one and struck out three in a stylish 91-pitch effort which included 62 strikes.

Lewis, a phenom throughout the tournament, saved his second CWS game in his trademark overpowering style. He struck out Greg Ellena and Chris Howard to end it.

Marked by some horrendous defensive lapses on both sides, the Seminoles jumped on top early and never lost the lead. They started early.

Jose Marzan hit a triple to right-center field gap to open the bottom of the first against Miami starter Dan Davies. Alicea brought him home with a sacrifice fly and a 1-0 lead.

Miami came back to tie it in the second when Little threw away a double-play throw into center field. Little still would have escaped scoreless after striking out Frank Dominguez with runners at first and third and one out. But Little fielded Jose Trujillo's bunt, and Marzan, looking into the sun, dropped it as a run scored. The Seminoles extended the lead to 4-1 in the third when Alicea doubled, moved up on a Bien Figueroa ground out and scored when Eric Mangham bounced out.

Miami did not roll over. It never does. Greg Ellena singled to open the fourth. He was forced at second by Chris Howard, but Alicea's high relay to first prevented a double play. Dulom then tripled to left-center, and scored on an infield out to make it 4-3.

But Little was masterful thereafter. His only real trouble came in the sixth when Mike Fiore led off with a bunt single. Ellena then ripped one through the middle. Fully extending, Alicea made a diving backhanded stop to start a double play. The St. Louis Cardinals, who drafted Alicea in the first round this week, had to be smiling. It was a big-league play.

Miami, not a strong hitting team, was not able to get a ball out of the infield in the seventh and eighth innings. Through eight innings, in fact, Little had gotten 16 outs on infield ground balls.

But he was reached for his first walk by lead-off hitter Fiore in the ninth. FSU Coach Mike Martin immediately called for Lewis, who had two wins and a save in three CWS appearances. He made it two saves.

It's Arizona and FSU now.

FSU's dream dashed.
Arizona crushes FSU 10-2.

OMAHA, NE - Seventy-four games and four months later, the National Championship Express derailed just short of the station.

The Seminoles, in the best baseball season in Florida State history, are No. 2. The Arizona Wildcats left no room for debate about No. 1, pounding FSU 10-2 in the title game Monday night.

Showing a champion's refusal to die quietly, the Seminoles put on a dire ninth-inning charge. All it did was keep intact a school-record streak of not having been shut out in 174 straight games. It was only small consolation for a team that did so much to get this far.

Let the record show that FSU finished its season at 61-13. And let it also show that the only team it could not handle was Arizona, which also beat the Seminoles 9-5 in the winner's bracket Friday night.

Mike Loynd, who tied an NCAA record with 20 victories this season, took the loss despite pitching five strong innings on two days' rest. He is 20-3, with two of the losses here to the Wildcats.

Arizona's Gary Alexander went the distance and finished the season at 8-2.

A large storm front that swirled all around the Omaha area Monday did the Seminoles no favor by staying away. A crowd of 12,659 came to Rosenblatt Stadium despite forecasts that called for heavy rain.

Like most games in most sports, the game was decided on mistakes. The Seminoles made more in the early innings.

In the bottom of the fourth in a scoreless game, Loynd walked Chip Hale with one out. It was Arizona's first baserunner. One out later, as Hale took off for second base, large Todd Trafton lined a single to left-center.

Hale raced to third and stopped. But Eric Mangham's throw flew over Luis Alicea's head at second and bounced to the backstop as Hale scored.

The Wildcats got another in the fifth. Gar Millay doubled into the left-field corner with none out. Loynd wild-pitched him to third, but almost worked out of the jam. Arizona's speedy shortstop Dave Rohde got the run in when he barely beat the double-play rap at first on his slow hopper to short.

Loynd was reached for a double to open the sixth. FSU Coach Mike Martin then went for his surest thing in the last month. He went for Richie Lewis.

But for the first time since early May, someone hit Lewis. The first hitter he faced, Mike Senne lined a two-run homer on a 2-2 count to make it 4-0. A walk and an out later, Gar Millay hit another shot over the left-field fence. It was 6-0.

The Seminoles did little with Arizona starter Alexander. In the second, Figueroa doubled to lead off the inning but was stranded.

In the third, the Seminoles had first and second with one out on a walk and a Jose Marzan single. But with Marzan breaking for second, Sorrento rapped one right at the shortstop covering. He turned a double play.

Alicea reached on an error to lead off the fourth, but was erased on another double play.

Trailing 1-0, Steve Taddeo led off the fifth with a single and stole second. He was stranded when Blackwell lined to short. After Greg Clayborne was hit by a pitch, Marzan's bid for a breakthrough hit was caught by right fielder Gar Mallay.

The last gasp was the top of the seventh. Taddeo walked with one out. Then Arizona second baseman Tommy Hinzo booted a double-play ball. But Blackwell followed with a bouncer to third that went for a double play.

Even for a team that made amazing comebacks all season, this was too much to ask. The Wildcats, relentless with the bats in both victories over FSU, added three more in the seventh.

To the Seminoles' embarrassment, it included a straight steal of home by Hinzo.

They made their only charge in the ninth, after the score was 10-0. Alicea battled off three 1-2 pitches before tripling up the right-center field alley. Figueroa brought him home with a single. FSU's hopes were faint, but there was hope. But after Mangham doubled home Figueroa, he was thrown out at the plate unwisely trying to score on Ed Fulton's single to right.

       NAME             POSITION AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A
======================= ======== == == == === == == == ==
Jose Marzan             1B        4  0  1   0  0  1  7  1
Paul Sorrento           RF        4  0  0   0  0  1  0  0
Luis Alicea             2B        4  1  1   0  0  0  2  1
Bien Figueroa           SS        4  1  2   1  0  1  1  5
Eric Mangham            CF        4  0  1   0  0  1  1  0
Steve Taddeo            DH        2  0  1   0  1  1  0  0
  Tom Zoeller           PH        1  0  0   0  0  0  0  0
Ed Fulton               C         4  0  1   1  0  0 10  0
Barry Blackwell         3B        2  0  0   0  1  0  0  1
  Chad McClellan        3B        1  0  0   0  0  0  0  0
Greg Clayborne          LF        0  0  0   0  0  0  1  0
  Craig Saxner          PH        1  0  0   0  0  0  0  0
  Keith Kidd            LF        0  0  0   0  0  0  0  0
Mike Loynd              P                            0  0
  Richie Lewis          P                            2  0
  Ed Porcelli           P                            0  0
                                 ========================
FSU                              31  2  7   2  2  5 24  8
Opp                              36 10 11   8  3  9 27 12

E - Opp-3, FSU-Eric Mangham (3), Barry Blackwell (14)
2B - Opp-3, FSU-Bien Figueroa (25), Eric Mangham (12)
3B - Opp-1, FSU-Luis Alicea (4)
HR - Opp-2
HBP - FSU-Greg Clayborne (3)
SB - Opp-4, FSU-Steve Taddeo (16)

       NAME                      IP  H  R ER BB SO
============================== ==== == == == == ==
Mike Loynd           L (20-3)   5.0  3  3  1  1  6
Richie Lewis                    1.2  4  5  5  1  2
Ed Porcelli                     1.1  4  2  2  1  1
                               ===================
FSU                             8.0 11 10  8  3  9
Opp                  W          9.0  7  2  2  2  5



 
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Florida State

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Arizona

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Attendance: 12,659