FSU sets super regional scoring records in 24-4 win vs. UConn - ESPN

Tennessee shook off upstart Evansville in the middle innings Friday and moved within a win of a third Men's College World Series appearance in four years. But Florida State turned in the most eye-opening performance on the first day of NCAA super regionals.

The No. 8 national seed Seminoles set records for the most runs and largest winning margin in the 25-year history of the super regionals in their 24-4 victory over UConn at Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida. Five of FSU's 18 hits were home runs, and six UConn pitchers combined to walk 15.

«We got boat-raced,» Huskies coach Jim Penders said before saying the lopsided final score. «I thought we were in Doak Campbell [Stadium next door] because that looked like a football score, but that doesn't matter for tomorrow.»

The Volunteers looked every bit the part of a No. 1 national seed, launching four more home runs and getting another solid performance from AJ Causey after starter Chris Stamos was pulled early for a second straight game in an 11-6 win over Evansville.

Two other super regionals opened Friday night. West Virginia was at No. 4 North Carolina and West Virginia visited No. 12 Virginia.

The winners of the best-of-three series will advance to the MCWS in Omaha, Nebraska, beginning next Friday.

Since the NCAA tournament went to its current format in 1999, the winner of a super regional opener advanced to the MCWS 78% of the time (148 of 190).

The Seminoles, who missed the NCAA tournament last year, are trying for a 24th MCWS appearance and first since all-time NCAA wins leader Mike Martin's final team made it to Omaha in 2019.

They scored their most runs in an NCAA tournament game since a 37-6 blowout of Ohio State in the 2009 regionals. Jaime Ferrer