TAMPA, Fla. — The Florida State baseball team has been on a magical run through the postseason.
- CJ Van Eyk and Antonio Velez are two Bay Area pitchers for FSU
- Both leading Noles through the postseason
- Noles play Michigan Monday night in College World Series
They've gone from one of the last four teams to make the NCAA tournament to one of the final eight to make it to the College World Series.
A big reason for their success is two talented Bay Area pitchers.
For many Florida State fans, their lasting image of the Noles Super Regional win against LSU is Drew Mendoza hitting a walk-off single to win the game.
But that memorable moment may not have even happened had it not been for the stellar pitching of two Tampa Bay Area aces.
Steinbrenner Alum CJ Van Eyk got the start for the Noles and he handled the pressure of pitching in a super regional like a pro. His former coach however, was a different story.
“I told many people, including his dad in a text, I was more nervous sitting in my lazy boy than i was watching from the dugout,” said John Crumbley, Eyk’s former coach.
Steinbrenner Coach John Crumbley watched his former pitcher go 7 1/3 innings against LSU, giving up eight hits and four runs while striking out five.
“He had special stuff when he was with us,” said Crumbley. “So as long as he stays healthy, he’s going to do some special things.”
Van Eyk has already done that. In 2016, he helped lead Steinbrenner to its first State Championship.
“He was our number one pitcher and took us down to Fort Myers and won the Semifinal Game 2-0,” said Crumbley.
Just like he had done so many times with the Warriors, Van Eyk had Florida State in position to win.
But the game wasn’t over just yet.
Once Van Eyk exited the game, in came another Bay Area product: Brandon Alum Antonio Velez.
“When they brought in Antonio, it was nerve wracking,” said Brandon Pitching Coach Ernie Johns. “I couldn’t sit still.”
Ernie Johns was Antonio’s pitching coach at Brandon and funny enough, an LSU fan. But for this game, he was all Noles.
“He did what he always did here,” said Johns. “We always used to tell him, ‘You got to tough up as it goes.’”
And that’s exactly what Velez did, going 4 2/3 innings, giving up just four hits, no runs and striking out six.
Now Van Eyk, Velez and the rest of the Noles are in Omaha, just five wins away from doing something that seemed impossible just a few weeks ago: win the program’s first National Title in Mike Martin’s 40th and final season.