February 6, 1999
TALLAHASSEE, FL. - Right fielder Matt Diaz drove in three runs on three hits including the game-winning RBI as No. 4 Florida State (5-0) defeated No. 12 Arizona State (11-2) in front of 4,023 fans at Dick Howser Stadium.
Diaz ripped a triple off the right field screen in the fifth inning to drive in third baseman Marshall McDougall for the go ahead run breaking 3-3 tie.
Right-hander Chris Chavez (1-0) struck out seven batters in 4 1/3 innings for the win in relief of Nick Stocks. Chavez held the Sun Devils to one run on five hits and did not walk a batter in the outing.
Florida State took a 3-0 lead in the third inning with an RBI-single by McDougall and a two-run homer to centrerfield by Diaz. Arizona State tied the score with a two-run double by right fielder Andrew Beinbrink and RBI-single by catcher Casey Myers in the fifth inning. After FSU regained the lead in the fifth, the Sun Devils cut it to a one-run ballgame with another RBI-basehit by Myers.
The Seminoles broke the game open in the seventh with four runs sparked by a two-run double by catcher Jeremiah Klosterman. An RBI-single by first baseman Kevin Cash and sacrifice fly by designated hitter John Halliday gave FSU another two runs in the eighth.
Left-hander Will Waldrip (3-1) surrendered five runs on eight hits in six innings of work in the loss for ASU. Waldrip walked five and did not strike out a batter in the outing. ASU pitchers stuck out just one batter in the game.
Stocks struck out five in 4 2/3 innings of a no-decision for the Seminoles. He gave up three runs on five hits and four walks.
Six Seminoles had multi-hit days, including centerfielder Karl Jernigan, McDougall, Cash and second baseman Bobby Spano.
ASU 000 031 000 4 10 0 FSU 003 020 42x 11 14 1E-McDougall. DP-ASU 2. LOB-ASU 10, FSU 7. 2B-Beinbrink, Cash, Klosterman. 3B-Spano. HR-Diaz (1).