Feb. 27, 2009
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Auburn couldn't muster much offense outside of three home runs while No. 5 Florida State scored 14 runs on 19 hits to take game two of the four-game series, 14-5, on Friday afternoon at Dick Howser Stadium. Florida State starter Sean Gilmartin (2-0) limited the Auburn hitters to three runs on three hits in seven innings, striking out nine, to send the series back to Auburn with Florida State having already taken the first two games.
"Florida State is tough. It starts with pitching and defense. Grant (Dayton) made some pitches early but we couldn't handle it defensively. We had three costly errors today and some frustration set in with the guys. We weren't able to overcome a very good offensive approach by Florida State today," Auburn Head Coach John Pawlowski said.
The two teams traded runs in the first as Joseph Sanders hit his team-leading fourth home run of the year, and third in his last three at bats, with one out in the first. Florida State answered with an unearned run when Jason Stidham's groundout to second scored Stephen Cardullo to tie the game at 1-1.
Florida State (6-0) took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second as Tommy Oravetz reached on a two-base error by first baseman Kevin Patterson to lead off the inning, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on Jack Posey's sacrifice on a squeeze play with one down, giving it a lead that would never be threatened.
Florida State busted the game open with a five-run third to take a 7-2 lead off of the Auburn starter Dayton. Florida State loaded the bases on two walks and a single with one out before the scoring started. D'Vontrey Richardson singled in Mike McGee, Posey hit a sacrifice fly to center and Rafael Lopez doubled in a pair before Tyler Holt's RBI double to score Lopez ended the scoring for the inning.
Ben Jones homered to right with one down in the fourth for Auburn's second home run of the game. Auburn (2-4), which would add a third homer later in the game, has now hit at least two home runs in every game this season and has 15 on the year.
Dayton lasted just 3 2/3 innings, the shortest start of his career in a weekend series, and allowed a career-high tying seven runs (five earned) on eight hits and three walks to take the loss, the first to a non-conference opponent in his career.
Florida State added a pair of unearned runs off of Scott Shuman in the fifth to extend its lead to 9-2. Mike MEschke reached on a two-base throwing error by Patterson and would come home on Lopez' single to left. Three batters later Lopez would score on Mike McGee's sacrifice fly.
Auburn got a run back in the top of the sixth to make it 9-3 when Justin Hargett singled, moved to second on a balk, to third on Trent Mummey's groundout to first and scored on a wild pitch.
Back-to-back doubles to start the bottom of the seventh started another big inning for Florida State as the Seminoles scored four runs in the inning to get it to 13-3. The big blow came off the bat of Stuart Tapley, who hit a two-run shot to left-center.
Mummey's inside-the-park home run to center in the eighth off of Florida State reliever Kris Castellanos scored Hargett and made it a 13-5 game but Florida State answered with another run in the bottom of the eighth off of reliever Chris O'Neil for the final margin.
The two teams headed to Auburn following the game for the final two games of the series at Plainsman Park. Saturday's first pitch is scheduled for 3pm CT and Auburn will throw R-Fr. RHP Jon Luke Jacobs (0-0, 2.70) while Florida State will send So. LHP John Gast (1-0-, 10.38) to the hill.
Florida State 14, Auburn 5 (Feb 27, 2009 at Tallahassee, Fla.)
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Auburn.............. 100 101 020 - 5 4 3 (2-4)
Florida State....... 115 020 41X - 14 19 0 (6-0)
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Win-Sean Gilmartin(2-0) Loss-Grant Dayton(0-1) T-2:29 A-5844
HR AU - Trent Mummey (3); Joseph Sanders (4); Ben Jones (2).
HR FS - Stuart Tapley (2).
