Florida State's Mike Martin becomes college baseball's all-time winningest manager
Curt Weiler
CLEMSON, S.C. — It took 13 innings to make it happen, but 2,688 games and 1,976 wins into his legendary coaching career, Mike Martin stands alone.
The Florida State baseball coach surpassed the late Augie Garrido with his 1,976th career victory in the No. 15 Seminoles' (32-14, 14-10) extra-innings 3-2 win at No. 9 Clemson (34-12, 17-8) Saturday to become the all-time winningest coach in college baseball history.
FSU blew a 2-0 lead in the late innings and entered into a lengthy relief pitching battle between Clemson closer Ryley Gilliam and FSU freshman CJ Van Eyk.
Steven Wells Jr. gave the Seminoles what became the winning run with a solo homer to left in the 13th inning in front of a raucous crowd of 5,379 at Clemson's Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
With the win, Martin has accumulated more wins than Garrido and did it in 246 fewer games.
FSU outhit the Tigers 15 to 6 and overcame plenty of missed opportunities, leaving 14 men on base — eight in scoring position — going 4-23 (.174) with runners on base and 1 for 10 (.100) with runners in scoring position.
Van Eyk (3-0) was stellar in relief, allowing one run on four hits over the final 6.1 innings, walking two and striking out seven to earn the victory.
