Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 9, 1990 TAG: 9005090309
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Bargas, a third baseman who leads Florida State's baseball team in hitting and runs batted in, sat for seven innings against the Hokies because of a virus. When he got off the bench, the Hokies fell ill.
Bargas' two-run, line-drive homer in the top of the eighth gave Florida State a one-run lead en route to a 6-4 victory before a sellout crowd of about 5,000 at Salem Municipal Field.
"I didn't know it was going out," Bargas said of his drive. "It just kept going."
It was the third consecutive neutral-site game for Tech, which lost two of the three. Proceeds from each of the games are to go directly to the Hokies' baseball program.
Tech ace Mike Williams lost his bid to tie the school record for victories in a season with 11, but said he didn't lose it on a mistake.
"That pinch hitter just golfed it out," Williams said of his breaking ball. "It was a good pitch."
To a good hitter. Bargas entered the game batting .368 (tied for the team lead with Allen Bevis) with 45 RBI, but he was weakened by what Seminoles coach Mike Martin described as a respiratory problem. But when Marc Ronan doubled with one out, Martin called on Bargas.
"We were just waiting for the right spot to use him," Martin said. "When we got the double, you can't say, `We'll save him until the ninth.' "
Bargas' shot gave Florida State a 5-4 lead, and catcher Pete Grifol's solo homer in the ninth accounted for the final score. The Seminoles, who had hit just 27 homers in 54 games this year, hit three Tuesday, including one by Ronan.
Tech, which entered the game leading the Metro Conference standings by percentage points over Florida State, saw its record fall to 9-4 in the league and 33-15 overall. The Seminoles, ranked eighth in the nation by Baseball America magazine, are 12-4 in the Metro and 43-12 overall.
"It would've been great [to win]," said Tech coach Chuck Hartman, noting that the Hokies then could've won the three-game series by splitting games today and Thursday in Blacksburg. "Now, we've got to win two in a row. That's no small order when you're playing the 'Noles."
Tech rallied in the bottom of the eighth but was stifled by Florida State reliever Ricky Kimball, a former starter making his sixth relief appearance of the year. Seldom-used reliever John Nedeau walked pinch hitter Fred Hatfield to start the eighth, and after Josh Haggas bunted Hatfield to second, Nedeau walked Steve Render.
Kimball, a preseason All-America selection who saved both of the Seminoles' victories over then-No. 1 Miami last weekend, struck out Clint Creed on three pitches and Shaun Thomas on four to end the threat.
"He came in and blew our butts away," Hartman said.
The Hokies might not have needed to rally if not for what Hartman said were two crucial mental mistakes. In the Florida State fifth, with Tech ahead 3-1 and Eddie Perez on first, Rocky Rau lined an apparent single to center. But Thomas, the Hokies' center fielder, tried to make a diving catch, missed, and the ball rolled behind him for a triple that made it 3-2.
In the seventh, Tech took a 4-3 lead but could've done more damage. Thomas walked to lead off the inning. David Dallas faked a bunt, pulled back and lined a hit-and-run single to left-center field.
Len Wentz then lofted a high fly deep into the right-field corner. Defensive replacement Chris Brock got under the ball as he was nearing the foul line, but dropped the ball into foul territory. Thomas scored easily, but Dallas, who had run back to first because he thought the ball would be caught, was thrown out trying to take third.
"I hate to see us make those at this time of the year," Hartman said. "They could've been big."
The Hokies, playing Florida State at home for the first time, held a 3-0 lead after three innings as Wentz drove in two runs. But the Seminoles came back with single runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings to tie the score. Florida State 000110121-693 Virginia Tech 102000100-4100
Painter, Nedeau (7), Kimball (8) and Grifol; Williams and Creed. W-Nedeau (1-0). L-Williams (10-2). HR-Ronan (FS), 4th, none on; Bargas (FS), 8th, one on; Grifol (FS), 9th, none on.
by CNB