Canes OWN Noles; 10-run sixth inning seals it…

My only wish? That Miami had a ten-run inning to rough up and embarrass Florida instead of Florida State. That said, ruining the night for over 6,000 Noles always makes for a good night.

The Canes rolled the Noles 11-4 last night after taking a 4-0 deficit into the sixth inning. #2 had #1 on the ropes, but couldn’t deliver the knockout blow. When The U decided it’d had enough, the floodgates opened and everyone was reminded why this was the top-ranked team in the nation.

For those watching…. you must’ve braved the trek to Trailerhassee for the game or tried to stream online, as there was no TV coverage for this one. Nice work, NCAA. The top two teams in the sport – not to mention an old school rivalry between two powerhouses – and not a TV crew in site. For shame.

Florida State jumped on Miami early, picking up runs in both the third and fourth innings. They nursed that lead and shut out the Canes the first half of the evening. The Noles added two more in the fifth when Dennis Guinn launched a two-out, two-run shot, extending FSU’s lead to 4-0.

Then ‘it’ happened. The Miami Hurricanes were feeling it. In the zone. Whatever sports cliche you want to insert regarding digging deep, playing like champions and ‘finding a way’ in what will be an (untelevised) inning to remember regarding the Canes/Noles rivalry.

Jemile Weeks led off the inning with a single up the middle and stole second. Yonder Alonso walked, Mark Sobolewski struck out swinging, Dennis Raben walked and the bases were loaded.

Ryan Jackson singled and scored Weeks. A batter later, Joey Terdoslavich did the same and Alonso scored. Next up, Dave DiNatale, who singled to center and scored Raben. 4-3, Noles – but it was all Canes at this point with one out and the bases juiced.

Florida State then did their part to give this thing away. A double-play, a la the second inning, could’ve capped the Miami scoring machine, but errors gave way. Jason Hagerty reached on an error by second baseman Jason Stidham, scoring Jackson and tying the game.

A batter later, Blake Tekotte doubled down the right field line and scored DiNatale and Terdoslavich. 6-4, Canes.

Weeks and Alonso both reached base on errors, scoring Hagerty and Tekotte. 8-4, in favor of The U. Sobolewski singled up the middle, driving in two and it was 10-4 Canes before Raben flied out and Sobo was caught stealing.

10 runs. 6 hits. 3 errors (thanks, Noles!) None left on base and for all intents and purposes, game over. Miami picked up one more in the eighth, but the Canes pitching staff continued to silences the bats of the second-ranked team in the land and third-best scoring offense.

Chris Hernandez, Kyle Bellamy, Rene Guerra and P.J. Fisher struck out 13 Seminoles; the most by FSU this season – while Bellamy, Guerra and Fishers held the Noles to one hit in the final four innings. Hernandez improves to 6-0 and Bellamy threw two scoreless and hitless innings before Guerra and Fisher closed this one out.

Up next, another 7pm ET showdown tonight at Dick Howser Stadium. Do note this one COULD’VE been televised if our northern Florida brethren agreed to a 1pm start time. The Noles said no, so we’re all destined to ride yet another one out thanks to the Internet and transistor radio. Thanks, Florida State.

Sunday’s showdown is set for 12:30pm ET.

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