Quote:Stetson 000 310 000  4  12  2
FSU    210 113 00X  8  12  0

W - Lynch (8-0)  L - Dixon (5-6)

Noles complete sweep, Robinson hits 100
by FSU Sports Information

The 11th-ranked FSU baseball team completed a four-game series sweep of Stetson Wednesday night with an 8-4 victory but the team's seventh
straight win wasn't even the story of the game. Senior reliever Kevin Lynch improved to 8-0 in picking up the win. Freshman Tony Thomas, Jr. came within a double of hitting for the cycle. Florida State was a perfect 7-for-7 in steals. Gibbs Chapman had three more RBIs and his ninth home run but it was once again Shane Robinson who stole the spotlight. The sophomore recorded his 100th hit of the season becoming the first player in America to reach triple digits in hits as FSU improved to 43-14 on the year.

"I think it is pretty neat to be in the 100-hit club," said Robinson following a 2-for-4 night. "I just keep trying to do what I have been doing all season long. I am just going out and taking it one game at a time. I didn't know I was the first player to reach 100 this year.  That's pretty special. I just want to try and keep it up and help this team continue to play good baseball."

Robinson not only reached the century mark in hits, he also swiped two bases to move into fourth place all alone on FSU's single season list.  His two steals were part of a season-high seven for the Seminoles who saw four of the players who stole a base eventually come around and score.

"You might say we used our legs to win the ballgame tonight," said FSU head coach Mike Martin. "We definitely tried to put pressure on Stetson tonight. We also did a good job after we stole a base of getting a key hit to bring a guy in. That is very encouraging."

"We just picked the right pitches to go on tonight," said Thomas who stole his eighth base of the year. "We had the counts in our favor and we ran on good pitches. We had good jumps and good reads and it helps when you have the counts in your favor."

While Lynch picked up the win with just 1 1/3 innings of work, five total Seminoles took the mound Wednesday night. Michael Hyde started the game and went 4 2/3 and gave up all four runs. The Seminole bullpen combined to strikeout five batters and issue just one walk while not allowing a single earned run.

"Stetson came in hitting .344," said Martin. "They are not a club you expect to hold down and they did get 12 hits tonight. You might say we were very fortunate to hold them to just four runs. Kevin was ready tonight and came in and did a good job."

Just like they did the night before, FSU got off to a fast start against the Hatters and starter Randy Dixon (5-6). Robinson led off the game with a hit for the 33rd time this season and then stole his 41st base.  That tied the sophomore with Eric Mangham for fourth place on the single season steals list at FSU. Chapman then came up and drove the run home with a single. The senior outfielder then swiped a base of his own and Aaron Cheesman followed with another single making it a 2-0 game.

Stolen bases and singles once again helped FSU in the second. Thomas turned a two-out single into a run as he swiped second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Robinson then knocked him home on a single through the left side.

Stetson staged a two-out rally of its own in the fourth. A single to shallow right field was followed by a David Golliner homer to left center cutting the FSU lead to one. The Hatters then evened the game at 3-3 on a deep single to left.

The game didn't stay tied for long thanks to another two-out hit. This time it wasn't a single though as Thomas belted his fourth home run of the season to make it a 4-3 game. Three of the freshman's four homers have now come against teams from the A-Sun (Jacksonville and Stetson).

Three straight singles by the Hatters loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the fifth as Stetson looked to take its first lead of the game. Hyde got two outs on a double play ball but it did allow the Hatters to tie the game at 4-4. Lynch came in to relieve Hyde and moved within one appearance of tying Daniel Hodges for the most appearances in team history as he ended the Stetson half of the fifth.

Chapman then broke the tie in the bottom half of the frame with his ninth home run of the season. The solo shot cleared the fence in right center field and added to the senior's team-leading homer total.

Pinch hitter Brant Peacher drew a walk and swiped second in the sixth.  Thomas then came through with another big hit. The freshman's fifth triple of the season brought Peacher home. A walk and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Chapman who drove another run in on a single off the bag at first. An error on the throw allowed a second run to come in as the Seminole lead grew to 8-4.

Florida State will next welcome in ninth-ranked North Carolina (36-11-1, 15-6-1) for the final home ACC series of the year.

Section B Online Player of the Game:
Tony Thomas Jr (3-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, 3B, HR, SB)