June 6, 2002

By Robert Cohn,br> SPORTS EDITOR
Boca Raton News

Jeff Fiorentino had the biggest hit on the biggest stage in FAU baseball history.

Derek Hutton scored the winning run on the biggest stage in FAU history.

Fiorentino's two-out double through the right side in the top of the ninth inning brought in fellow freshman Hutton to give the Owls a 6-5 lead and the eventual win over the nation's No. 3 seed Alabama in the second and deciding game of the Tuscaloosa, Ala., regional championship Sunday.

The win was the first regional championship in school history and earned the Owls a spot in the Super regional. FAU (46-19) will play Georgia Tech (49-14) at 7 p.m. Friday at Russ Chandler Stadium in Atlanta in the best-of-3 Super Regional. The winner earns a berth in the 2002 College World Series, which begins June 14 in Omaha, Neb.

"When I crossed the plate I just felt a wave come over me," Hutton added. "It is one of those things a kid dreams about growing up."

Fiorentino, the Owls' starting left fielder, and Hutton, FAU's starting second baseman, have more in common than a shared moment that will forever live in the annals of Blue Wave baseball lore.

Fiorentino was the Broward County Baseball Player of the Year in his senior season in 2001 at Nova High school in Davie.

Hutton, who came to FAU via Palm beach Gardens High School, was the Palm Beach County Player of the Year in 2001.

The two played in the summer league transition between high school and college for the Coral Springs Pokers, bating in the nos. 1-2 spots.

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Firoentino and Hutton (5-10, 170) were then paired up as roommates at Florida Atlantic University and both have made an immediate impact on the program.

"Three," FAU coach Cooney says in almost BINGO caller-esque fashion. "I was in the dugout for the final game against Alabama counting how many seniors were out there., We had three. That right there says a lot about this accomplishment and even more about the future.

"Jeff and Derek have done a tremendous job as freshmen in tough situations. What can you say, one scored the winning run the other hit it. That's pretty big."

Fiorentino is batting .304 in 50 starts this season with 11 home runs, including a two-run shot against the Crimson Tide in the regional clincher, and 48 RBIs. Hutton holds a .275 batting average in 49 starts with three home runs and 31 RBIs.

"Me and him were doing the same things in different places for so long in high school that when Jeff hit me in for the winning score it was only fitting," Hutton said.

"Yeah, it did make it a little more special that it was Derek that scored the winning run," Forentino said. "We were always on opposite ends of the world in Broward and Palm beach, but we came in here together wanting to go to the World Series. That moment against Alabama is something we can always share."

Go with the best
There will be no elaborate pitching plan for the Owls' Super Regional series against Georgia Tech like there was for the regional tournament in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Cooney has decided to throw the Nos. 1-2 pitchers in the Owls' rotation for the first two games for the best-of-3 Super Regional in Atlanta. The Owls opened up the Tuscaloosa Regional against Auburn with No. 3 pitcher Travis NeSmith in an effort to keep junior right-hander Danny Core, No. 1 in the rotation, and sophomore Chris Pillsbury, No. 2 in the rotation, fresh for a championship run.

"In a series like this, you go with your top guys," Cooney said. "We'll throw Danny out there for Game 1 and Chris for Game 2 and hopefully they'll get the job done so we don't have to make a tough call for Game 3."

Core (6-1, 190) is 8-5 on the season with a 3.24 ERA. The junior took the loss in the Owls' 7-2 loss to Alabama in Game 1 of the Tuscaloosa championship.

"I'm ready," Core said. "I know I have to set the tone for the series. It falls on my shoulders to get the job done."

Pillsbury (6-3, 190) leads the team with a 10-2 record to go with a 4.32 ERA. The sophomore was credited with the win over Southeast Missouri state (10-2), which moved the Owls in the regional championship. Pillsbury has been watching game tape to correct a "minor glitch" in his pitching.

"...It's nothing big really," he said. "When you have a situation like this you can't be thinking, 'well my elbow dropped a bit or my arm did that.'. You just have to go at it."

The Georgia Tech starting rotation of southpaw Kyle Bakker and righties Chris Goodman and Brian Burks worked 22 1/3 inning and allowed just one earned run (0.40 ERA) to Coastal Carolina and Georgia in the Yellow Jackets run through the Atlanta Regional. Bakker, Goodman and Burks combined to hold regional opponents to a .167 batting average.

Seven in heaven Two more Florida Atlantic University players were chosen during the second and final day of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft on Wednesday.

Senior pitcher Jim Coney (6-0, 170), the son of FAU head coach Kevin Cooney, ws taken with the 1.332 pick by the Baltimore Orioles.

Owls' senior center fielder Gabe Somarriba was also selected by the Baltimore Orioles. Somarriba, FAU's lead-off hitter, was taken 1,437 overall.

FAU had a total of seven players drafted by the 2002 draft.

L.J. Biernbaum (San Diego Padres, 10th Round). Tom MacLane (Boston Red Sox, 19th round), Nelson Lopez (San Francisco, 22nd round) and Tim McNab (New York Mets, 22nd round) all were drafted Tuesday. In addition, Chris Kroski, one of several players to commit to FAU in last fall's early signing period, joined the list of five current and future players to be selected Tuesday. Kroski was taken in the 19th round by the Seattle Mariners.