Feb. 3, 2000
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Defending National Champion Miami Hurricanes(2-2) host the 18th-ranked Florida Gators (3-0) in a two-game series thisFriday and Saturday, February 4-5, at Mark Light Stadium on the UM campus.Both games, televised by SportsChannel Florida, will start at 7 p.m.
Miami, ranked fourth in the Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches’ Poll andfifth by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball, will start pitching stafface David Gil (1-0) on Friday night, while Troy Roberson (0-0) gets the nodon Saturday.
The Hurricanes lead the all-time series with Florida, 101-78-1,dating back to UM’s inaugural season in 1940. UM also leads UF, 63-29, inCoral Gables, including wins in the past eight meetings at Mark LightStadium. In fact, the home team in the series has won eight consecutivegames either at Mark Light Stadium or UF’s McKethan Stadium.
“Other than the Florida State series, Florida has traditionally beenone of the best series year-in, year-out in all of college baseball,” said1999 National Coach of the Year Jim Morris. “The fans usually pack thestadium for these games. The atmosphere should be very enthusiastic.”
Gil, a Louisville Slugger Preseason First-Team All-American, entersthe contest on a 14-game win streak dating back to the1998 season. In hisfirst outing of the 2000 season against Wake Forest at the ACC/DisneyBaseball Blast, Gil pitched 5.0 scoreless innings with five strikeouts. UMwent on to defeat the Demon Deacons 6-3.
Roberson will be making his second start of the season as UM’s No. 2pitcher against the Gators. In his first outing of the season againstClemson, Roberson earned a no-decision as he pitched five scoreless inningswith just one hit allowed and five strikeouts. The Tigers went on to defeatMiami 4-0.
SportsChannel Florida will televise each game live with FloridaMarlins broadcaster Jay Randolph handling play-by-play duties. Randolphwill be joined by former UM baseball coach Ron Fraser, the Wizard of CollegeBaseball, with the analysis.
WQAM 560 AM will also carry both games live on the radio with the voice ofthe Hurricanes Marc Vandermeer (play-by-play) and longtime Miami broadcasterJoe Zagacki (analysis). WACC 830 AM will carry Saturday’s game in Spanishwith Jerry del Castillo (play-by-play) and Pepe Campos (analysis). Asalways, student radio WVUM 90.5 FM will carry both games as well.
Series Information:
WHO: #5 Miami (2-2) vs. #18 Florida (3-0)
WHEN: Friday and Saturday, Feb. 4-5, at 7 p.m.
WHERE: Mark Light Stadium on the UM campus
PROBABLE PITCHERS:
Friday: UM – David Gil (1-0)/RHP/0.00 ERA/6-4/220/Miami, FL
UF – Jimmy Ramshaw (0-0)/LHP/9.00 ERA/6-4/186/JR/Canberra, Australia
Saturday: UM – Troy Roberson (0-0)/RHP/0.00 ERA/6-2/203/SO/Royal Palm
Beach, FL
UF – Mike Smalley (1-0)/LHP/0.00 ERA/6-1/190/JR/Orlando, FL
TELEVISION: SportsChannel Florida (both nights)
RADIO: WQAM 560 AM (both nights), WVUM 90.5 FM (both nights),
WACC 830 AM Spanish (Saturday only)