honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, May 31, 2009

Florida St. gets offensive, including 15 doubles, in 37-6 win vs. Ohio St.


Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Stephen Cardullo set a tournament record with seven hits, including three of Florida State's NCAA-record 15 doubles, as the Seminoles routed Ohio State 37-6 today and advanced to the super regionals.

Florida State (45-16) set NCAA postseason records with 37 runs, 38 hits and 66 total bases, while Cardullo tied the school mark for hits in an offensive performance the football team would've been proud of. The Seminoles set or tied 18 NCAA, school or postseason records.

"I can honestly say I've never seen anything like it," coach Mike Martin said. "We're sitting there in the fourth inning and I knew we were going to a super regional."

Jason Stidham, the regional's most outstanding player, hit a two-run double as the Seminoles scored eight times in the first and cruised past the pitching-depleted Buckeyes (42-19), who trailed 32-0 in the fifth.

"Everything they did was right," said Ohio State coach Bob Todd, who went through seven pitchers in an attempt to stem the rout. "Everything we did was wrong."

The teams combined for a single-game postseason record for hits (51) and tied the mark for runs, which was previously set in Miami, Ohio's 35-8 victory over Quinnipiac on June 4, 2005.

Ohmed Danesh homered a drove in five runs on four hits, while Mike Meschke was 5 for 5 with a homer and four RBIs. Stidham drove in four runs and led the tournament with 12 RBIs in three games.

Ohio State starter Jared Strayer allowed seven earned runs without recording an out. Andrew Armstrong, the Buckeyes' fifth pitcher, was tagged for 11 earned runs in one-third of an inning.

"It was a great feeling," Cardullo said. "It's definitely true that hitting is contagious."

Florida State will make its ninth super regional appearance in 11 years against the Norman Regional winner.