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Florida State won the 1st game against Michigan State this afternoon in the bottom of the 9th. With 2 on and 2 outs and down 4-2, the Noles (Danny Wardell) hit a homerun and won the game 5-4.

04-cheers
Quote:MSU 201 001 000  4  9  0
FSU 100 001 003  5 10  0

W - Lynch (3-2)  L - Gale (0-1)

Wardell's walk-off blast lifts the Seminoles
by Drew Hankin

Danny Wardell's two-out, two-strike, bottom of the ninth inning three-run homerun gave #19 Florida State a 5-4 win over Michigan State on Friday evening.  Wardell, who has has been slumping all season entered the game with an .094 batting average and had gone 0-3 on the day turned into a hero with one bad pitch by Spartan starter Bryan Gale, who pitched a complete game.

FSU skipper Mike Martin told Wardell shortly before the at bat, "if he hangs a slider up high, then hit it over."  After a couple of breaking ball strikes, the next pitch was a high slider, and Wardell crushed it to left for the win.

Aside from allowing a few bunt singles, the Seminole defense had an outstanding game, especially considering they were without Stephen Drew who won't play this weekend due to a hip injury.  Bryan Zech took over at short for Drew and played flawlessly, while Gibbs Chapman at third base had some good plays including a highlight-reel dive on a ball and then calmly threw out the runner at first base.

MSU got on the board in the top of the first when the Spartans loaded the bases with three straight singles and scored their first run on another single by first baseman Scott Koerber.  A ground out later in the inning allowed a second run to come home and gave the Spartans a 2-0 lead.

Florida State cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning when Zech led off with a single to left-center, moved to second on a balk, and scored on Chapman's first of two doubles of the game.

Michigan State extended their lead back to two runs in the top of the third when center fielder Travis Gulick homered off of Seminole starter Hunter Jones.

Jones retired the Spartans in order in the fourth and fifth frames before surrendering the fourth run of the game in the sixth when Koerber walked, moved to second on a bunt single, and scored on a single through the infield by third baseman James Moreno.

FSU got that run back in the bottom of the inning when Chapman reached on his second double, and scored on a double down the left field line by Eddy Martinez-Esteve.  Aaron Cheesman's single later that inning extended his hitting streak to twelve games.

Gale mowed down the Seminoles in order in the seventh and eight innings before the fateful ninth came around.  Cheesman led off with a single to center field and was replaced on the basepaths by the speedy Brandon Manasa.  After Ryne Malone struck out swinging, and Derrick Smith flew out shallow center field, Shane Robinson singled through the left side to put two runners on with two outs.  After a visit to the mound by the Michigan State coach, and a conference between Wardell and Martin, Danny fell into an 0-2 hole before knocking the third pitch out of the park to win the game for Florida State.

Hunter Davis and Matt DiBlasi both saw time on the mound, while Kevin Lynch (3-2) picked up the win throwing to two batters in the ninth inning.

Florida State improved to 14-5 on the season while Michigan State fell to 4-5.  The Seminoles and Spartans play again on Saturday at 7:00 with Eddie Cannon (4-1, 2.41 ERA) on the mound for FSU.

Section B Online Players of the Game:
Danny Wardell (1-4, 1 R, 3 RBIs, HR)
and
Gibbs Chapman (3-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 doubles, Great defense)


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