FSU’s Martin lauds team’s run to CWS

OMAHA, Neb. — Florida State coach Mike Martin once again fell short of an elusive national title, but he didn’t fault his team after the Seminoles suffered a 7-4 elimination game loss to LSU in the College World Series on Wednesday night.

The Seminoles were on the bubble to even make the NCAA Tournament in April and went on a late-season surge to reach the CWS stage.

“I don’t know when I’ve ever been prouder of a baseball team,” Martin said. “They did their job in the classroom. They did their job on the field. We had tremendous leadership. Guys wanted the top of the mountain very bad, but there’s only one team that’s going to leave here happy.”

The Seminoles fell behind early Wednesday and suffered their second loss in five days to the Tigers (50-18).

Starting pitcher Cole Sands’ night spun out of control in the second inning. The Tigers put up five hits, none more damaging than Jake Slaughter’s threerun homer. Sands was removed after Slaughter’s shot crept over the fence in left field.

Martin said Sands threw a bad slider for a run-scoring single early in the inning, causing him to think Sands was in trouble. The second bad slider was on Slaughter’s home run.

“He pitched as hard as he could,” Martin said. “You can’t leave pitches where they were left, but that happens.”

A flag-straightening breeze knocked over a tall protective screen during LSU’s batting practice, and affected fly balls throughout the night. It hampered balls hit to right — like Tyler Holton’s fly out in the fifth that on another night would have been a two-run homer – but seemed not to affect ones to left. Drew Mendoza followed Slaughter’s shot with one well into the left field seats in the bottom of the second, the first of three Florida State home runs in similar locations.

The end of the season came much later than expected for the Seminoles (46-23), who finished 14-14 in ACC games and slipped in the rankings.

“We came out with unbelievable respect and rankings, and we struggled early,” senior Quincy Nieporte said. “Halfway through the year, the team had to look itself in the mirror.”

The team caught fire in late May, winning the conference tournament as the eighth seed. After losing its opening game in the NCAA Tournament to Tennessee Tech, Florida State won four games in three days to win the Tallahassee Regional. Never a team to work from ahead, the Seminoles fell behind 5-1 to Sam Houston State in the opening game of the Super Regional before rallying to win, 7-6.

“We proved a lot of people wrong, and it showed why we’re Florida State,” Nieporte said.

Another rally appeared possible at times Wednesday. Florida State, in the CWS for the 22nd time, started the fifth with two singles, but a double play squelched the threat. Jackson Lueck’s double put runners at second and third with one out in the sixth. Nieporte lofted a ball that carried to the warning track for an out. A run scored on the play, but it was the only one of the frame.

“I thought maybe I’d got enough of it, but I didn’t,” Nieporte said.

The Seminoles struggled with LSU starting pitcher Jared Poche, who became LSU’s career leader in wins, until the ninth inning. Nieporte and Cal Raleigh crushed home runs to start the final inning, cutting the margin to 7-4.

The surge stopped there as the Seminoles managed only a walk against LSU closer Zack Hess.

NATI HARNIK/AP Florida State players watch the ninth inning Wednesday as the Seminoles fell to LSU, ending their season.