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Quote:Martinez-Esteve's bomb lifts the Noles over Georgia Tech
by Drew Hankin

The new Seminole motto after Saturday night's 8-7 win over Georgia Tech has got to be, "fifth time's the charm." After being outscored 43-16 in the four previous losses to the Yellow Jackets this season, the Noles finally got one right thanks to clutch pitching from Tyler Chambliss and Kevin Lynch (4-4), and an eighth inning two-run shot by Eddy Martinez-Esteve that made up the final margin in Saturday's game at the ACC Baseball Tournament in Salem, Virginia.

Florida State and Tech will face on more time for the ACC Championship at 1:00 on Sunday afternoon, live on the Sunshine Network.

Faced with a depleted bullpen and no regular starters, the Seminoles turned to reliever Chambliss, who was suspended from the earlier Saturday game against North Carolina for missing curfew on Friday night. All the freshman did was turn in his longest outing of the season, six innings while giving up only three earned runs on seven hits while striking out seven batters and walking three. Three more unearned runs were given up due to four Seminole errors in the first two innings.

Lynch earned the win in relief of Chambliss, going the final three innings of the game, giving up only one run on two hits while striking out three batters, and walking two.

The Jackets struck first with a run in the top of the first inning when second baseman Eric Patterson led off with a walk, went to second on an error by Stephen Drew, and then was awarded third on an interference error by Drew after contact between the two, and scored on a single to left by left fielder Steven Blackwood.

FSU wasted no time getting that run back in the bottom of the inning when Drew reached on an infield single and scored a double by Martinez-Esteve that knotted the game at 1-1.

Georgia Tech picked up three more runs in the next inning on an RBI-single by Patterson, and a bizarre two-error play by the Noles when Chambliss launched a pickoff throw into centerfield, and Shane Robinson's throw to the infield went way off the mark allowing two runs to score.

Two innings later, Tech got the offense going again when right fielder Clifton Remole walked and scored on a two-run homerun by catcher Mike Nikeas.

Down 6-1 to the hottest team in the country, the Seminoles did not back down as Dennis Anderson led off the fifth with a walk and went to third on a basehit by Drew. After a pitching change, Martinez-Esteve singled home Anderson to cut the Jacket lead to 6-2, and hit to center field by Aaron Cheesman loaded the bases. Ryne Malone then brought home Drew with a sacrifice fly that cut the GT lead in half.

The Seminoles survived a scare in the top of the sixth inning when Anderson and umpire AJ Lostaglio had a nasty collision as Anderson as pursuing a foul ball. Down for several minutes, Anderson finally got up with a big scrape on his face, and finished the inning. It was the second scare for the two teams in the game, as Tech's Nickeas took a ball under the chin after it bounced in front of the plate. Nickeas was face down in the dirt for a minute or so before being helped up and given smelling salts. Nickeas also continued, and finished the game for the Jackets behind the plate.

FSU pulled within two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning when Cheesman doubled to right-center, went to third on a fly ball, and scored on an infield singly by Matt Sauls that made it 6-4.

Robinson led off the outcome-changing eighth inning for the Noles with a single up the middle, and scored when Bryan Zech doubled to right-center to pull the Seminoles to within one. After a pitching change, Drew tied the game with a basehit to right that brought home Zech and made it 6-6. After another pitching change, Martinez-Esteve jumped all over the first pitch from Jordan Crews and planted it over the wall in left-center and gave Florida State an 8-6 lead.

After Lynch struck out the first two batters in the ninth inning, Blackwood homered to right and brought the Jackets to within one run, but center fielder Brandon Boggs flew out to center field to end the game and send the two teams to Sunday's Championship Game.

"I've never been prouder of a group of young guys. It was a great win!" Seminole head coach Mike Martin continued, "it was a game in which we were very fortunate to win. Georgia Tech is a great baseball team. This bunch right here will fight you tooth and nail and I don't think I have ever been prouder of a group of Seminoles."

FSU improved to 41-20 with the win while Tech's school-record twenty-game winning streak was snapped, as they fell to 41-18 on the season.


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