Sports

Nerves gone, J. Posey eager for CWS

• Leesburg’s Jack Posey says he’s over not getting the clutch hit late for FSU in Game 1 vs. Wichita State last weekend, and he’s ready to focus on the goal he and the Seminoles have thirsted after all year: A College World Series title.

Derek Barichello

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Before the Florida State baseball team reached Saturday's College World Series in Omaha, Neb., there was a moment during last week's Super Regionals against Wichita State that had everyone back in Southwest Georgia holding their breath.

And surprisingly, this one had nothing to do with former Lee County and current FSU junior superstar Buster Posey — and everything to do with his younger brother, Jack.

The moment came about when the freshman Posey waited anxiously on the bench during last Friday’s NCAA Super Regional opener against the Shockers as played the game out in his head.

Down, 10-7, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning — and two Seminoles on, with Posey representing the tying run — he knew that left-handed teammate Tommy Oravetz’s spot in the lineup wouldn’t be the matchup coach Mike Martin would want against Wichita State southpaw Logan Hoch.

“I was hoping he was going to call on me,” Posey said Wednesday. “I was mentally ready.”

Just as expected, Posey, who sat the bench the entire game, was about to be called upon — right when his team needed him most.

Martin would play the percentages and give Posey a chance to be a hero in front of a packed crowd in Tallahassee and a worldwide audience on ESPN.

To add more pressure, Posey's tension grew as he watched his older brother Buster --- the NCAA Collegiate Player of the Year and No. 5 overall pick by the San Francisco Giants in last week's MLB Draft --- strike out, along with slugger Jack Rye, early in the inning to force the Seminoles to their final out.

Suddenly, Jack Posey found himself the center of attention in a week dominated by headlines about Buster as he took a deep breath, did his best to calm his nerves and stepped into the batter's box.

“I knew it was the biggest at-bat I've taken here so far,” the younger Posey said. “It was a pretty big rush walking up to the plate.”

Unknown to Jack, ESPN's camera routinely flashed shots of the Posey family sitting in the stands and cheering him on, while former Florida State player Eduardo Perez — color analyst for the game — began discussing what a story this would be should the younger Posey come through.

Unfortunately, what seemed to be a perfectly woven tale did not have a perfect ending.

“I was nervous for the first pitch,” Jack admitted during the team's final practice as they prepare for Game 1 of the CWS — FSU's first since 2000 — on Saturday against Stanford. “I focused on everything from there like a normal at-bat to just go up there and hit the ball hard somewhere.”

Eventually, Wichita State brought in Anthony Capra to face Jack as Posey worked the count in his favor, 2-0, then pushing it to 3-1, hoping to at least load the bases on a walk.

On the next pitch — a high, seemingly off-the-mark fastball — Posey didn't wait to hear the umpire's call, as he began to toss his bat and take first base on what appeared to be Ball 4.

But not so fast.

“STRIKE” came the bellow from the ump as Jack looked around in disbelief, then headed back to the batter's box with a full count.

“It was border line,” Posey said of the called strike, as he then whiffed on the very next pitch — striking out and ending FSU's hope to win Game 1.

Of course, it wouldn't matter thanks to the 24-8 margin the Seminoles outscored the Shockers during the next two games toeliminate Wichita State and advance to Omaha, Neb.

And while Posey admitted Wednesday he surely would have liked to come through, he received plenty of pats on the back from teammates after the game-ending out.

But more importantly, after shaking the nerves of his first center-stage showing, he feels he's maintained his confidence on a team of super-confident Seminoles who are trying to capture their first ever College World Series title.

“In the end it was just another at-bat,” Jack Posey said. “That's what (coach Martin) told me, 'It was just another at-bat, do what you've done all season long.'

“(Now) I'm getting ready to hopefully get another at-bat later on in the Series.”

DELMONICO ON THE MENU

Florida State shortstop Tony Delmonico, who sat out the final two games against Wichita State due to a sprained ankle after being slid into while covering second base in the first inning of Game 1, expects it to be close to 100 percent by Saturday.

“I'm going to stay off it as much as possible and see what I can do (today),” said Delmonico, who received four stitches during a 25-minute timeout to address the injury in the middle of the Super Regionals opener.

“I'll be in the lineup on Saturday, no question about it.”

The injury occurred when FSU second baseman Jason Stidham fielded a sharp ground ball up the middle in the first inning, then tried to make a flip throw to Delmonico for a force-out at second base.

The throw led Delmonico right into the Shockers base runner, who also was injured but --- like Delmonico --- would later return.

Delmonico played through the pain in Game 2 but sat out the final two games of the Super Regionals.

(NOT) ALONE AT THE BOTTOM

Florida State joins North Carolina and Fresno State as the only three baseball programs in this year's College World Series to have not won a CWS title. The other five teams have combined for 11 championships as Georgia won once in 1990, Rice once in 2003, Arizona three times --- the latest in 1986 --- Stanford twice, with the latest in 1988, and Miami four times.

The Hurricanes are the most second-most recent champs, having won it all in 2001.

A STRONG COMPARISON

At Wednesday's press conference at Dick Howser Stadium, Buster Posey found out he shared more than positions with one of the greatest baseball players of all-time.

Posey, who wore a No. 8 practice jersey tattered in the back, was asked by an elder reporter if he knew which famous catcher shared his jersey number.

“No, sir,” Buster replied.

“Yogi Berra,” said the reporter with a laugh. “Have you ever heard of him?”

“I've heard of Yog,” Buster said with a shrug.

The Hall-of-Famer, Berra, hit 358 home runs and batted .285 for his career, while leading his New York Yankees to 14 World Series appearances, winning 10 titles.

While Posey will be trying for his first College World Series title, he leads the nation with a .460 average and 26 home runs — tied for most in the country.

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