Call it brotherly love. A tip of the cap. A ringing endorsement, for that matter. Quite simply, little brother has made a nice impression on big brother.

Matt and Kevin Lynch, who have been playing baseball together since Little League, have been reunited on the collegiate level at Florida State.

"He just gets it done," junior Matt Lynch said of freshman Kevin Lynch. "He throws strikes, he gets ground balls and gets out like we want. He wants to put the team in position every time out. He has been getting the job done."

In fact, both Lynch brothers have been getting the job done for the Seminoles this season.

A starter in the weekend rotation for the second consecutive year, the left-handed Matt is currently 5-1 with a 3.38 ERA in 56 innings. Matt is experienced and battle-tested.

Kevin, meanwhile, is a multi-talented player who has seen action in the outfield, at third and on the pitching mound. He's the unfazed newcomer. A side-armed thrower with a sinking fastball, the right-handed Kevin, 3-0 with a 3.05 ERA, is expected to share the closer's role this weekend against visiting Miami.

Lynch and Lynch.

Together again.

"My parents love it," Matt said and smiled. "Really, it's not that big of a deal. I look at it as this is my last two years, and my whole life we have always been on the same team. So to be able to do that again is nice."

Kevin, meanwhile, also has welcomed the idea of playing together again on the same team with his older brother. The last time it happened was in high school, when Kevin was a sophomore third baseman and Matt was Ft. Pierce John Carroll's top pitcher and starting first baseman. The two also played together on their American Legion team for one season.

"I am enjoying it up here," Kevin said. "Playing with my brother again is good. Sure, we have fights and stuff at home, but when we are out here on the field it's all the same. He treats me like anyone else out here and he treats me with respect, just like he should."

Of course, when the two return to their home off campus -- senior pitcher Blair Varnes also is a roommate -- any hint of brotherly love and respect is lost among dirty dishes, grocery shopping and cleaning.

"We still haven't found what his job is," Matt said.

"We are always cleaning up after him. It's like we ask him, 'Kevin, what are you doing?' and he's like, 'Nothing.' He's just sitting on the couch. He never fixes dinner. He never does much of anything. I guess you could call him a freeloader. But when I talk to mom, it's like, 'Remember, he's only a freshman.' When we are gone, he will be on his own (laughing)."

Varnes agreed.

"He's a little lazy around the house," Varnes said and smiled. "Kevin didn't know how to work the dishwasher, he didn't know what a garbage disposal was. He even left the oven on a couple of nights. But, all and all, he's done okay."

Make that more than okay. In fact, the younger Lynch has been the most pleasant surprise of the season for the Seminoles. Lynch, who figured to play the field, has found a home on the mound. He has made 18 appearances and limited opponents to a .237 batting average. Ironically, Lynch didn't pitch in high school until his senior season after starting at third base for three consecutive years.

"Kevin is just one of those guys who never has a bad day," FSU pitching coach Jamey Shouppe said.

"Everything is enjoyable to him and that's really a good demeanor to have as a pitcher. And he has thrown well for us this year, better than we anticipated, honestly, coming in. We knew he would be good, but we didn't know that good.

"I think the quality he has that makes him so much better than everybody else is the fact he doesn't get caught up in the situation. He knows his job is to come in and get a ground ball and that's what he does. He doesn't put pressure on himself to strike people out and doesn't put any pressure on himself to do anything other than what he's capable of doing."

Varnes, the Seminoles' most experienced pitcher, also credits Kevin's mental approach.

"He came in and was asking me a million questions," Varnes said. "'Will I travel? What do you think my role is?' He was a hitter when he first got here. I didn't know he would pitch this much. But he has proven he can come in in any situation and get the job done. He has done a great job. As long as he keeps his head on straight and works hard, he can do just as much as his brother has done here."

Of course, both share the same goal -- to help win the Seminoles' first national championship. It would be a family accomplishment, so to speak. Their older brother also attended FSU. In fact, Matt's jersey number 46 was his older brother's football number in high school. Kevin also wore that number on the high school football team.

Kevin always knew he wanted to attend FSU because of another number, one that has to do with the Seminoles' proud tradition.

"I always wanted to come here, but there were other options (Florida and Ole Miss)," Kevin said. "When it came down to it, being around it all the time and going to Omaha with them when Matt was a freshman, it was just a good experience that you can almost count on being there every year as opposed to the other squads having to have a good year, like almost a lucky year to get there. So I like my chances a lot better."

If FSU hopes to make it to the CWS, it certainly will be a team effort. Two brothers want to be part of that journey -- differences aside.

"He has always been playing with older kids and has always held his own," Matt said. "Going into my senior year in high school, he was the only freshman on our summer Legion team. Not only did he start, he played well. He's a fairly good athlete, but I never thought he was going to pitch here. I thought he was going to play the field. I had always seen him play third base. Meat (assistant coach Mike Martin, Jr.) told me that Kevin was going to pitch a lot this year and I didn't believe him.

"But I believe him now. He's throwing well and hopefully he keeps it up."

Matt Lynch

6-2, 185, Junior

Left-handed pitcher

Ft. Pierce John Carroll H.S.

TIDBITS: A starter in the weekend rotation for the second consecutive year. ... Currently 5-1 with a 3.38 ERA in 56 innings. ... Went 9-2 with a 3.61 ERA last year. ... A second-team All-ACC selection. ... Listed as the second-best pitching prospect in the Cape Cod League over the summer by ESPN's Peter Gammons after giving up just 32 hits in 51 innings. ... Compiled a 3-2 record with a 1.59 ERA in the Cape, striking out 63 and walking only eight. ... Has been named to the ACC Honor Roll in each of his first two seasons. ... Entered his junior year with a career record of 16-2. ... A risk management/insurance major. ... Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 46th round out of high school.

Kevin Lynch

6-2, 185, Freshman

Right-handed pitcher

Ft. Pierce John Carroll H.S.

TIDBITS: A multi-talented player who has seen action in the outfield, at third and on the pitching mound for the Seminoles. ... A side-armed thrower with a great sinking fastball. ... Currently 3-0 with a 3.05 ERA. ... Earned all-state honors in 2000 and 2001. ... Was named area Player of the Year his senior season after hitting .400 with two home runs, 13 doubles, 26 RBI and five triples. ... As a pitcher, he finished his senior year with a record of 10-0 with a 0.66 ERA. ... Also voted all-state in football. ... A business major.