Quote: Posted on Tue, Feb. 03, 2004 

Seminoles stunning
Pitchers get work before Arizona State, take no-hitter into 9th
By Steve Ellis
TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

With 10th-ranked Arizona State looming, the Florida State pitching staff picked up a confidence-booster when four pitchers combined for a two-hitter in an 8-1 victory over Virginia Military Institute at Howser Stadium on Monday.

Keydet center fielder Brandon Massenburg broke up a no-hitter with a leadoff single in the ninth off freshman reliever Tyler Chambliss, who allowed both of VMI's hits.

With a need to get his staff ready for this week's road trip to Tempe, Ariz., pitching coach Jamey Shouppe took advantage of an early 7-0 FSU lead to allow Mark Sauls as well as starter Eddie Cannon an opportunity to get significant work. Freshman reliever Brian Schultz added a hitless eighth inning to the staff's effort.

"I hated that we had to bring Eddie out because he was throwing so good," Shouppe said. "But it's one of those things you have to do early in the season. We've got to get better."

Cannon allowed just one of 12 batters he faced to reach base and struck out the first three. His only blemish came when he hit Massenburg in the fourth. It was just Cannon's second start as a Seminole, and, because it was predetermined he was only going four innings, it counts as a win. He gave up eight runs on nine hits in 22/3 innings in a start against Florida last season.

"I wasn't nervous as I was the first time when I started over at Gainesville," Cannon said.

Sauls took over the no-hitter in the fifth and faced 12 batters. He struck out four and walked two.

The game also gave the 649 fans in attendance a first opportunity to see third baseman Gibbs Chapman. After missing Saturday's game to attend the funeral of his grandfather "Chappy" Chapman in Kissimmee, the junior college transfer contributed an RBI single on a bunt that put FSU ahead 2-0 in the first. He then hit a three-run triple off a curveball in the fourth inning that gave FSU its 7-0 lead.

"I hit real well in the fall and spring, and that's always been my strength - my hitting," Chapman said. "I was playing for (my grandfather). He was a great man. It was for him today."

A doubleheader had been rescheduled for Monday after Sunday's game was rained out. But coaches later agreed to just one game Monday because of an expected overnight ice storm in the Lexington, Va., area. VMI traveled to Tallahassee by bus.

FSU had scheduled one game over the NCAA limit of 56 games in case of bad weather.