June 3, 2005
Army left fielder Milan Dinga refuses to be intimidated, though he has every reason to be.
Army will open its second straight NCAA baseball tournament at 7 tonight against Florida State, making its 28th consecutive appearance.
The Seminoles will be playing before 5,000 fans on their home diamond, Dick Howser Field.
Shane Robinson, a national magazine's college player of the year, will hit leadoff and play center field for Florida State.
Army will be looking for its first tournament win. Florida State has 117 of them.
None of this has stopped Dinga from making a bold statement.
"We're ready," Dinga said. "We're 100 percent confident that we can win this game."
Why is Dinga, a Tampa native returning to his home state, so confident? Army sophomore ace Nick Hill (10-1) will be toeing the rubber. Hill is second in the nation in ERA (1.22). The lefty has walked 14 and struck out 89 in 81 innings. Hill, who hasn't pitched in 12 days, isn't fazed by the pressure. He got the call in Army's NCAA opener at LSU last year. Hill had Army in the game, down 3-0 in the seventh inning, before it fell 9-0.
"I think that I got the nerves of the first game out last year," Hill said.
Florida State fans, "The Animals of Section B" started making signs to rattle Hill when the pairing was announced Monday.
"It's going to be a blast pitching before a lot of people," Hill said. "Whether they root for you or against you, it's for the fun of the game. That's what you play for."
Florida State (50-18) will throw sophomore right-hander Michael Hyde (7-2, 4.48 ERA), it's No. 3 or 4 starter.
Army first baseman Walker Gorham promises his team will be ready to rock-and-roll from the start against Hyde. Gorham has taken extra batting practice for the last two weeks, some against Hill to prepare for a tough lefty in the tournament.
"Last year we weren't prepared as we should have been," Gorham said. "This year, we know that we are going to execute and play well."
Dinga added, "(We're) ten-fold more prepared. Last year, we were satisfied to win the Patriot League. This year, our goal is to win the regional."
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Army center fielder Jason Meloy needed three stitches above his right eye after crashing into the wall at Doubleday Field during practice Sunday. Meloy's eye opened up Monday afternoon but he still has a shiner. Meloy said he will be in Army's lineup tonight.
