OMAHA—Florida State's third inning just came to a bizarre end. With runners on first and second and first-team All-American Mike McGee at the plate, the Seminoles called for a hit-and-run. Tyler Holt broke from second base to third with the pitch, and McGee hit a pop-up to second baseman Jerome Pena. Holt rounded third while the ball was in the air, then returned to second without touching third base again. TCU appealed, and Holt was called out.

Interestingly, both teams squandered scoring chances in the last inning when their best and headiest players made baserunning blunders. TCU's second-inning threat was defused in part because senior catcher Bryan Holaday was picked off first base when he strayed too far from the bag on a pitch in the dirt.

But Holt's mistake was more costly, because the Seminoles are down 5-1 against an All-American and can't afford to waste chances. It's notable, too, that McGee has had two rotten at-bats. He struck out with a runner on third in the first inning, then popped up on that hit-and-run in the third. The Seminoles need their stars and leaders to play better, plain and simple.