Martin nears record with ’Canes waiting
TALLAHASSEE — Florida State’s longtime baseball coach Mike Martin has history on his mind, and bad memories from a time he tried to create some against heated in-state rival Miami.
The Seminoles (29-13, 11-9) will host the Hurricanes (17-23, 10-11) for a three-game series, beginning tonight at 6 at Dick Howser Stadium.
Martin is just three victories away from the NCAA record for all-time wins.
The series will also mark the last regular-season battles between Martin and former assistant in longtime Miami coach Jim Morris, who is retiring after the season.
But Martin remembers what Morris and the Hurricanes did to the Seminoles 20 years ago as he was chasing his 1,000th career victory.
“Miami came in here, and said, ‘Not us,’ and they swept us,” Martin said on Thursday.
“So we just hope we take it Friday first, see what happens, then go play Saturday and so on.”
Martin had to settle for winning his 1,000th game after the UM series against Jacksonville at home on April 8, 1998.
With wins against Miami today and Saturday, Martin will tie the late Augie Garrido for the NCAA record of 1,975 career wins.
A series sweep for the Seminoles over the Hurricanes would give Martin sole possession of the record.
“For me to say, ‘Oh, this doesn’t mean anything to me,’ y’all know better than that,” Martin said.
“But I think what we’ve got to look at is the importance of one game, and that’s Friday. We can’t get ahead of ourselves. We know what Miami can do.”
Martin discussed Miami’s recent series win at Clemson on April 13-15 when the Hurricanes won two of three games at “the toughest place to play — other than here — in the Atlantic Coast Conference.”
The Hurricanes are below .500 and far from performing like a team Morris led to two national titles and 13 College World Series appearances during his UM tenure, which began in 1994.
Morris was an assistant on Martin’s first coaching staff in 1980.
Martin let out a deep belly laugh when asked if Morris would object to being present for Martin’s first NCAA victory and for the recordbreaking win.
“We can’t get ahead of ourselves. We have to play solid baseball to be successful,” Martin said.
“Jim’s a competitor … he’s going to be coaching his fanny off all three games hoping to win the series.”