Quote:Martin to be honored
Baseball field at Florida State to be named for veteran coach.
By BOB THOMAS, The Times-Union


TALLAHASSEE -- After suffering its second home loss in 18 games this season, the Florida State baseball team will try and get back on track this weekend in a pivotal three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series with Clemson.

The series, which opens tonight at 7, is significant on two fronts:

Not only are the Seminoles (27-6, 5-1 ACC) and Tigers (14-9, 5-1) locked in a second-place tie behind league-leading Georgia Tech (21-5, 11-1), but Saturday's game will mark a professional high point for FSU coach Mike Martin.

Florida State will dedicate Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium prior to the 7 p.m. contest.

"From a professional standpoint, there's never been greater news," said Martin, who has 1,365 career victories in 26 seasons as the Seminoles coach.  "You can talk about winning a national championship.  You can talk about a lot of things ... but when you love a place [like Florida State] like I do and to know this is going to happen, it's very humbling and very exhilarating."

His connection to FSU goes back four decades.

Martin came to FSU as a player, transferring from Wingate (N.C.) College in 1965.

Counting his two seasons in centerfield and five years as an assistant coach, he has participated in 73 percent of the program's all-time victories.

When reminded that FSU football coach Bobby Bowden lost to Florida on
the day the field at Doak Campbell Stadium was named after him, Martin joked:

"The one thing I've got going for me is we've got about 20 more home
games."

This series, however, is pivotal for the Seminoles, who were handled by Florida in a 9-2 home loss. Martin continues to juggle his pitching rotation in search of the best combination. Sophomore Bryan Henry will make his debut in the weekend rotation on Sunday; a game that will televised by Sun Sports (1 p.m.).

FSU sophomore centerfielder Shane Robinson's pursuit of the ACC consecutive game hitting streak will supply yet another subplot to the series. Robinson extended his school-record streak to 38 games against the Gators and could match the league record of 41, held by Clemson's Rusty Atkins (1965-66), on Sunday.