Bucknell University
Florida State
Bucknell Baseball Shocks Florida State, 7-0, to Open NCAA Tournament!!!
5/30/2008 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 30, 2008
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TALLAHASSEE, Fl. - Behind a complete-game six-hit shutout performance by senior Mathew Wilson (Toronto, Ontario/Northern S.S.), the Bucknell baseball team pulled off a 7-0 upset victory over No. 4 nationally seeded Florida State to open NCAA Tournament play on Friday evening at Dick Howser Stadium.
It marked the first NCAA Tournament win for the Bison, who moved to 30-22-2 on the season, reaching the 30-wins plateau for the third time in program history. The Seminoles, who entered the weekend ranked in the top-three of five national collegiate baseball polls, suffered just their 11th loss of the year, their first shutout, and are now 48-10. Florida State also saw their streak of 15 straight opening round NCAA Regional games come to an end, a stretch that dated back to 1992.
After junior Dane Grandizio (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg) logged the first hit of the game with a single up the middle in the top of the first, Bucknell managed to plate three runs in the second. Sophomore Andrew Brouse (Kreamer, Pa./Midd-West) walked, moved to second on an error and scored on a single to right center by senior Shawn Hirsch (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) for the first run of the game. Sophomore Ben Yoder (Belleville, Pa./Indian Valley) followed up with a hit down the right field line that moved Hirsch to third, setting up an RBI groundout by senior Ed Rubbo (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge). Sophomore Ben Allen (Port Royal, Pa./Juniata) advanced Yoder to third with a single to left and Grandizio brought him in with an infield hit to bring the score to 3-0.
The Bison added a fourth run the following inning. Senior Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School), singled and went to third on a double down the right field line by classmate Austin Turban (Northfield, Ill./New Trier). After Turban's hit chased Florida State starter Geoff Parker from the game, Yoder knocked in Buursma with a single to the shortstop off reliever Bo O'Dell. Parker surrendered four runs on seven hits with one walk and four strikeouts in 2.1 innings of work and took the loss (6-2).
Managing to score for a third straight frame, Bucknell extended its lead to 7-0 with three in the fourth. Allen and Grandizio started things off with back-to-back singles, while Buursma brought home Allen with a hard-hit double off the left field fence. With one out, Grandizio came home on a sacrifice fly by Turban and Hirsch capped off the inning with an RBI single to left that scored Buursma.
The Seminoles threatened to score in the bottom of the fifth as Tommy Oravetz led off with a double and moved to third with less than two outs. However, Wilson worked out of the inning by striking out Tyler Holt and inducing a weak comebacker to the mound off the bat of Jason Stidham.
By a 13-6 margin, the Orange and Blue out-hit Florida State, who entered the contest leading the nation with a .350 batting average. The Bison were led by Grandizio at the plate with a 4-for-5 performance. Allen finished 2-for-5, Buursma was 2-for-4, Hirsch went 2-for-4 and Yoder batted 3-for-2.
Wilson tossed his first nine-inning complete-game shutout, his fifth overall shutout of his career to break the Bucknell record, and picked up the win (6-1), logging two walks and three strikeouts.
The Bison move on to face Tulane, who defeated Florida 7-4 earlier this afternoon, at 7 p.m. tomorrow evening at Dick Howser Stadium.
