02-01-2004, 11:22 AM
Quote:By Steve Ellis
TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
Nearly 6,000 fans celebrated the completed renovation of Dick Howser Stadium and witnessed a work-in-progress on the field Saturday.
No.18 Florida State overcame shaky starts on defense and on the mound to hang on to an 8-7 victory over Virginia Military Institute in the season opener for both schools. Starter Hunter Jones finished with a career-high eight strikeouts to give coach Mike Martin just what he needed from his new ace. But a brief meltdown by the bullpen was enough to set up a suspense-filled finish for the Seminoles.
Designated hitter Derrick Smith ripped an inside fastball for a game-winning double that sent Eddy Martinez-Esteve dashing from first and into home safely ahead of the relay throw with one out in the ninth. Smith, who missed 11 of last season's 12 games with a hand injury, came up big with three RBIs on two hits to the delight of 5,882 fans, the most to watch an FSU home opener.
"It was a lot of fun out there," said Smith, who underwent hand surgery in the summer. "I wish we had won it by a little more but we're just glad to come out with a win."
The Seminoles were ahead 7-4 when reliever Matt DiBlasi hit the first two Keydets to open the eighth inning. Closer Kevin Lynch (1-0) then gave up an RBI single and a two-run double to allow VMI to knot the game at 7-7. Those were the only hits Lynch gave up in two innings.
With new starters at all but two field positions and its entire weekend rotation from a year ago gone, FSU is expected to have some rocky moments in pursuit of a 27th consecutive appearance in the NCAA postseason.
"What concerned me but yet it shouldn't was the nervousness and over-anxiousness," Martin said. "We were fortunate to win this ballgame. We gave up seven runs on four hits and that's something Florida State is not known for. Hunter was a little nervous early but as he got into the second, third and fourth, you could see the real Hunter Jones."
Two errors - a wild throw by starter Jones to third base on Kelly Sweppenhiser's bunt and an error given to new third baseman Ryne Malone - allowed VMI to take a 3-0 lead in the first. Drew's error led to another VMI run in the second.
But after trailing 4-2 entering the bottom of the second, FSU settled down defensively while turning on the power. And by the time Martin posed with Golden Spike winners Mike Fuentes, Mike Loynd and J.D. Drew before the bottom of the sixth, FSU had its expected lead. Malone, starting at third for Gibbs Chapman, who didn't play because of his grandfather's death, hit a triple to key a two-run second-inning for FSU. With the game tied at 4-4, Smith delivered a solo home run in the third. A solo shot by Stephen Drew in the fifth gave FSU a 6-4 lead.
"I was like 'Stay fair, stay fair' because I knew I hit well," Stephen Drew said. "I saw the ball really well."
After walking three in the first two innings, Jones settled down to allow no more walks while limiting VMI to two hits before he was lifted after six innings. None of VMI's four runs during Jones appearance were earned.