Bama stunned in regional championship game

Posted 9:45PM on Sunday 2nd June 2002 ( 23 years ago )

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - Jeff Fiorentina's RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning lifted Florida Atlantic to a 6-5 victory over Alabama for the regional championship Sunday night. The third-seeded Owls (46-19) advanced to play at Georgia Tech, an 8-7 winner over Georgia, in their first super regional trip starting Friday. Derek Hutton opened the ninth with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, then Gabe Somarriba flew out to left. Fiorentina, who also had a two-run homer in the fifth, lined an RBI single to right off Taylor Tankersley, who had recorded two saves in the regional. Alabama, the No. 3 national seed, had forced the second game with a 7-2 victory and threatened in the ninth off closer Tim McNab (3-2). Beau Hearod, who homered twice and drove in four runs, had a one-out single and took second on a wild pitch. Adam Pavkovich fouled off three two-strike pitches before fanning and McNab got Allen Rice to ground out to shortstop. The Crimson Tide (52-14) had won three straight after losing the opener and took a 5-4 lead on Beau Hearod's three-run homer, his second of the day, in the sixth. The Owls thought they had reclaimed the lead in the eighth. They tied it at 5-all on an RBI double by pinch-hitter Mike Valdes. With runners on second and third, left fielder Chad White made a diving catch to rob O'Connor of a hit. Jeremiah Creech took off for home, but home plate umpire Ron Sebastian ruled that he didn't tag third, giving Alabama the double play. Coach Kevin Cooney argued and replays were inconclusive on the call, but the score remained tied until the ninth. Hearod tied the game at 2-all with a two-out solo homer just inside the left field foul pole in the fourth. His three-run shot in the sixth easily cleared the fence left off reliever Greg Eubanks. Cooney had pulled starter Nelson Lopez after a pair of two-out walks for the seldom-used Eubanks. Fiorentino's two-run shot to right, on an 0-2 pitch, had given Florida Atlantic a 4-2 lead in the fifth. Florida Atlantic first baseman Rusty Brown, who homered in each of the first three games, was lifted from the game after cutting his hand while grabbing his batting helmet in the dugout. In the first game, Alabama freshman Brent Carter (2-0) pitched an eight-hitter in just his second start and first in two months. He allowed solo home runs to Brown and Biernbaum, who both homered in the Owls' first three regional games. Biernbaum, voted the tournament MVP, had four homers and nine RBIs. Carter recorded a career-high six strikeouts and walked one, scattering eight hits. His only previous start and win came Feb. 26 against Division II North Alabama. Florida Atlantic ace Danny Core (8-5) saved the Owls' bullpen with his sixth complete game.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/6/194018