Legendary career ends, but with a smile
Martin’s final game at FSU is 4-1 loss to Texas Tech at CWS
The incredible run is done — for the Seminoles and Mike Martin.
Martin’s unparalleled coaching career ended Wednesday. His 2,769th game was a 4-1 loss to Texas Tech at the College World Series.
“I can fake a smile with the best of them,” Martin said after the game. “I’ll get through the rest of this night with a smile on my face.”
Martin, who became known by his jersey number — 11 — long before taking the top spot the NCAA wins list, ends his career 2,029-736-4.
Florida State tied the game in the fourth, scoring a run without a hit for the second time in the CWS. A walk, a hit-by-pitch and a sacrifice bunt put runners at second and third. Texas Tech catcher Braxton Fulford tried to pick Matheu Nelson off second, but his throw sailed into center field, allowing Robby Martin to score from third. The Seminoles, though, failed to further capitalize as J.C. Flowers grounded out to third and Nander De Sedas struck out.
The Seminoles, in the CWS for the 17th time under Martin, had two base runners in each of the next two innings but couldn’t come up with a big hit. Florida State (42-23) struck out 15 times Wednesday, with Reese Albert’s fourth ending the game. Florida State drew eight walks, but the Seminoles went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left 10 on base.
Florida State, which scored two runs on 11-for-89 (.124) hitting in Omaha, could not recapture the form that led it to two wins against No. 4 Georgia and two more against No. 13 Louisiana State earlier in the Tournament.
“We faced some good pitching,” shortstop Mike Salvatore said. “Things didn’t go our way.”
Texas Tech took the lead in the sixth on a solo home run from Brian Klein. It was Klein’s third homer of the season, second in Omaha.
“I have no idea where the home runs came from,” Klein said. “No one expects that out of me.”
The Red Raiders (46-19) added two in the eighth to put the game out of reach.
Martin’s teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament, and won at least 40 games, during each of his 40 seasons as head coach.
“Holy cow, 40 straight regionals. It’s unfathomable,” Texas Tech coach Tim Tadlock said. “All the respect in the world for him. I love him.”
Tadlock said he was 10 years old when Martin took over at Florida State. An assistant coach the previous five years, Martin also played for the Seminoles in 1965 and ‘66. He credited team leaders Drew Mendoza and Salvatore with turning around the struggling Seminoles at midseason, who were on pace to miss the postseason for the first time in Martin’s tenure.
“Coming here, there was a feeling it could be the end of his career,” Mendoza said. “To be part of his legacy is a dream come true.”
A dream-turned-reality for Martin was coaching with his son, Mike Martin Jr. The younger Martin played for his father, and joined the staff in 1998. When asked what they talked about after the loss, Mike Martin Sr. said the conversation was brief.
“Carol raised a young man who doesn’t like to lose,” Martin said, with his family looking on. “He wanted so very much for me to get that elusive [national] championship. … They talk about the 10-minute cooling off period [before postgame interviews]. He needs two weeks.”
After the game, Martin left the field, briefly, but he returned after a garnetand-gold group began chanting his number. He stepped back onto the field for the last time and tipped his cap.
“Love y’all,” he said.