The birds are singing, the afternoon showers are rolling in and spring is in the air. The most exciting part about spring means another round of FSU baseball and another reason to live for many die-hard Seminole fans. For the ladies out there who have never really found that special place in your heart for America’s past time, hopefully this will help. In order to make this account as estrogen-friendly as possible it is sprinkled with explanations of some common baseball jargon and not-so-dull details of the actual game.
The Recap
The # 5 ranked Florida State played a double header against #11 ranked Georgia Tech on Friday at home. The first game was a shut-out for Georgia Tech, but the Noles are not in the habit of getting beaten. In the second game, they made a dominating comeback to win the game 11-3! The game was well attended with dedicated fans who were hungry to see them get the win they deserved. After an uneventful first few innings, the ‘Noles really started to bring the bats. Marcus Davis went 2-3 with two doubles and a walk to bring in 4 runs.
*Terminology Time* A “2-3” means out of 3 “at bats,” Davis got 2 hits.
Davis rarely disappoints at the plate. This time, neither did DJ Stewart, a freshman. He had one of his best games to date, driving in 6 runs, and (as if that wasn’t enough) he hit his first grand slam! The ball easily cleared the stadium over right-center. The stands erupted with a roar of Seminole pride as Stewart jogged around the bases back to his team and very proud coach, Mike Martin.
*Terminology Time* One “run” is when a player goes from first, to second, to third base, and returns home without getting “out”. This freshman was able to do that 6 times during this game! Also, a “grand slam” is when a player hits a home run, while all three bases are occupied. This gives the team 4 runs in one shot!
The real joy in winning a baseball game is when you’re playing a team of formidable talent. Georgia Tech is not a team to take lightly. As one of the best hitting teams in the conference, this was a huge win for Florida State. Not only did the ‘Noles battle for their win at the plate, but they also battled in the field. Scott Sitz held down the infield and did not allow a runner past second base until after the third inning. Peter Miller made a spectacular catch and thrown to home for a double out.
*Pro Note* Making plays at home from the outfield is arguably one of the hardest things in baseball.
This baseball team really works as a unit, especially for being a relatively young team. Head coach Mike Martin was repeatedly quoted in the FSView saying how proud he was of this year’s team and how they really rallied together to win the game. Having a top-notch head coach like Martin brings the team to a whole different level.
Baseball is largely about strategy and without a coach to lead the team, talent is wasted. The team’s talent and Martin’s coaching promise to yield a successful season for the Seminoles.