TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Not many people saw the end unfolding this way.
The Samford University baseball team, which was making its first appearance in the NCAA tournament, eliminated Mississippi State University from the Tallahassee Regional with a 3-2 victory Sunday afternoon.
The victory was Samford’s second in three days against MSU. Samford dropped MSU to the losers’ bracket Friday with a 5-0 victory.
“We played really well six weekends in a row and one of those weekends was for an entire week,” MSU coach John Cohen said. “It just simply didn’t fall in our favor today, and that happens in this game.”
No 3 overall seed Florida State completed a three-game run in the regional with a 5-2 victory against Samford on Sunday night. Stephen McGee and Josh Delph hit two-run singles as the Seminoles (46-15) advanced to the super regionals. Samford ended its season at 41-23.
“What a gutsy effort by a group of kids that haven’t been here before,” Samford coach Casey Dunn said. “To come in this environment, be in an elimination game, and to hold their composure is really impressive.”
For MSU (40-24), its season came to a crashing halt after Samford scored two runs in the seventh against closer Jonathan Holder. Holder’s school-record streak of 27 1/3 scoreless innings ended when an RBI double by Brandon Miller tied the score. C.K. Irby then gave Samford its first lead when the throw by third baseman Sam Frost, who replaced Daryl Norris at the position the past two games, skipped under the legs of first baseman Wes Rea.
“Lately (the throw) just wasn’t working for me,” Frost said. “I guess in big games I get a little sped up. I had time to make that throw, and I don’t know why I felt like I had to rush it.”
Holder (2-1), the fifth of six pitchers MSU used Sunday, gave up his first hit in eight appearances in the two-run seventh to Phillip Ervin on an 0-2 pitch.
“That was definitely a mistake and give him credit, he just jumped all over it and put the barrel where he wanted it,” Holder said. “He did what good hitters do.”
It’s the first time in the past five NCAA postseason appearances MSU didn’t reach the regional final.
“(Samford) is a better club than people see them as,” MSU catcher Mitch Slauter said. “I still think if we played them in a weekend series we are going to win that.”
Samford senior starter Kyle Putkonen pitched his fourth quality start, and first back-to-back quality starts of the season. After a complete-game victory in the Southern Conference tournament last week, the senior from Marietta, Ga., allowing two earned runs and struck out five in 6 1/3 innings.
“It lets us know that regardless of what happens the next game or the next two games, these guys were truly ready,” Dunn said. “They’ve proven they are worthy of this experience.”
The bullpen of Joseph Burns and Irby allowed just one hit in the last 2 2/3 innings. Burns was coming off an outing less than 12 hours after giving up a grand slam to Florida State’s James Ramsey on Saturday night in an 8-1 loss.
“I’m glad I got another chance and got the call today,” Burns said. “The guy (last night) got a good hit and hit it over the surface over there. I’m kind of used to it.”
The loss marked just the second time MSU has lost when leading after six innings. Two-time defending national champion University of South Carolina rallied for a 7-6 victory in the opener of that Southeastern Conference series April 13.
“You can’t put the kind of pressure we put on this pitching staff, and we’ve been doing it all year long because we’re not executing things offensively,” Cohen said. “That’s my responsibility, my fault, and I’ll wear all that. We’re not a great offensive club.”
MSU left 10 runners on base and twice failed to score when runners were on second and third with less than two outs. In the ninth, MSU had runners on second and third with one out and Demarcus Henderson at the plate.
“We had opportunities offensively and just didn’t do it,” Cohen said. “That’s what happened when guys who do not have a lot of Division I experience. It’s not an excuse. It’s just a fact experienced guys are more successful.”
Henderson struck out swinging on three pitches. Cohen said a squeeze bunt wasn’t the play because the infield was drawn in and Henderson had come through in the past two weeks since drawing starts in the SEC tournament in Hoover, Ala.
“I know Demarcus Henderson is going to get better. He’s too good an athlete no to,” Cohen said. “When there’s an open base, he’ll learn to lay off those buried breaking balls. He’s experiencing everything for the first time.”
MSU ended a season with at least 40 wins for just the third time since 2000. No. 14 MSU likely will have every member of its starting lineup returning next season.
“We’re not a very good offensive club, and when that happens, we’ll have a chance to be among the elite programs in this country,” Cohen said.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.