FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – In the first of two scrimmages of the fall season, the Gold team defeated the Garnet team 11-6 Thursday afternoon on Mike Martin Field inside Dick Howser Stadium. Senior Ruairi O’Connor led all players as he paced the Gold team going 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Bo O’Dell recorded the win on the hill firing three solid innings allowing two runs on three hits.
Team Gold also received offensive production from junior college transfer Mike Meschke who went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs, while Stuart Tapley also added two hits and three RBIs. Tyler Holt, Mike McGee and Ray Navarro each registered two hits a piece to pace the Garnet squad.
On the mound, Jimmy Marshall got the start for the Garnet team firing two shutout innings. The senior right hander allowed just two hits while striking out one on 38 pitches. Geoff Parker got an inning of work as he allowed 10 runs, two of which were earned, on five hits. He walked three, hit a batter and struck out one. John Gast saw action for both teams as he pitched a combined three innings giving up three runs on three hits.
Ryan Vigue had a solid performance as he did not allow an earned run in two innings of work for the Gold team. The sophomore southpaw allowed just two hits and no walks while striking out four. Ben Francis also threw two innings and gave up a run on just one hit that coming off a solo home run by Matt Kane.
The Gold team capitalized on a 10-run third inning to take a commanding lead over the Garnet team. After O’Connor reached on a throwing error, Meschke crushed a full count pitch from Parker over the right field fence for a two-run blast to give Gold a 2-0 lead.
Following an RBI double off the bat of Spencer Dickinson, Tapley came to the plate with the bases loaded and cleared the bases with a shot down the left field line scoring Dickinson Robby Stahl and Tommy Oravetz.
O’Connor made the score 8-0 Gold as he doubled home Jason Stidham and Tapley. Meschke added his third RBI of the inning as he drove in O’Connor on a single to right. The Gold team closed out the scoring in the inning on Sean Gilmartin’s double to deep center field.
The Garnet squad cut into the Gold lead with two runs in the bottom of the third off O’Dell. The first run for Team Garnet came on an RBI groundout by Stephen Cardullo scoring Navarro from third. After a walk to James Ramsey loaded the bases, Jack Posey stepped in and drove in the second run of the evening for the Garnet team on a bases loaded walk.
Vigue worked the only 1-2-3 inning of the game in the bottom of the fifth as he posted back-to-back strikeouts setting down Ramsey and Parker Brunelle. He closed out the inning getting Posey to fly out to deep right.
In the top of the sixth, Kane led off the inning with a solo shot to right to give Gold an 11-3 advantage. The red shirt freshman took a 1-2 offering from Francis over the fence in right center.
McGee answered with some long ball action of his own in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Gold lead to 11-6. With Gast on the mound, the sophomore left fielder hit a towering three-run homer on top of the storage/maintenance facility in left-centerfield for his fourth RBI of the game.
Gold – 11 runs, 10 hits, 2 errors
Garnet – 6 runs, 7 hits, 1 error
W – O’Dell
L – Parker
SV – None
Game two of the Garnet and Gold scrimmage will take place on Friday, October 31, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. on Mike Martin Field inside Dick Howser Stadium. Batting practice will take place approximately an hour and a half before Friday’s game. Admission to the final game of the fall season is free to the public.
The Florida State Bat Girls will be on hand Friday evening passing out candy to all fans in attendance as the Seminoles celebrate Halloween at the ball park.
For further information regarding the Garnet and Gold scrimmage please stay tuned to www.seminoles.com.
